Customs sector is constantly innovating, reforming and modernizing

Mr. Dao Duy Tam, Deputy Director of the Customs Control and Supervision Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs). Photo: Thái Bình

Building a legal foundation to promote technology application

Mr. Dao Duy Tam revealed that Vietnam's import-export turnover has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, averaging a substantial 23% annual increase. In the first eight months of 2024 alone, the total import-export value reached a significant US$ 511 billion, a 16.7% year-on-year increase.

To keep pace with this rapid growth in international trade, the Customs Department has implemented numerous solutions to modernize its operations, focusing on digital transformation, administrative procedure reforms, and advanced inspection and supervision.

For instance, in terms of institutional improvements, the Customs Law, effective since January 1, 2015, has been supplemented by 18 guiding documents issued by the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs. These regulations have been continuously updated to align with the government's administrative reform orientation, international practices, and Vietnam's international commitments.

The enhancement of the customs legal framework has laid the foundation for the widespread application of information technology in customs management; the adoption of risk management in customs operations; the simplification of customs administrative procedures, reducing unnecessary paperwork; and the streamlining of customs procedures to minimize processing time and facilitate trade while ensuring state budget revenue and preventing smuggling and trade fraud.

By 2020, the Customs sector had successfully deployed five electronic systems, including e-Declaration, e-payment, e-C/O, e-Permit, and e-Manifest. Consequently, most customs procedures for import-export goods and inbound-outbound means of transport, such as declaration, submission of customs documents, inspection classification, permit cancellation, and customs clearance, are now conducted electronically.

The supervision and management of goods at warehouses, ports, border gates, and other locations are automated through the Vietnam Automated System for Seaport Customs Management (VASSCM), eliminating manual processes, reducing paper-based transactions, and minimizing direct contact between customs officials and businesses. This has contributed to reduced clearance time and cost savings for import-export enterprises.

Concurrently, the Customs Sector has effectively operated the National Single Window and the ASEAN Single Window. To date, the National Single Window has connected 13 ministries and agencies, processing over 6.7 million dossiers for nearly 70,000 enterprises.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs has established connections to exchange C/O Form D with all nine ASEAN member states and to exchange electronic certificates of origin between Vietnam and South Korea. Efforts are underway to facilitate the formal exchange of ASEAN customs declarations and to conduct pilot tests for exchanging phytosanitary certificates in 2024. Countries are also building solutions and roadmaps to connect and exchange electronic documents between ASEAN and other partners such as Japan, China, and South Korea.

Furthermore, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has continuously invested in purchasing inspection and supervision equipment to replace manual labor. Specifically, General Department of Vietnam Customs has equipped 27 container scanning machines at 12 customs departments in provinces and cities, 98 baggage scanning machine at border gates, international airports, and seaports, 7,000 electronic seals for surveillance, 125 surveillance camera systems at border gates, locations for carrying out customs procedures, warehouses, and inspection sites, 15 camera observation rooms at 15 provincial and city customs departments, and 28 vehicle weighing systems at customs customs branches.

Additionally, the Customs authority has proactively collaborated with specialized management ministries to reform the management and specialized inspection of import-export goods, thereby facilitating businesses and reducing clearance time.

Accompanying businesses in all circumstances

Mr. Dao Duy Tam stated that, according to the Customs Development Strategy to 2030 approved by the Prime Minister, the General Department of Vietnam Customs aims to complete the construction of a smart customs system by 2030 and achieve a business satisfaction rate of 95% or higher. Therefore, developing the Customs-Enterprise partnership is always identified as a core and regular task, implemented at all three levels: General Department, Customs Department, and Customs Branch.

At the General Department level, partnership activities focus on perfecting and clarifying policies, laws, and state management methods related to customs. At the Customs Department level, partnership activities are linked to law enforcement organization. At the Customs branch level, partnership activities are associated with the daily, direct, and practical operations of the unit.

In developing the Customs-Enterprise partnership, the Customs sector always puts people and businesses at the center, creating favorable conditions for the business community to access the support measures of the customs authorities in the context of the difficulties faced by enterprises.

Most recently, during the recent Yagi Typhoon, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh were the two localities that were in the center of the storm and suffered the most severe impacts. To promptly inspect, direct the recovery of post-storm consequences, the Director General of Vietnam Customs Nguyen Van Tho, directly inspected the damaged sites, and at the same time encouraged and directed the customs units to repair the infrastructure, equipment, and information technology systems to ensure smooth import-export operations, customs procedures, and goods clearance, avoiding congestion of goods at land and sea border gates.

The partnership between customs authorities and enterprises contributes to enhancing the legal compliance awareness of enterprises and improving the responsibility of civil servants in performing public duties.