Customs sector deploys work in 2025

	Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling during Lunar New Year
	Customs sector collects over VND384 trillion in revenue

The leaders of the General Department of Customs presented flowers to congratulate the new Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang. Photo: Quang Hung

Budget revenue of over 400 trillion VND

In 2024, under the consistent and timely leadership of the Party; the Government, the Prime Minister and the close attention and direction of the Ministry of Finance, the coordination of central ministries, branches and local authorities, the General Department of Customs has synchronously and drastically implemented practical solutions to facilitate trade, remove difficulties for businesses, while ensuring customs management and achieving many positive results.

With the reform and facilitation efforts of the Customs sector, import and export activities in 2024 have many improvements. Updated from the beginning of the year to December 14, 2024, it reached 745.38 billion USD, an increase of 15.35% over the same period in 2023. Of which, exports reached 384.4 billion USD, an increase of 14.46% and imports reached 360.98 billion USD, an increase of 16.32%. Vietnam's trade balance of goods as of December 14, 2024 had a surplus of 23.42 billion USD.

With the results achieved over the past 11 months, the total import-export turnover for the whole year of 2024 is forecast to reach about 782.33 billion USD, with an estimated export surplus of 23.53 billion USD.

Regarding state budget revenue, in 2024, the General Department of Customs was assigned by the National Assembly to collect an estimated revenue of 375,000 billion VND. In order to strive to achieve the assigned targets, the General Department of Customs issued Directive No. 371/CT-TCHQ dated January 24, 2024 on synchronous and drastic implementation of solutions to facilitate trade, improve the effectiveness of state management, and prevent revenue loss in implementing the task of collecting the state budget in 2024.

As a result, by December 14, 2024, the whole industry collected VND 402,680 billion, reaching 107.4% of the estimate, up 13.9% over the same period in 2023.

The General Department of Customs expects the revenue in 2024 to reach VND 418,000 to 420,000 billion, equal to 111.5% - 112% of the assigned estimate, up 13.4% - 13.9% over the same period in 2023.

Handling 16,390 cases of violations

In 2024, the situation of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods will become more complicated, on all routes, types, locations, and even in cyberspace.

Violating goods are diverse, not only produced domestically but also produced abroad, then brought into the domestic market for consumption through many different channels such as official imports, unofficial imports, smuggling, trade fraud, etc.

In particular, there is a situation of taking advantage of business forms on e-commerce platforms, social networks, and taking advantage of postal and express delivery activities, subjects use many sophisticated tricks to carry out acts of smuggling, trading in counterfeit goods, poor quality goods, and goods of unknown origin.

The situation of illegal trafficking and transportation of drugs and precursors across the border remains extremely complicated. The activities of transnational drug crime gangs and lines take advantage of preferential policies, investment attraction, and commercial activities to establish businesses in Vietnam to transport vehicles, equipment, raw materials, rent warehouses, etc. to serve the production and illegal transportation of drugs from abroad into Vietnam and continue to send them to third countries for consumption, etc.

With the attention and direction of the Government, the National Steering Committee 389, the Steering Committee 138/CP, the Ministry of Finance, and the coordination of forces such as the Police, Border Guard, Coast Guard, Market Surveillance, etc., along with determination and proactive control of the situation, the General Department of Customs has concretized and implemented key plans and programs in each locality, in order to warn and guide localities on the work of controlling and combating smuggling.

In 2024 (statistical period 16/12/2023 - 15/11/2024), the Customs sector detected, arrested and handled 16,390 violations, with an estimated value of infringing goods of VND 29,273 billion (an increase of 12.12% in the number of cases and 154.09% in value compared to the same period in 2023).

The Customs sector prosecuted 24 cases, transferred 157 cases to other agencies for prosecution; the amount of money collected for the budget was VND 901.58 billion.

Regarding post-clearance audit, the entire sector conducted 1,852 inspections, including 886 inspections at the customs declarant's headquarters and 966 inspections at the customs agency's headquarters; The total amount of tax and administrative penalty is 906.6 billion VND, of which 584.52 billion VND has been collected into the budget, etc.

Regarding the organizational structure, the General Department of Customs has researched, developed and organized a conference to discuss the Project on building the organizational structure of the General Department of Customs according to Conclusion No. 09-KL/BCĐ dated November 24, 2024 of the Central Steering Committee on summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017 of the 12th Party Central Committee. Establishing a Steering Committee and a Working Group to assist the Steering Committee in arranging the organizational structure of the General Department of Customs towards leanness and efficiency, etc.

Speaking at the conference, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang acknowledged and commended the results of the work in 2024 of the General Department of Customs. At the same time, the Minister gave important instructions for the General Department of Customs to successfully complete the goals and tasks in 2025.

Creating many achievements towards the 80th anniversary of Vietnam Customs' Traditional Day

Regarding the direction and tasks in 2025, the General Department of Customs assessed that the socio-economic situation poses many challenges and opportunities for the Customs sector. In order to meet the requirements of the integration period and strive to achieve many achievements towards the 80th anniversary of Vietnam Customs' Traditional Day (September 10, 1945 - September 10, 2025), the General Department of Customs continues to resolutely, synchronously and effectively implement the tasks and solutions set out in the Resolutions and Conclusions of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo; Resolutions of the National Assembly, the Government, and the direction of the Prime Minister.

In particular, focus on the following 6 groups of specific directions and solutions:

First, deploy the new organizational model of Vietnam Customs after being approved by competent authorities to ensure continuous and effective operation, in accordance with the orientation of the Party, Government and direction of the Minister of Finance.

Second, apply scientific advances in the Industrial Revolution 4.0 to redesign the overall information technology system of the Customs sector, build information technology solutions to support state management requirements for import and export goods, means of transport exiting, entering and transiting in the direction of centralized management and operation at the Customs agency.

Third, promote reform and simplify administrative procedures in the customs sector in the direction of modernity, openness and transparency, etc to contribute to improving the business environment and enhancing national competitiveness.

Fourth, resolutely and synchronously deploy solutions to collect the budget in 2025; strengthen the control of smuggling and trade fraud, risk management, post-clearance audit; inspection work, strive to complete the task of collecting the budget.

Fifth, facilitate trade and prevent and combat smuggling and trade fraud; drug prevention and control, ensuring national security and safety, and social order; demonstrated through the role of the Standing Agency of the National Steering Committee on the ASEAN Single Window, the National Single Window and Trade Facilitation (Committee 1899) and the Agency assisting the Standing Agency of the National Steering Committee 389.

Sixth, strengthen the implementation of international cooperation and integration activities, expand cooperation with customs of other countries, create a legal corridor for extensive cooperation activities in professional fields as well as modernization reform.