Deputy Director General Mai XuanThanh attended the 13th meeting of ASEM Working Group on Customs Matters

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Vietnam Customs delegation attended the meeting. Photo: V.N

The meeting was attended by Customs authorities of ASEM member countries, representatives of the World Customs Organization, the business community and the European Union in the 10th ASEM Customs –Trade Day held before the meeting.

At the 10th ASEM Customs-Trade Forum,with the topic “Protecting businesses and legitimate traders, a common Asia-Europe goal”, Deputy Director General Mai XuanThanhappreciated the efforts of the forum in promoting Customs - Businesses partnerships to discusspriorities, desires and challenges that businesses are facing, thereby helping Customs authorities of ASEM membercountriesunderstand the needs of businesses and identify priority activities that need to be implemented in ASEM Customs cooperation.

Thanh said that protecting businesses’ interests and supporting businesses in complying and facilitating legitimate trade of businesses is a key task and priority in modern customs management of countries which is in line with the common goals and cooperation priorities of ASEM determined at the 12th ASEM summit. Thanh hoped that in this forum, Customs authorities will discuss and exchangespecifically and practically on difficulties and challenges of the business community as well as the trends ofconnection and cooperation between Customs and businesses to achieve this common goal.

The meeting will take place overtwo days with the main content of reviewing the implementation of action programs under the ASEM Customs Action Plan for the period 2018-2019, including: trade facilitation and Customs procedures; facilitating paperless customs procedures; customs management for cross-border e-commerce, connection – transit; Single Window mechanism for fast and automated clearance and integrated risk management; general customs operation for fast-moving consumer goods; control at borders for goods as international parcels and ASEM vision.

The meeting also discussed the development of the Customs Action Plan for 2020-2021 to prepare for approval at the 13th ASEM Customs Directors- General Meeting in Vietnam.

As the host country of the 13th ASEM Customs Directors- General Meeting, the Vietnamese delegation attended and had a report on the preparations for the meeting, and participated in private discussions with the countries coordinating customs action programs to update progress and unify on new action program proposals for the period 2020-2021.