"Fulcrum" for the development of customs agents

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Customs declarants in Division of Export-import of Yusen Logistics company in Que Vo (Bac Ninh). (Photo: Huu Linh).

Agents have not played an important role

Customs agents should focus on popularizing the benefits which enterprises can receive when the agents on behalf of enterprises sign and seal on the customs declaration; create credibility for enterprises on the function signature, stamp, post-clearance checks of customs agents.

According to Deputy Director of Supervision and Management of Customs Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs), Mr. Nguyen Nhat Kha, there are currently more than 550 customs agents in Vietnam. After being recognized as customs agents, they failed to promote the role. There are about 80% of import-export enterprises using the services of customs agents but only 10% of customs agents fill their name on behalf of enterprises in the customs declaration. The number of declarations done by enterprises is larger than by agents customs, accounting for more than 50%. While in developed countries, the declarations which customs agents have signed and sealed are about 80%. As in Japan, most declarations submitted to customs authorities are through customs agents (about 85-90%).

According to Mr. Kha, after being recognized as customs agents, some of them haven’t had any activities. They mainly used the recognition to implement commercial contracts with partners.

The slow development of the customs agents derives from many causes. The import-export enterprises haven’t seen the benefit of the declarations of customs agents, or using the signature of the agents. Individuals and organizations who are not customs agents are rampant, unfair with customs agents. Besides, some of the current policies have not really facilitated enterprises. There is no priority mode, specific preferences to customs agents, including priority mode for customs agents in determining how many declarations to be implemented by customs agents. Customs post-clearance activities are not really appropriate when only working with enterprises without regard to customs agents, leading to the hesitancy of enterprises using the services of customs agents. Besides, a few customs officers are also not very interested in the customs procedures activities implemented through customs agents.

According to Mr. Nguyen Nhat Kha, in order to promote the enterprises using the services of signature and sealing on the customs declaration of customs agents, Customs will continue to promote the active propaganda about the benefits of the customs declaration through customs agents. Customs shall develop a mechanism to prioritize in terms of image, the operational method with customs agents: Open exclusive mechanism for customs agents in the customs branches. In addition, customs agents should find solutions to accelerate the number of declarations signed and sealed by agents. This is the basis to achieve the criteria of customs agents.

Form advisory groups for customs agents

At a meeting of the General Department of Vietnam Customs recently, many customs agents said that Customs need to reconsider criteria for performance evaluation through the number of declarations of customs agents. As a representative of Thang Long Logistics Corporation said, the calculation of the number of declarations by the agents should include declarations made by agents but using the digital signature of enterprises. If the specified number of declarations is only caculated by the agents, it’s hard to achieve the target. Besides, many representatives from import-export companies stated that Customs need to form advisory groups in customs branches to resolve problems and timely remove difficulties for customs agents.

Currently, the General Department of Vietnam Customs Department has drafted a decision to establish advisory groups for customs agents. The establishment of the advisory group comes from the reason that the customs authorities and business community, customs agents haven’t had any channel to exchange, support, resolve difficulties and problems as well as the provision of necessary information. While the establishment of association of customs agents is facing many difficulties and problems, the establishment of advisory groups for customs agents including customs offices and customs agents is more feasible. This is an action showing the preferences of customs authorities in the development of customs agents activities. The target of the advisory groups is to form a link, a communication channel to update regulations, policies and legislation related to logistics operations, customs procedures for exports, imports; timely solve problems of the business community through feedback about the typical customs agents; along with promoting customs communication and propaganda between the business community and customs agents.

Reviewing overall customs management VCN- The General Department of Customs will carry out reviewing, assessing the overall situation in performing the ...

This policy has received the consensus of enterprises, the representative of Associations of logistics services said that this was a big step to promote the activities of customs agents. Also, the representative of Vietnam Shippers Association said that the establishment of advisory groups to share experiences, to remove obstacles is perfectly reasonable; promoting quality of customs agents. Many other representatives suggested that there should be the participation of both the local customs departments and advisory groups to directly implement procedures of businesses to popularize the policies, and facilitate the use of customs agents.