Dong Thap Customs: Diversifying forms of support and trade facilitation

Customs officers of Thuong Phuoc border gate Customs Branch carry out procedures for imported vehicles on April 20, 2023. Photo: T.H

Remove obstacles from the border gate

As noted by reporters, in these days at international border gates and Dong Thap port import-export goods were gradually increasing, especially imported rice and scrap. At Thuong Phuoc international border gate, from the early morning, when the border gate was opened, dozens of trucks transporting rice from Cambodia to Vietnam followed up to carry out import procedures.

After processing clearance procedures for five customs declarations for importing rice, Deputy Manager of Thuong Phuoc International Border Gate Customs Branch Nguyen Thi Thanh Loan said that rice was one of the main imported goods through the border gate. On average, each day the unit did customs procedures for thousands of tons of rice. Besides rice, in the first months of 2023, the Branch facilitated enterprises to import scrap as raw materials for production. As a result, in the first four months of the year, the unit has exceeded the assigned target of revenue collection.

Sharing about trade support and facilitation, the leader of Thuong Phuoc International Border Gate Customs Branch said that due to the specific management of both land and inland waterway border gates, import and export goods pass through the border gate were also simple which were mainly agricultural products, sand, scrap, so problems arising from businesses and people were guided and removed right at the border gate.

Besides Thuong Phuoc International border gate, at other border gate customs branches, Dong Thap Port has disseminated to the business community to guide documents related to tax policy, goods policy, goods classification as well as customs fees, introduce the road management system - electronic manifest of imported goods to enterprises and business households. In addition, the Branch also communicated and encouraged enterprises to voluntarily comply with the customs law.

For example, Dinh Ba International Border Gate Customs Branch (Dong Thap) organized the dissemination on checking the validity of e-C/O form D which was carried out via the National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window. It does not require the customs declarant to submit the original or scanned copy of C/O to the customs authority. For vehicles of Vietnam and Cambodia, when entering and leaving the border gate, they must comply with the law of Vietnam and the international treaties on road transport signed by Vietnam and Cambodia. At the same time, they must be subjected to inspection, control and supervision by specialized state management agencies at the border gate.

The Customs authority also recognized and shared difficulties and challenges in production and business activities of enterprises in the first quarter of 2023, because they were facing a reduction of export orders and the purchasing power was not as expected.

Customs authorities affirmed that they would accompany the business community to overcome difficulties and promote import-export activities.

Actively support businesses to comply with the law

Dong Thap Customs Department has directed units to be flexible and diversify forms of support and trade facilitation for import and export goods of businesses and border residents. Furthermore, Dong Thap Customs Department also focuses on international cooperation. At the end of 2022, Director of Dong Thap Customs Department Nguyen Thanh Toan and Director of the Customs and Indirect Tax Department of Praiveng Muong Dara (Cambodia) signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of customs between the two provinces. The two sides have agreed and signed cooperation in the field of customs with many important contents.

In particular, the Customs forces of the two sides maintain a good cooperative relationship, facilitate import-export goods and vehicle transporting export and import in accordance with the laws of each country; creating favorable conditions for residents to cross the border to exchange goods, visit relatives and medical treatment. Contributing to promoting socio-economic development and investment of the two provinces.

In addition, the Customs force at the border gates collaborated with the Border Guard force and the local authorities of the border communes to maintain good coordination. Thereby, the two sides have regularly informed and exchanged with each other about related situations and promptly found ways to solve difficulties and problems.

Besides facilitation, border-gate customs units also pay special attention to dissemination and support for enterprises participating in the program of enterprises voluntarily complying with customs laws. Accordingly, enterprises will be guided and supported by the Customs to improve the level of law compliance, reduce the inspection rate, reduce costs and time in cargo clearance; supported in handling obstacles in the implementation of Customs procedures in order to proactively take measures to prevent violations and improve the level of compliance; become a reliable partner of customs authorities in import-export and transit of goods as a basis for trade facilitation and competitiveness enhancement.

At a dialogue between Dong Thap Customs Department and the business community held recently, Director of Dong Thap Customs Department Nguyen Thanh Toan affirmed that the Department always cared for and facilitated businesses in import-export activities following the policy of the Customs sector and the province, contributing to the sustainable development of the local economy.

"Strengthening the Customs-Enterprise partnership is one of the key tasks of Dong Thap Customs Department in 2023, leaders of Dong Thap Customs Department hope that in the future, there will be many enterprises proactively cooperate with the Customs to sign the Customs-Enterprise partnership; sign the Program of voluntary compliance with customs law. From that, customs authority will have a chance to support more import-export activities of enterprises, promoting trade," Director General Nguyen Thanh Toan said.