Customs increase to settle administrative formalities online

Applying information technology in professional activities at Hanoi Customs Department. Photo: T.Binh

Currently, Customs has 73 of 168 administrative formalities provided online at level 3 and level 4.

However, in order to ensure the requirement of implementing Resolution 36a/NQ-CP on e-Government, the Ministry of Finance has requested their units, and units under the General Department of Customs, at the end of 2016 to provide online public services for 46 procedures, and they have to carry out the remaining of 49 procedures in 2017. This will mean that the entire administrative procedures in the Customs sector will be provided at level 3 and level 4 (the highest level in Vietnam currently).

On the other hand, Customs authorities have to develop information systems for receiving and handling administrative records electronically which ensure the provisions of the law on the legal value of voucher electronics, and electronic signatures (digital signatures).

Besides that, the Ministry of Finance requested Customs authorities to use electronic documents under the administrative record by following the principles: Customs agencies use electronic documents in administrative documentation and information on the information system to inspect and handle in accordance with regulations. In the case where the administrative procedure dossier has documents (documents must be presented to the Customs authorities as prescribed; the regular documents must be certified by the Customs authorities to return to the person who implemented the administrative procedures), Customs agencies have to inform on the information systems so that implementers could lodge additional paper documents before returning results.

If the dossier has documents that cannot be converted into electronic format, enterprises are allowed to send paper documents to Customs, other documents will be implemented in electronic form. After receiving full required documents, Customs agency will inspect and handle as prescribed by law.

Regarding the implementation of online public services in the Customs field, discussing with Customs Newspaper Correspondent, the Head of E-customs Information and Transaction Management Division (Customs IT and Statistics Department, General Department of Customs), Mr Dang Nam Phong, said that: “Currently, when the core procedure is performed at level 4, the General Department of Customs will embark on upgrading services of the other remaining procedures (done at level of 1 and 2) which are mainly at Customs Departments and the General Department of Customs. However, the procedure in level 2 is not so much as at the Customs Branches (at the General Department level has 38 procedures, Department level has 24 procedures and Customs Branch level has 106 procedures). The goal set by the General Department of Customs is to strive in 2017 to achieve 100% of public services are provided online at least at level 3, in that has 70% of public services which are in the core areas of Customs, are offered online at level 4.

Furthermore, some procedures which are related closely and concerned by the business community (being performed at level 1, level 2) will be applied online at the possible highest level such as: the confirmation procedures of complete tax obligation; procedures for tax exemption, reduction, tax refund and remission, etc. Mr. Phong analyzed that, the synchronized deployment of online services at the highest level would add a step forward in its efforts to serve the business community and people of Customs authorities. The implementation of online transactions at level 4 will help to facilitate for enterprises, cost savings by reducing travel time.

"By modifying or supplementing records, if transactions are done at the Customs office, enterprises will take a long time to go back for modification and supplements. However, by online transaction method, this will be guided online by the Customs authorities”- Mr. Phong stressed.