Customs sector tightens discipline and public service discipline

	Ensure the completion of the objectives and tasks in the Plan of Digital Transformation of the Customs Sector
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	Customs sector widely disseminates law enforcement

Customs officers and civil servants at Van Don Airport (Quang Ninh) monitor screening activities to promptly direct and strictly handle violations through the camera system. Photo: Q.Hung

Specified nearly 980 violations

In recent times, the work of public service inspection and handling and discipline of civil servants, public employees, and workers in the Customs sector has been effective in strengthening discipline and administrative discipline, fighting against trouble, harassment, and negativity, preventing corruption, gradually eliminating insensitive and irresponsible attitudes in performing public duties, serving the legitimate interests of people and businesses.

In 2018, the General Department of Customs issued the Regulations on public service inspection and handling of violations against civil servants and public employees in the Customs sector, according to which violations of civil servants and public employees in public activities services are specified in detail and with appropriate sanctions. This is a very important document that helps regulate the behaviour of civil servants and public employees when performing assigned responsibilities and tasks to meet the tasks of the Customs sector while strictly implementing the Party's instructions, State, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Leaders of the General Department of Customs on strengthening discipline and preventing corruption.

Facing new requirements for modernizing the Customs industry and improving the scale and quality of administrative reform better to serve the import and export activities of businesses, on April 12, 2023, General Department of Customs issued Decision No. 799/QD-TCHQ about Regulations on public service inspection and handling of violations for civil servants and public employees in the Customs sector, both inheriting, amending and supplementing the contents to replace Decision No. 2799/QD-TCHQ dated September 26, 2018 following the actual situation.

This new Regulation has provided 12 detailed appendices, fully covering all areas of Vietnam Customs' activities, specifying more than 980 violations of civil servants and officials in the Customs sector when performing official duties, ethics, lifestyle, and anti-corruption work. Details of violations are reviewed based on current regulations, processes, sector regulations and current legal provisions.

Regarding the form of handling violations, the new regulations abolish the form of handling reminders and criticism for violations; only stipulates 2 forms of handling violations. Specifically, those who commit violations that require disciplinary action will be considered for disciplinary action according to the provisions of Article 7 and Article 15 of Decree 112/2020/ND-CP dated September 18, 2020 of the Government on disciplinary handling of cadres, civil servants and public employees. Civil servants and customs officers whose violations are not serious enough to be disciplined will have their quality ratings lowered, corresponding to the level of violation.

Previously, on February 10, 2023, the General Department of Customs organized a conference to thoroughly implement the key work program for 2023 and strengthen discipline in performing public duties at all levels. The conference seriously acknowledged, reviewed and assigned specific tasks to the heads of affiliated and subordinate units to urgently overcome shortcomings and limitations.

Strengthening internal inspection and control at three levels: General Department of Customs, Customs Departments and Customs Sub-departments (according to Decision No. 4398/QD-TCHQ dated December 20, 2016, of the General Department of Customs, attached to with the implementation of customs procedures, customs inspection and supervision; timely detection, prevention and handling of violations in the customs field. And, on March 10, 2023, the General Department of Customs issued Directive No. 1036/CT-TCHQ on continuing to strengthen discipline and administrative discipline in the performance of official duties; rotate, mobilize and change working positions; control the power, responsibility of the leader in the management of cadres, the responsibility to set an example; fighting against running for power and preventing corruption in the Customs sector.

Decisively deployed at all levels

In addition to efforts to reform administrative procedures to improve service quality for people and businesses, departments and agencies under the General Department of Customs, provincial and municipal Customs Departments have seriously implemented extensive contents of the Directive and Regulations on inspection of official duties and handling of violations against civil servants and public employees in the Customs sector.

Based on their functions and tasks, the units strengthen the direction, inspection and supervision of the implementation of administrative discipline; establish an official duty inspection team at the unit to periodically and irregularly inspect the observance of discipline and administrative discipline while on duty by civil servants and employees at the unit.

Simultaneously, promptly handle seriously violations of individuals; not to raise problems that cause troubles and increase costs for businesses; resolutely handle and eliminate negative behavior in the contingent of customs officers.

At the level of the General Department of Customs, in July 2023, the Vietnam Customs School in collaboration with the Department of Inspection - Inspection (General Department of Customs) organized the class "Professional inspection and examination; anti-corruption, checking and verifying assets and income" for 149 trainees who are sub-departmental and departmental leaders; division leaders of the Department; officers doing inspection work, organizing cadres, in charge of internal inspection; anti-corruption, asset declaration of 53 units under and directly under the General Department of Customs.

At the customs departments of provinces and cities, through the issuance of guiding documents and conferences, the units regularly integrate the contents of the roles and responsibilities of the Party Committees and leaders in directing the completion of political tasks.

For example, at Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, to ensure smooth import and export activities, the unit must always maintain a high level of discipline and public service discipline and promote the application of information technology in management and in business processes.

From the beginning of 2023 up to now, the unit has held 15 conferences to promulgate, thoroughly disseminate, and implement Resolution No. 17, dated February 2, 2023, of the Standing Board of the Party Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department on strengthening the role of Customs and responsibilities of party committees and leaders in leading and directing the completion of political tasks in 2023; Directive No. 01 dated February 3, 2023, of the Director of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department on implementing solutions to complete the work tasks in 2023; Official Dispatch No. 991 dated April 18, 2023 of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department on implementing the Regulation on public service inspection and handling of violations for civil servants and public employees in the Customs sector.

Similarly, at Hai Phong Customs Department, measures have been organized to strengthen public order and discipline; improve the effectiveness of anti-corruption and harmful activities. At the same time, regularly grasp the thoughts and aspirations of cadres and civil servants; Take appropriate measures to contact officials and civil servants with incorrect perceptions to educate, guide and sensitize officials and civil servants, contributing to internal stability throughout the Department. The unit also regularly conducts public service inspections to strengthen the responsibility of each civil servant in leading, directing and performing tasks, and strictly handling violations.

Hai Phong Customs Department has effectively implemented the system for assessing the level of satisfaction with the service quality of civil servants at units under the Department; control official activities of civil servants, promptly detect, handle and prevent violations. Conducted 20 unscheduled civil service inspections to promptly detect violations of officials and civil servants in performing public duties, and directly remind civil servants about uniforms and strict compliance with regulations of entering and exiting Department headquarter.