Customs makes efforts to support enterprises to overcome difficulties

Officials of Hoanh Mo border gate Customs Sub-Department (Quang Ninh Customs Department) guide enterprises in carrying out procedures. Photo: Quang Hùng

Promptly removing obstacles

Talking to a reporter from Customs News, Mr. Nguyen Duc Thanh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Duc Thanh Co., Ltd., said that from the year before the Covid-19 pandemic began out, Vietnam implemented social distancing on a large scale, enterprises had been guided by the Customs to carry out customs procedures via mail and phone. At the same time, the Customs accepted receipt of documents via mail, fax when the system failed to transmit documents and guided enterprises to transmit additional documents as soon as the system operated again.

“Especially, when the shortage of empty containers occurs, enterprises are supported to provide information about the situation from other countries, besides, enterprises are also supported with information on the operation of trains by port business units, shipping lines so that enterprises can grasp and proactively develop production plans. The enterprises themselves have been promptly supported by the Customs units, wherever the enterprise is in trouble, they are promptly helped by Customs. Enterprises are also supported in difficulties arising in the process of customs clearance such as: quickly solving procedures for enterprises to transport containers out of the port, avoiding the costs of storing containers and storing yards,” Mr. Thanh added.

As an export enterprise located in Hai Duong province, Antax Export Co., Ltd has received a lot of support from Customs in clearing goods quickly, helping the unit keep up with orders. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hao, Deputy Head of Administration Department of Antax Export Co., Ltd., said that in the face of the current pandemic, the enterprise that comes to carry out procedures at Hai Duong Customs Sub-Department is required to do a full range of prevention measures such as wearing masks, disinfecting hands, measuring body temperature to both ensure prevention and customs clearance for businesses.

“Lever” for enterprises

“Notably, if enterprises need support and exchange with the Customs officers of the Sub-Department, they can join the group "Hai Duong Import-Export Association", which has several hundred import-export enterprises in the area and includes the Customs officers of the Sub-Department. Information on the group such as problems with procedures, questions about regulations of the enterprise are answered quickly and promptly by the Customs officers. Relevant information in the process of carrying out customs procedures is also shared, problems are solved by the Customs officers to ensure smooth clearance of goods. The customs clearance of enterprises' goods is always fast. It is necessary for import and export enterprises at the moment, it is really a lever to help enterprises both ensure anti-pandemic and ensure production activities,” Ms. Hao said.

As an enterprise that receives a lot of support and guidance from Customs, Deputy Head of Import-Export Department, Cai Lan Vegetable Oil Co., Ltd., Nguyen Ngoc Chung said that the company regularly carried out procedures to import raw materials for production of vegetable oil, machinery and equipment through Hon Gai port border gate Customs Sub-Department (Quang Ninh Customs Department). During the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Customs office actively implemented many solutions to support and remove difficulties for enterprises.

Specifically, according to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Chung, the Hon Gai port border gate Customs Sub-Department has actively set up delegations to work directly at the enterprise's headquarters to listen, solve difficulties and encourage enterprises in the production process. Not only solving problems in the field of customs, the Sub-Department also actively handled problems with seaport infrastructure, expands container routes, and connects departments and branches to solve difficulties for enterprises.

As an enterprise that regularly conducts import-export activities through the management area of Coc Nam Customs Sub-Department (Lang Son), a representative of HD Import-Export and Trading Co., Ltd., said that imported goods of the enterprise were often late to the border gate, the documents to declare and attach to the system were often slow, leading to difficulties in the declaration and customs procedures of enterprises.

To support the enterprise, the Coc Nam Customs officers enthusiastically supported and guided enterprises to declare each step on the system and waited for their goods to clear the customs procedures. The support of Coc Nam Customs Sub-Department helped the enterprise put goods and materials into production quickly.

With the activeness of the Customs, the business community has been revitalizing production and business, while overcoming difficulties. In particular, the continuous support of the Customs authorities, grasping difficulties, and propagating new policies in the field of customs for enterprises shows that the companionship and sharing of difficulties are very proactive by the Customs for the business community.