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Customs officials of Sai Gon seaport region No. 3 are conducting imports inspection. Photo: Thu Hoa.

Procedures are still complicated

Recently, the Resolution No. 19-2017/ NQ-CP by the Government on further performance of key duties and measures to improve the business environment, raising the national competitiveness in 2017 and in the orientation to the year 2020 has directed ministries and agencies to conduct specialized inspection of imports and exports and to promptly implement tasks and measures for comprehensive reform of specialized inspection activities in the light of directions of the Decision No. 2026/QD-TTg and Resolution No. 19-2016/NQ-CP. Accordingly, in the first quarter of the year 2017, the agencies would have to issue the List of commodities subject to specialized inspection in the view that specialized inspection should be minimized, administrative formalities should be in the electronic form, clearance time should be cut and post clearance audit should be focused more.

The spirit of the resolutions by the Government is to solve the bottlenecks in specialized inspection activities during the clearance phase. Mr. Nguyen Tuong, Vice –Secretary of Vietnam logistics enterprise association shared an example of the fact that an enterprise had to undertake formalities to ask the Ministry of Trade and Industry for permits of importing used machinery and equipment. This took the enterprise several days. Nevertheless, the enterprise continued to ask the Ministry of Science and Technology for examining and permitting them to import the equipment and then completed their dossiers for Customs to clear the cargo.

Sharing the same difficulties, an enterprise in the logistics field revealed that they imported fruits with the documents of testing and phytosanitary issued by oversea competent agencies in accordance with the international standards. However, the goods was still inspected when arriving in Vietnam so the clearance time was prolonged, having bad impacts on the goods’ quality.

Another enterprise shared that they had to undergo two kind of procedures for importing milk powder. They were the procedures of phytosanitary issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the procedures relating to quality and technical standards by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The fact put more burdens on the enterprise and went against the Government’s guidelines in terms of reforming and facilitating importation and exportation.

Gathering in one unit

According to the review by the WTO and Integration Center under the Vietnam Commerce and Industry Chamber (VCCI), the legal texts in terms of specialized inspection have had various regulations incompatible with the international commitments, specially risk management related regulations. Mr. Pham Thanh Binh, expert of the USAID-GIG said the specialized inspection still remained obstacles, having impacts on traders, increasing costs for traders to import and export goods. As calculated, the average clearance time measured was 8.2 days and 10.7 days in maximum. The time was still very long in comparison with different countries in the region. Thus, reduction of the clearance time as the target set by the Government would have plenty of difficulties.

The fact that one commodity is subject to specialized inspection by 3-4 ministries raises traders’ desire for less specialized inspection for the purpose of facilitating importation and exportation. A representative from Thang Long agricultural products company Ltd. shared that they had twice experienced specialized inspection in the field of phytosanitary and food safety but now the regulation has been changed. The phytosanitary and food safety inspection activities have been conducted by one unit. Therefore, enterprises take only 01 day instead of 03 days to undergo specialized inspection.

Nevertheless, time measured by days has been considered to be long as compared to the international standards. Hence, specialized inspection activities should be gathered into one and conducted by one unit. Mr. Nguyen Tuong proposed to bring goods to the Customs Assessment Department which has been newly established for specialized inspection instead of presenting goods at various ministries and agencies as before. This would facilitate traders as well as reduce their time and logistics related costs. Thus, traders would be able to raise their competitiveness in terms of prices and time.

Procedures are still complicated

Recently, Resolution No. 19-2017/NQ-CP by the Government on further performance of key duties and measures to improve the business environment and raising national competitiveness in 2017 and in the orientation to the year 2020 has directed ministries and agencies to conduct specialized inspection of imports and exports and to promptly implement tasks and measures for comprehensive reform of specialized inspection activities in the light of directions of Decision No. 2026/QD-TTg and Resolution No. 19-2016/NQ-CP. Accordingly, in the first quarter of 2017, the agencies have to issue the List of commodities subject to specialized inspection in the view that specialized inspections should be minimized, administrative formalities should be in the electronic form, clearance time should be cut, and post clearance audit should be more focused.

The spirit of the resolutions by the Government is to solve the bottlenecks in specialized inspection activities during the clearance phase. Mr. Nguyen Tuong, Vice –Secretary of Vietnam logistics enterprise association shared an example of the fact that an enterprise had to undertake formalities to ask the Ministry of Trade and Industry for permits of importing used machinery and equipment. This took the enterprise several days. Nevertheless, the enterprise continued to ask the Ministry of Science and Technology for examining and permitting them to import the equipment and then completed their dossiers for Customs to clear the cargo.

Sharing the same difficulties, an enterprise in the logistics field revealed that they imported fruit with documents of testing and phytosanitary issued by overseas competent agencies in accordance with international standards. However, the goods were still inspected when arriving in Vietnam so the clearance time was prolonged, having a bad impact on the goods’ quality.

Another enterprise shared that they had to undergo two kinds of procedures for importing milk powder. They were the procedures of phytosanitary issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the procedures relating to quality and technical standards by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The fact put more burdens on the enterprise and went against the Government’s guidelines in terms of reforming and facilitating importation and exportation.

Gathering in one unit

According to the review by the WTO and Integration Center under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the legal texts in terms of specialized inspection have had various regulations incompatible with international commitments, especially risk management related regulations. Mr. Pham Thanh Binh, expert of the USAID-GIG said specialized inspection still faced obstacles, having impacts on traders, and increasing costs for traders to import and export goods. As calculated, the average clearance time was 8.2 days and 10.7 days in maximum. The time was still very long in comparison with different countries in the region. Thus, reducing the clearance time as the target set by the Government would have plenty of difficulties.

