Hanoi Customs sharply reduces customs clearance time for goods

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Hanoi Customs officers check import and export goods using scanners. Photo: N.Linh

Customs clearance time is increasingly shortening

Evaluating the implementation of the target of reducing customs clearance and goods release time according to the decision of the General Department of Customs, Hanoi Customs Department said that for import declarations, customs clearance and goods release time in the first six months of 2024 decreased by 24%, equivalent to 3 hours 8 minutes 59 seconds. That result is due to the fact that in the first six months of the year, the rate of Green channel declaration increased, while the Red and Yellow decreased.

For declarations to bring goods into storage, the time for customs clearance and release of goods reduced by 29%, equivalent to 38 hours, 42 minutes and 38 seconds, due to the shortening of specialized inspection results and businesses proactively updating the results to Customs authorities, time of returning results on the National Single Window system are shortened.

In addition, the time from registering the declaration to approving permission to bring goods for storage also decreased by 33%, equivalent to 3 hours 28 minutes 58 seconds, because businesses proactively visit the customs after making official declaration.

For export declarations, Hanoi Customs Department also reported that customs clearance and goods release time in the first six months of the year decreased by 5.34%, equivalent to 14 minutes and 2 seconds. Although the declaration channeling rate is equivalent to the first six months of 2023, the time for customs clearance and release of goods reduces.

The above results show that many solutions to reform, modernize, and facilitate import-export businesses from department to branch level have achieved positive results. Accordingly, Hanoi Customs Department continues to implement a plan to facilitate import and export activities of businesses under its management according to plan No. 205/KH-UBND of Hanoi People's Committee, work with other agencies in Hanoi city, and the provinces of Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Yen Bai, and Hoa Binh to implement solutions to support export and import businesses in the area.

In addition, currently all documents under the processing authority of the director of the provincial and city customs departments on online public services are received and processed according to regulations; the results of administrative procedures are returned on time.

Regarding customs reform and modernization and application of information technology, Deputy Director of Hanoi Customs Department Hoang Quoc Quang said that Hanoi Customs Department has determined its goals for the 2020 - 2025 period to focus on accelerating reform and modernization, considering this a key task, towards the digital transformation plan of the Customs sector. Continuing the plans, from the beginning of 2024, the department has focused on directing modernization reform, applying information technology and implementing digital transformation plans and modernization and development reform plans; continuing to deploy automated system for custom supervision at ICDs and centralized inspection sites; completing and improving the efficiency of the National Single Window System and automated system for customs supervision at Noi Bai airport.

In particular, the unit completed and deployed immigration passenger management software to manage and exploit passenger and luggage information on entry and exit on daily flights. Thereby monitoring and warning key subjects, connecting screening images, analyzing and identifying risky subjects to improve the efficiency of customs inspection and supervision. In addition, Hanoi Customs also completed building software to manage centralized inspection sites. This software is associated with the characteristics and management practices of the Hanoi Customs Department. The goals are to connect unified professional data between the department and its branches to serve management and operations throughout the department; manage the screening process, physical inspection, connect and direct from department to branch for declaration information, screened images and liquidate the implementation of screening direction from the General Department of Customs.

Focusing on risk control

Also in 2024, Hanoi Customs Department has focused on evaluating and analyzing information and applying risk management in the import and export goods management process, focusing on high-risk businesses, luggage and route, contributing to simplifying customs procedures, saving resources and costs for both Customs and businesses. Notably, through strengthening the information collection, processing, analysis and evaluation, and selection of inspection of imported and exported goods through air route screening, Hanoi Customs promptly detected many violations. A typical case is the seizure of 179kg of drugs. Specifically, through the screening work, the Customs Surveillance Team (Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch) transferred two shipments transported from Germany to Vietnam, suspected of hiding drugs to North Hanoi Customs Branch. As a result, 179 kg of drugs (Ketamine) were discovered. This is the largest shipment of drugs seized by air ever.

In the post-clearance audit work, the unit also focuses on inspection by signs and topics, compliance, adjusting the customs clearance process at the branches, associated with the support and facilitation businesses in the area. In addition, Hanoi Customs introduces the advantages of carrying out customs procedures in the area while also disseminating and guiding businesses to access new legal documents and policies related to import and export activities, thereby creating conditions for businesses to carry out customs procedures at Hanoi Customs Department. At the same time, reviewing and collecting information on the post-customs clearance audit situation to synthesize and evaluate violations to promptly correct the customs clearance process. As a result, the total revenue paid to the state budget from post-customs clearance audit work of Hanoi Customs Department reached VND119.84 billion (equal to 118.87% compared to the same period in 2023).