Ensuring customs management amid Covid-19 pandemic, Deputy Minister Vu Thi Mai

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Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai speaks at the meeting. Photo: Quang Hung

The Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai recognised outstanding results in work performance of Customs at a virtual meeting to hand over work of the third quarter and work programme in the fourth quarter of the General Department of Customs on September 29.

Issuing policies to support businesses in a timely fashion

Regarding work results of the third quarter and the first months of the year of the Customs sector, Deputy Minister Vu Thi Mai said following the guidelines and directions of the Government, the Ministry of Finance and efforts and determination of the sector, the Customs sector has achieved many positive results in all aspects.

The key tasks such as: despite turbulence of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, the Customs sector advised and proposed to competent authorities and directly promulgated many documents on mechanisms and policies to facilitate import and export activities, ensuring fast clearance of shipments of drugs, medical supplies and equipment for pandemic prevention and control.

Regarding budget revenue, revenue in the third quarter decreased, but in the first nine months of the year, the sector still rose by 22.45% to VND51,347 billion year-on-year.

Regarding the anti-smuggling, the Deputy Minister of Finance said the pandemic is complex, physical inspection, control and supervision face difficulties, but the Customs sector has tried to overcome and apply management methods and modern equipment to detect and prevent smuggling and illegal cross-border transportation of goods. As a result, customs has gained achievements in combating transnational drug crimes and smuggling of medicine for Covid-19 treatment and medical equipment and supplies for pandemic prevention.

Urgently completing decrees in the field of customs

Regarding the work of the fourth quarter, the Deputy Minister said the task set for the Customs sector for this period is heavy, while the pandemic still has many potential complications. Therefore, the -sector industry should continue to make efforts, overcome difficulties, and successfully complete the assigned tasks.

It is necessary to focus on the following key tasks:

First, customs should proactively and drastically carry out solutions to complete or exceed the budget revenue target for the whole year 2021 of VND 315,000 billion.

Second, the sector should complete the plan of developing legal documents as scheduled and ensure quality of legal documents such as: a decree on management mechanism, method, order and procedures for quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods; a decree on connection and information sharing between Government agencies and related parties through the National Single Window in the field of import, export and transit of goods; - a decree on customs management of imported and exported goods through e-commerce transactions; a decree amending and supplementing Decree 08/2015/ND-CP and related guiding documents; and the Customs development strategy for 2021-2030.

“The development of the documents must update new requirements on modern customs construction, including the implementation of the Digital Customs System and the Smart Customs model. The documents must be connected and unified,” said the Deputy Minister.

Third, for the task of anti-smuggling, the whole sector must boost the collection, analysis and processing of information, and strengthen applying risk management associated with modern equipment; and enhance coordination inside and outside the sector.

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Moreover, customs should continue to promote reform of administrative procedures, customs modernisation, trade facilitation; focus on international cooperation; strengthen the capacity building, training and retraining to improve qualifications of customs officers.