Customs modernization: From VNACCS to Digital Customs: Part 3: Part 3: Comprehensive digital transformation in customs field

	Improving the customs legal system to be modern, synchronous, unified and transparent
	Customs sector is constantly innovating, reforming and modernizing
	Customs Modernization: From VNACCS to Digital Customs. Part 1: The "Revolution" of VNACCS

Customs officials of Cao Bang Customs at work. Photo: Thai Binh

New journey in the modernization process

Speaking at the online conference summarizing the results of work in 2024 and deploying the tasks of work in 2025 of the General Department of Customs (December 16, 2024), Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang requested the Customs sector to focus on implementing the customs digital transformation plan until 2025 and orientation to 2030; reforming administrative procedures, modernizing customs work and continuing to facilitate businesses; in which focusing on implementing the Project to build an IT system to implement digital customs to meet professional requirements in customs clearance; researching and applying the achievements of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution to serve the process of building Digital Customs and Smart Customs.

“The Customs sector must identify digital transformation as both a goal and an important solution to build a standardized and modern Vietnamese Customs on par with the customs of developed countries in the world,” Minister Nguyen Van Thang emphasized.

In fact, digital transformation is a strong trend taking place in the world and in the country.

In the world, in 2018, the World Customs Organization (WCO) issued a model for developing digital Customs consisting of 6 stages (Phase 1: Launching e-Customs; Phase 2: Primitive e-Customs; Phase 3: In-depth e-Customs for each field; Phase 4: Integrated e-Customs; Phase 5: Advanced e-Customs; Phase 6: Digital Customs).

Currently, Customs of all countries are focusing on building digital Customs agencies with a focus on continuing to digitize and apply technology of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution.

Domestically, the Party, Government and Ministry of Finance pay special attention to promoting digital transformation and applying technology of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution; considering this a very important driving force in building, developing and protecting the country.

At the 13th National Party Congress, the Party emphasized the strong application of science and technology, especially the achievements of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution, promoting innovation, creating new momentum for rapid and sustainable development of the country; the Politburo issued Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW dated September 27, 2019 on a number of policies and guidelines to proactively participate in the 4.0 Industrial Revolution.

Recently, the Government has issued many Resolutions, Programs, Action Plans and Directives on digital transformation.

The Ministry of Finance also issued many Resolutions, plans and action programs on this important issue such as: Resolution No. 02-NQ/BCSĐ dated March 9, 2018 of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Finance; Action Plan of the Ministry of Finance issued with Decision No. 1874/QD-BTC dated November 27, 2020...

For the Customs sector, on May 4, 2022, the General Department of Customs issued the Digital Transformation Plan for the Customs sector to 2025, with a vision to 2030, which sets out many goals, solutions and benefits of digital transformation for businesses, people, Customs agencies and related agencies.

Ensuring that IT systems meet requirements in the new situation

According to the Director of the Customs IT and Statistics Department (General Department of Customs) Le Duc Thanh, in 2025, the General Department of Customs will streamline its organizational structure and implement a new customs organizational structure. Accordingly, the Customs sector needs to deploy IT contents to meet the requirements of the new customs organizational structure.

Specifically, for network infrastructure, security and safety, the Customs sector will re-plan the WAN infrastructure to suit the new organizational model, and meet the general planning of the Unified Communications Infrastructure of the Finance sector.

Set up an AD account system, arrange the AD server system to suit the new Customs model and WAN infrastructure planning. Convert and reconfigure the existing workstation system and user information to the new AD system. Reconfigure email boxes for customs officers and civil servants at all levels according to the new organizational model.

For the professional software system, the Customs will record the current status of the system before and after conversion (for example, check the accounting balance sheet, etc.); grant codes to units according to the new organizational structure and set up a customs user account system according to the new organizational structure...

In particular, regarding the construction of an IT system to implement digital customs, the Customs sector will continue to coordinate with relevant agencies to request the Japanese Government to support Vietnam in replacing the VNACCS/VCIS and building an IT system to implement digital customs. Continue to implement the contents of building an IT system to implement Digital Customs, including completing business processes, technical requirements, implementing IT application investment procedures...

Implement the Government's direction on digital transformation through expanded cooperation with C06 (Ministry of Public Security) in deploying data connection and sharing between the IT system of the General Department of Customs and the National Population Database (Project 06); continue to implement the task of integrating online public services of the National Single Window Portal and the National Public Service Portal (based on the issued plan).

Deputy Director General of the General Department of Customs Tran Duc Hung: Digital transformation is an inevitable trend The General Department of Customs has promoted the application of IT and digital transformation in state management of customs. Up to now, it has completed the 5E target (E-Declaration; E-payment; E-C/O; E-Permit and E-Manifest) on the application of IT in state management of customs, built a centralized IT system at the General Department level to serve state management of customs which operates stably, smoothly, covers most of the key areas of customs management. With the achieved results, in 2019, the General Department of Customs was awarded the 2019 Outstanding Digital Transformation State Agency Prize by the Vietnam Digital Communications Association. In addition to the achieved results, the General Department of Customs' IT system still has shortcomings and limitations because it has been built and put into operation for a long time, such as the core system VNACCS/VCIS which was put into use since 2014. Recently, the Government and the Ministry of Finance have paid special attention and given many close and strong instructions to the work of digital transformation and building an IT system to implement digital customs. The Customs Development Strategy to 2030 (according to Decision No. 628/QD-TTg dated May 20, 2022 of the Prime Minister) sets out the goal of "Building a centralized, intelligently integrated customs IT system that ensures system information security requirements, with a digital platform in line with the architecture of e-Government, digital Government, international standards, strongly applying scientific and technological achievements of the fourth Industrial Revolution". On April 17, 2024, the Prime Minister signed Official Dispatch No. 245/TTg-KTTH on promoting digital transformation in the customs sector, requiring the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Customs to "upgrade the IT system towards digitizing documents in customs dossiers towards paperless customs procedures for exported and imported goods; means of transport for exit and entry, gradually stopping the requirement for customs declarants to submit paper documents in the customs dossier upon customs clearance". The world is in the digital age with the rapid development of the fourth industrial revolution, especially the unprecedented development of digital technology. Accordingly, digital transformation has become an inevitable and irreversible trend. Vietnam Customs is no exception. Digital transformation in the Customs sector is a revolution that changes the way and methods of working of Customs agencies in the new context. Recognizing such importance, the General Department of Customs has devoted resources and attention to implementing digital transformation, including the construction of an IT system to implement Digital Customs. (Extracted from a speech at the Workshop on technical process to build IT system to implement Digital Customs organized by the General Department of Customs on October 24, 2024). Thai Binh (recorded)