Customs assess the implementation of commitments on client services

	Use of professional dogs - efficiency is not adequate
	Vietnam Customs: Continues to promote the application of information technology to facilitate trade

An Officer of the North of Ha Noi Customs Branch is guiding enterprises. Photo: Huu Linh

Talking about efforts of the Customs in the past time to reduce the clearance time and costs for enterprises, Mr. Nguyen Tuong, Deputy General Secretary of the Logistics Enterprise Association said that the General Department of Vietnam Customs is one of a few leading agencies in the reform of administrative procedures under Government’s Resolution 19 / NQ-CP, such as the application of VNACCS / VCIS and the implementation of the NSW at seaports, which have reduced the customs clearance time from an average of 21 days to 14 days for exports and 15 days for imports, thereby reducing 10-20% of costs and 30% of the time as assessed by the Government. In order to achieve the objectives, set out in Resolution 19/2017 / NQ-CP for 2017, which is 70 hours for exports and 90 hours for imports, the Customs sector should continue administrative reform and enhance IT application and reduce papers in the implementation of procedures synchronously.

However, the statistics in the past time showed that the Customs procedures accounted for 28% of the Customs clearance time, the remaining 72% was the time of procedures of the Ministries and agencies. Therefore, the improvement of specialized inspection procedures is a key issue. Customs authority is a pioneer in promoting relevant ministries and agencies to reform procedures for Customs clearance of export and import goods, including enhancing the post-Customs clearance audit and classification of enterprises who comply with or do not comply with technical assessment for goods with high international standards or using Customs assessment services.

Besides reform through the reduction of administrative procedures, in the recent times, the Customs has deployed many solutions to apply IT in the procedures to reduce the time and costs for businesses. One of the applications to increase client services that Customs is actively deploying and is highly appreciated by businesses is the deployment of online public services.

According to a representative of Sumil Hanel Company, if the businesses used to send a cadre, a driver taking charge of implementing administrative procedures and receiving an appointment paper at State management agencies weekly, now since the Customs has implemented online public services, the handling of administrative procedures takes only 15 minutes. "However, the reform of administrative procedures in Customs clearance relates not only to the Customs but also to many ministries and agencies.

In order to create favorable conditions for enterprises in their business activities, the enterprises expect that competent agencies shall promulgate long-term effective documents without overlapping. In order to comply with the guiding spirit of the Government and the Prime Minister, State management agencies should look directly at the reality in order to see the difficulties of enterprises. "- the representative of Sumi Hanel Company said.

Besides solutions to improve the business investment environment, which has been implemented by ministries but there have been still barriers. Particularly in the Customs field, in the assessment survey of Customs administrative reform in 2016 held by VCCI, besides many targets which were highly appreciated by businesses, there were still concerns about the implementation of Customs procedures, the service of Customs officers. An enterprise said that some Customs officers have not grasped new regulations and circulars in a timely fashion, so that the handling of Customs procedures for enterprises is still slow, leading to the loss of time for enterprises; Or sometimes nonsense loss of money in the implementation of Customs procedures ...

With the aim of improving the quality of client services, in the coming time, the Customs Department will assess the implementation of commitments on client services through inspections in some areas and survey enterprises on the implementation of commitments of the Customs authorities under the " Client Service Charter". Thereby, the Customs authorities will propose measures to further improve the quality of Client service.

One key issue that will be included in the survey program is the consultation of enterprises on the implementation of the Customs commitments: Professionalism - Transparency-Efficiency. The specific commitments to be surveyed include stages of Customs procedures such as the time limit for implementing Customs procedures; for handling tax exemption dossiers; for replying and resolving obstacles and settling complaints and denunciations.

Correct professional activities to reduce clearance time VCN – General Department of Customs requested provincial Customs Departments to direct Customs Branches do not ask ...

The General Department of Customs will closely coordinate with organizations and business associations to conduct the enterprise survey. Through the results of the survey from the units and inspection results, the Customs authorities will propose and have solutions to improve the implementation of commitments on client services in the coming time.