The fact that one commodity is subject to specialized inspection by 3-4 ministries raises traders’ desire for less specialized inspection for the purpose of facilitating importation and exportation. A representative from Thang Long agricultural products company Ltd. shared that they had twice experienced specialized inspection in the field of phytosanitary and food safety but now the regulation has been changed. The phytosanitary and food safety inspection activities have been conducted by one unit. Therefore, enterprises take only 01 day instead of 03 days to undergo specialized inspection.

Nevertheless, time measured by days has been considered to be long compared to international standards. Hence, specialized inspection activities should be gathered into one and conducted by one unit. Mr. Nguyen Tuong proposed to bring goods to the Customs Assessment Department which has been newly established for specialized inspection instead of presenting goods at various ministries and agencies as before. This would facilitate traders as well as reduce their time and logistics related costs. Thus, traders would be able to raise their competitiveness in terms of prices and time.

In addition to ministries’ changes, enterprises should change themselves, raising their awareness and responsibilities of imports and exports and legislation compliance. Governmental agencies should grant more AEO status to traders, enhance risk management and post clearance audit. This means that both traders and governmental agencies should get involved in dealing with specialized inspection associated matters so that specialized inspection is not the barrier for clearing goods any more. Subsequently, commerce activities would be sped up and facilitated.

Procedures are still complicated

Recently, Resolution No. 19-2017/NQ-CP by the Government on further performance of key duties and measures to improve the business environment and raising national competitiveness in 2017 and in the orientation to the year 2020 has directed ministries and agencies to conduct specialized inspection of imports and exports and to promptly implement tasks and measures for comprehensive reform of specialized inspection activities in the light of directions of Decision No. 2026/QD-TTg and Resolution No. 19-2016/NQ-CP. Accordingly, in the first quarter of 2017, the agencies have to issue the List of commodities subject to specialized inspection in the view that specialized inspections should be minimized, administrative formalities should be in the electronic form, clearance time should be cut, and post clearance audit should be more focused.

The spirit of the resolutions by the Government is to solve the bottlenecks in specialized inspection activities during the clearance phase. Mr. Nguyen Tuong, Vice –Secretary of Vietnam logistics enterprise association shared an example of the fact that an enterprise had to undertake formalities to ask the Ministry of Trade and Industry for permits of importing used machinery and equipment. This took the enterprise several days. Nevertheless, the enterprise continued to ask the Ministry of Science and Technology for examining and permitting them to import the equipment and then completed their dossiers for Customs to clear the cargo.

Sharing the same difficulties, an enterprise in the logistics field revealed that they imported fruit with documents of testing and phytosanitary issued by overseas competent agencies in accordance with international standards. However, the goods were still inspected when arriving in Vietnam so the clearance time was prolonged, having a bad impact on the goods’ quality.

Another enterprise shared that they had to undergo two kinds of procedures for importing milk powder. They were the procedures of phytosanitary issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the procedures relating to quality and technical standards by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The fact put more burdens on the enterprise and went against the Government’s guidelines in terms of reforming and facilitating importation and exportation.

Gathering in one unit

According to the review by the WTO and Integration Center under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the legal texts in terms of specialized inspection have had various regulations incompatible with international commitments, especially risk management related regulations. Mr. Pham Thanh Binh, expert of the USAID-GIG said specialized inspection still faced obstacles, having impacts on traders, and increasing costs for traders to import and export goods. As calculated, the average clearance time was 8.2 days and 10.7 days in maximum. The time was still very long in comparison with different countries in the region. Thus, reducing the clearance time as the target set by the Government would have plenty of difficulties.

The fact that one commodity is subject to specialized inspection by 3-4 ministries raises traders’ desire for less specialized inspection for the purpose of facilitating importation and exportation. A representative from Thang Long agricultural products company Ltd. shared that they had twice experienced specialized inspection in the field of phytosanitary and food safety but now the regulation has been changed. The phytosanitary and food safety inspection activities have been conducted by one unit. Therefore, enterprises take only 01 day instead of 03 days to undergo specialized inspection.

Nevertheless, time measured by days has been considered to be long compared to international standards. Hence, specialized inspection activities should be gathered into one and conducted by one unit. Mr. Nguyen Tuong proposed to bring goods to the Customs Assessment Department which has been newly established for specialized inspection instead of presenting goods at various ministries and agencies as before. This would facilitate traders as well as reduce their time and logistics related costs. Thus, traders would be able to raise their competitiveness in terms of prices and time.

In addition to ministries’ changes, enterprises should change themselves, raising their awareness and responsibilities of imports and exports and legislation compliance. Governmental agencies should grant more AEO status to traders, enhance risk management and post clearance audit. This means that both traders and governmental agencies should get involved in dealing with specialized inspection associated matters so that specialized inspection is not the barrier for clearing goods any more. Subsequently, commerce activities would be sped up and facilitated.

Customs verification helps to support specialized inspections VCN- Many enterprises said that upgrading the Center for Analysis and Classification of export-import goods (the General ...

In addition to ministries’ changes, enterprises should change themselves, raising their awareness and responsibilities of imports and exports and legislation compliance. Governmental agencies should grant more AEO status to traders, enhance risk management and post clearance audit. This means that both traders and governmental agencies should get involved in dealing with specialized inspection associated matters so that specialized inspection is not the barrier for clearing goods any more. Subsequently, commerce activities would be sped up and facilitated.