Enhance the ability of tracing origin of goods for Vietnam Customs officials

scene of the conference. Photo: H.Nụ

Within the framework of the cooperation programme between Vietnam Customs and Japan Customs, with the aim of cooperating, exchanging and sharing experiences in the field of goods origin, improving capacity for customs officials implementing duty at border gate and lecturers in the field of goods origin for Vietnam Customs.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tai, Deputy Director of International Cooperation Department, General Department of Vietnam Customs said that Vietnam - Japan Customs has a long tradition of long-term cooperation, in that Japanese Customs regularly provides technical assistance, sending experts to Vietnam to train and exchange professional operations through projects in order to improve the capacity of officials of Vietnam Customs. At the same time, coordinate to organize many training courses related to professional activities on VNACCS/VCIS, authorized economic operators (AEOs), and origin of goods.

The statistics showed that, up to now, more than 10,000 Vietnamese Customs officials have been trained through projects and aid programs about equipment and training. With the support of Japanese Customs, it has brought great efficiency to the development of Vietnam Customs.

"According to the bilateral cooperation program between Vietnam - Japan Customs, the two sides will go deep into training on the origin of goods, AEOs for Vietnamese customs officials in 2019. Besides that, Vietnam Customs is developing a programme to coordinate with Japanese Customs to organize training for customs officials related to post clearance audit activities," Mr. Tai said.

Also, at the seminar, Mr. Hiroaki ABE, Head of International Cooperation Department, General Department of Customs, Ministry of Finance of Japan said together with the introduction of trade agreements, regulations on origin of goods increasingly play an important role in import and export activities. Accordingly, the Japanese side expected through this workshop, the experts of Japan Customs will grasp the regulations on the origin of goods of Vietnam from which developing plans in order to support and exchange experience in this work.

According to Ms. Vu Hong Van, Vice President of Vietnam Customs School, the work of identification of origin is very important in determining import and export duties. Therefore, the support activities on training related to origin of goods is considered a key activity in the bilateral cooperation programme and development of bilateral relations between Vietnam Customs and Japan Customs.

The workshop of origin of goods would take place at Vietnam Customs School from 17 to 19 April 2019. The two sides would exchange issues of origin of goods in each country. In particular, some issues of Vietnam Customs are being concerned and proposed to get assistance from the Japanese Customs such as: Improving inspection skills; sharing practical experiences of Japan as well as other developed countries; experience in the implementation of rules of pre-determined origin; on-site audit skills; preventing unauthorized transmission of goods; develop criteria for risk management in the field of origin.

Furthermore, at the seminar, the Japanese Customs shared some practical experience of origin of goods through the content of preferential rules of origin in Japan (determine the origin of goods); preferential rules of origin in Japan (customs procedures) and uniform application of rules of origin and some key contents (new points in TPP11, origin management, rules of pre-determined).