Customs assists businesses to carry out procedures amid Covid-19 pandemic

	GDVC removes difficulties caused by Covid-19 pandemic to ensure materials for production
	MoF proposes policies to support those hurt by Covid-19 pandemic

The General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) has complied with the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 11/CT-TTg and the Ministry of Finance’s Directive No. 02/CT-BTC on urgent solutions to resolve difficulties for enterprises to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The GDVC has stopped inspections and post clearance audits and focused on promoting the collection and analysis of information to detect signs of violations by firms.

It has also submitted to the Ministry of Finance for promulgation Circular 47/2020/TT-BTC stipulating the time limit for the submission of certificates of origin (C/O) and the form of C/O for import goods applied in the pandemic, accepting e-C/O and extending the deadline for C/O submission.

Cau Treo Customs Officers have instructed firms to carry out customs procedures. Photo: Phan Tram.

In addition, the GDVC has asked customs branches at international airports to quickly clear goods, especially goods for pandemic prevention and control. It has piloted the National Single Window and the automated system for customs control at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports.

Customs branches must handle shortcomings in using foreign codes and barcodes of import goods to facilitate the business community. Administrative fines are not imposed for means of transport beyond the time limit for re-import or re-export if they are identified as force majeure cases due to the Laos Government's application of measures to suspend exit and entry, or vehicle drivers quarantined at the time of re-import or re-export.

Regarding submission of transport documents for goods transited and transshipped across countries that are not members of the CPTPP, the GDVC does not request firms to submit these documents for goods that are transported in full container loads and under customs seal from the exporting country to Vietnam; accepts the master bill of lading in each transportation stage, and the secondary bill of lading showing goods transported from the exporting country to the importing country.

Customs takes measures to support firms in the areas subject to social distancing or quarantine in accordance with pandemic prevention and control regulations.

It also arranges the area to receive documents of firms separate from the working area of the customs officials. Assigning officials to receive original documents of firms and making receipt of these documents to avoid the loss of documents.

IT application is widely deployed in customs operations. Photo: T.B

The Customs arranges a screen at application-receiving area for firms to see the customs official receiving dossiers; answers firms via zalo and provides the phone number of official for the firms to contact if necessary.

It also assigns officials to inspect goods for customs clearance and complete dossiers at the scene to limit movement from physical inspection site to the branch office and shortens the customs clearance time.

Customs encourages businesses to send paper dossiers online (via Zalo or email) for customs officials to check to shorten time for processing administrative procedures.

Border Gate Customs branches assign officials to support and instruct enterprises in carrying out procedures, and receive information on errors in declarations from firms to determine the cause and guide them in a timely fashion.

In addition, customs units also arrange private working rooms to work with firms if necessary. They also prepare working areas and facilities to connect the system and immediately deploy the backup plan, separate the working areas of the import-export cargo procedure team, and ensure the distance as required by the leaders.

Customs branches at border gates strengthen the goods screening and work with port operators to monitor and update information on scanned and unscanned containers to control and ensure customs clearance time for enterprises.