Customs modernization promotes logistics links in the Southeast region

	Modernization is the top priority of the Customs sector
	Enterprises accompany the process of Customs reform and modernization
	ASEAN Customs strengthen capacity for Customs Modernization

Ho Chi Minh City Customs carries out procedures for importing and exporting goods worth over 100 billion USD annually. Photo: T.H

Link to develop soft infrastructure

In a presentation sent to the Logistics Development Linkage Forum - Economic growth driver of the Southeast Region on September 8, 2023, to share with businesses, the representative of the General Department of Customs said that in the Nationally General Plan for the Southeast Region, Resolution No. 81/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly has determined the Orientation for regional development and regional connectivity; develop driving regions and national growth poles; develop economic corridors; Orientation for marine space development; Orienting the development of upgraded national technical infrastructure and construction of gateway seaports with the function of international container transhipment.

It can be affirmed that the logistics development orientations to create momentum for economic growth in the Southeast region have been fully and comprehensively oriented and institutionalized in the highest-level documents of the Party and the National Assembly. However, for the orientations and plans to be implemented effectively in practice, it is necessary to have drastic, synchronous and comprehensive implementation from all levels, sectors and the business community. In addition to investing and developing synchronous complex infrastructure to facilitate and effectively link the development of logistics services based on exploiting and optimizing the advantages of the Southeast provinces, activities of linking soft infrastructure development also play a significant role.

The General Department of Customs states that developing soft infrastructure promotes administrative procedure reform. Promote connectivity in the reform and implementation of administrative procedures between provinces and cities in the region, including administrative procedures of Customs agencies.

In the field of state management of Customs, the Southeast region belongs to the area of state management of Customs Departments: Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Duong and Tay Ninh. These are large customs departments, playing an essential role in promoting the development of cross-border trade in Vietnam, contributing significantly and importantly to state budget collection for the Customs sector.

Continue to develop the achieved results sustainably promote the comprehensive development and modernization of the Customs industry in all fields to serve better the business community conducting cross-border trade; the Prime Minister approved the Customs development strategy until 2030 in Decision No. 628/QD-TTg dated May 20, 2022.

Accordingly, the strategy's overall goal is "Building regular and modern Vietnam Customs, equivalent to the Customs of developed countries in the world, leading in implementing digital Government, with the Customs model Digital, Smart Customs. Improve the quality of service to people and businesses by implementing customs procedures and customs management. Manage tax collection for import and export activities effectively. Facilitate legal trade, tourism and transportation activities across borders, create a transparent and fair import-export environment and contribute to improving national competitiveness. Prevent and combat smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods across borders, contributing to ensuring security, social safety and protecting national interests and sovereignty."

Five key solutions

The Customs development strategy has identified many strong solutions that will promote regional connectivity, growth, socio-economic space, and economic corridors. When these solutions are implemented, it will contribute to promoting the development of cross-border trade in general and of the Southeast region in particular, which is considered the most dynamic economic region in the country, thereby contributing to promoting linkages to develop logistics services, creating a driving force for economic growth for the region.

Several specific solutions set out in the Customs Development Strategy are and will be implemented throughout the Customs sector in the current and coming periods, having a positive and direct impact on the business community to the import and export activities of the enterprise:

Firstly, redesign the system of customs procedures, customs inspection and supervision as a basis for building a Digital Customs model according to the Digital Government architecture and smart Customs according to the recommendations of the WCO with the increasing level of digitalization.

Second, deploy a centralized customs border management model to ensure Customs authorities can monitor and control goods from input from raw materials to production, processing, and transportation from the exporting to the importing country.

Third, deploying green customs encourages and promotes trade activities towards sustainable development according to the circular economy model by effectively implementing international treaties on environmental protection and wildlife that Vietnam has signed. There are measures to encourage import and export businesses to implement solutions according to the circular economy model.

Fourth, build a 3-level Customs apparatus organization (General Department level, Regional level and Branch level) towards streamlining, reducing intermediaries, ensuring effective and efficient operations to meet management requirements according to the centralized customs operations model and innovative border management.

Fifth, organize the operations of the apparatus in the direction of Regional Customs. Receiving and checking customs documents in a centralized electronic manner. The physical inspection, supervision of goods, monitoring and management of basic goods import activities are assigned to the border gate customs branch or the customs branch managing the area where the enterprise has a physical production facility.

In addition, at the Customs Departments in the Southeast region, the General Department of Customs has approved a plan for reform, development and modernization until 2025. Accordingly, the overall goal is always determined to be building regular and modern Customs Departments of provinces and cities, which are the leading units of state agencies in the area of state management of customs in implementing digital transformation and applying information technology, administrative reform, gradually deploy digital customs towards smart customs; Automation in implementing customs procedures in the digital customs environment, national single window mechanism, ASEAN single window, etc.

The development and implementation of plans to reform, develop and modernize the Customs Departments of provinces and cities to 2025, along with the implementation of the Customs Development Strategy to 2030, will make an essential contribution to promoting and developing cross-border trade in the Southeast region, contributing to attracting investment in the region. This is a significant opportunity and an outstanding contribution to the development and linkage of logistics services in the Southeast region, thereby creating motivation to promote the development of the Southeast region according to the proposed Orientation and plan.

Regarding import-export turnover through procedures at local customs departments in the Southeast region: In 2022, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department will achieve an import-export turnover of 129.73 billion USD and is one of 3 units with an import-export turnover of more than 100 billion USD.

Other units with significant import-export turnover with a scale of tens of billions of USD include Binh Duong Customs Department with 49.06 billion USD; Dong Nai Customs Department with 39.36 billion USD; Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department with 21.13 billion USD, etc.