GDVC’s Director General Nguyen Van Can hosts reception for Dutch Ambassador

	PM chairs welcome ceremony for Dutch counterpart
	Dutch Prime Minister concludes Vietnam visit

GDVC’s Director General Nguyen Van Can hosts reception for Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar. Photo: H.N

At the reception, Director General Nguyen Van Can welcome Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar for his visiting and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the GDVC and the Customs Administration of the Netherlands on the implementation of the agreement between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Kingdom of the Netherlands on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in Customs matters.

Director General Department of Vietnam Customs Nguyen Van Can congratulated the two customs administrations on completing negotiations as well as legal procedures to sign the agreement on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries and the official visit to Vietnam by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on November 1-2 at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Mr. Kees van Baar expressed his honor when visiting Vietnam Customs for the first time and said that Vietnam and the Netherlands will strengthen customs cooperation.

“In the context that Vietnam - EU signed the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Viet Nam and the EU have promoted the implementation of the agreement and trade-related activities. I am pleased to inform that 60% of cargo exported to the EU have been cleared by Dutch Customs. To achieve the result, the great efforts in trade facilitation, smooth customs clearance and quick information exchange between the two Customs administrations play pivotal role” said by Kees van Baar.

Mr. Kees van Baar said that on April 9, 2019, in Hanoi, also on the occasion of the official visit to Vietnam by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, on behalf of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, former Deputy Minister of Vietnam Finance Vu Thi Mai and Secretary of State for Finance of the Kingdom of the Netherlands signed an agreement on Customs cooperation and mutual administrative assistance between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Ambassador Kees van Baar said that the agreement on Customs cooperation and mutual administrative assistance was even signed before the EVFTA. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands, we continue to sign the MoU on the implementation of agreement on customs cooperation and mutual administrative assistance.

In the post-Covid-19 pandemic context, the trade exchanges and consumer demand increasingly develop, requiring relevant authorities to ensure smooth operation of trade flows, and shorten procedures to further facilitate trade and customs clearance.

The trade facilitation and customs clearance of goods between Vietnam and the EU have achieved remarkable results, which recognized the pivotal role of Viet Nam Customs in boosting trade as well as combating trade and smuggling. The cooperation between Customs administrations around the world also plays a significant role in exchanging information and mutual assistance.

On November 1, GDVC’s Director General Nguyen Van Can and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar signed the MoU between the GDVC and the Customs administration of the Netherlands on the implementation of the agreement between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Kingdom of the Netherlands on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters. Photo: H.Nu

Director General Nguyen Van Can said that Vietnam and the Netherlands became comprehensive partners in 2019. Currently, the Netherlands is one of Vietnam’s most important trade and investment partners; and the second largest trade partner in the EU and the EU's largest investor to Vietnam with many investment projects of large corporations.

Regarding customs cooperation, Dutch Customs is one of the partners that regularly cooperates and supports Vietnam Customs. Recently, based on the strengths of Dutch Customs, the two sides have exchanged experiences on customs management at seaports, risk management and target identification, and customs control at airports.

Most recently, on the sidelines of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council Session in June, Dutch Customs worked with the Vietnam Customs Working Group on customs control activities at airports. During the working process, the two sides closely coordinated in providing information for anti-smuggling.

Director General Nguyen Van Can believed that the signed cooperation documents in Customs matters will become practical and included into specific cooperation plans and activities suitable to the strengths and mutual interest.

“I hope that the two sides will continue to collaborate and share experience in customs matters, especially information related to anti-smuggling, drug smuggling; digital transformation, application of modern technology in customs management, green customs, risk management, target identification...”, Director General Nguyen Van Can said.

After the meeting, Director General Nguyen Van Can and Ambassador Kees van Baar signed an agreement on customs cooperation between Vietnam Customs and Customs Administration of the Netherlands.