Customs further enhance implementation of "dual goals" during the Covid-19 epidemic

	Five groups of imported goods serving for the prevention and control of Covid-19 virus eligible for tax exemption
	Foreign visitors to Vietnam down more than 640,000 due to Covid-19
	Isolating 369 Korean passengers entering Vietnam via Van Don airport

Trucks carry ore for exports at Kim Thanh international border gate Road II. Photo: T. Binh

Working groups to support import-export activities established

According to a press release by the General Department of Customs, on the afternoon of February 28, under Directive 01 / CT-BTC dated January 31, 2020 of the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Customs issued Official Letter No. 676 / TCHQ. -GSQL dated February 5, 2020 on establishinga working group to support import and export activitiesand preventthe epidemic.

Currently, the General Department of Customs is in charge of working with other units to collect information related to import and export goods nationwide, import and export goods with China, export of masks to the Chinese market andthe volume of goods in stuck at the border gates.

Also, it is to gather problems and obstacles proposed by local Customs Departments, to coordinate with the ministries and sectors in solving problems related to imports and exports, especially the markets that are influenced by the epidemic to update information and data to report to the leaders of the Ministry of Finance and the Government formanagement and administrationof epidemic prevention.

Specifically, the leader of the General Department of Customs requests local customs departments to direct their attached units to carry out customs procedures as prescribed. In particular, to pay attention to working with the authorities at the border gates to closely monitor the movement of means of transport and the drivers of vehicles (without passengers) in the customs area to prevent possible risks of the disease spreading.Northern Customs Departments (Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai and Dien Bien) are to set up working groups to support import and export activities and prevent the epidemic and report daily to the General Department of Customs and the Ministry of Finance.

At the same time, regarding the aid for China and the coordination with China to take Vietnamese citizens from Wuhan to the country, the General Department of Customs sent an urgent messageto Hanoi Customs Department and Quang Ninh Customs Department to direct their branches to coordinate with competent units in the international airport areas in the export of aid goods and welcoming of Vietnamese returning from Wuhan in the direction of facilitation and the spirit of the Steering Committee for prevention and fight against acute respiratory infection caused by the new strain of Coronavirus (nCoV).

On the morning of February 10, the flight of Vietnam Airlines returned from Wuhan, China landed at Van Don International Airport, the Customs office coordinated with competent units to disinfect luggage and carry out customs procedures quickly and properly.

Notably, after the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 173 / QD-TTg on announcing the acute respiratory infection caused by a new strain of coronavirus, on February 4, 2020, the Ministry of Finance reportedto the Prime Minister on the export of medical masks, and proposed the Prime Minister to promulgate decisions on import duty exemption for medical masks and hand sanitizers.

Following the Prime Minister's direction, on February 7, the Ministry of Finance issued Decision No. 155 / QD-BTC, enclosed with the list of items exempted from import duty for the prevention and control of acute respiratory infections caused by new strain of coronavirus.

In order to implement Decision 155 / QD-BTC, the General Department of Customs issued Official Letter No. 864 / TCHQ-TXNK dated February 14, guiding local customs departments on the implementation of import duty exemption (for items in the List attached with Decision No. 155 / QD-BTC).

Attempt for clearance at sub-border gates and border crossings

According to the General Department of Customs, together with strengthening measures to prevent and control the epidemic, customs forces,authorities and agencies in the Northern border provinces, especially Quang Ninh, Lao Cai and Lang Son,have introduced many initiatives and solutions to facilitate the import and export of goods.

In particular, in addition to customs clearance through international border gates, under the direction of the Prime Minister (at the official dispatch 224 / CD-TTg dated February 12, 2020), the Customs forces and authorities have made efforts to create convenience for import and export activities at a number of sub-border gates and key border crossings.

In Quang Ninh, the People's Committee of Mong Cai City has built a plan to re-operate import and export activities through the border crossing at Km3 + 4 (Mong Cai), in association with ensuring strict and close control on prevention and fight against the epidemic for drivers and vehicles, and completed a proposal tothe provincial people’s committee for approval.

In Lang Son, the authorities at the border gate are in agreement with China’sauthorities to carry out the import, export and cross-border transportation of goods while ensuring the prevention and control of the epidemic. Lang Son has applied propaganda and notification to yards and warehouse operators to set up isolation zones as required.

Notably, import and export activities from February 26 through pairs of border markets Chi Ma (Lang Son) - Ai Diem (Minh Ninh, Guangxi, China) have been restored.

Lao Cai province and the government of Yunnan Province (China) have agreed on the plan to establish medical isolation andtreatment zones and set up a driver team equipped with specialized protective equipment to transport cleared goods through border gates.

The management of Vietnam's entry and exit activities has also been strengthened.The local health sector continues to work closely with the Customs and Border Guards in controlling entry and exit activities and promoting border quarantine, monitoring cases with symptoms suspected to be infected, detecting the first patient to isolate and treating in a timely fashion at the front line to avoid spreading.