HCM City Customs: Flexible clearance for anti-pandemic products

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The shipments of biological products and supplies for the prevention of Covid-19 are quickly cleared by Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs. Photo: H.H

Goods received before going through procedures

In July, DMEX Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. imported more than a dozen shipments of medical equipment and supplies which were cleared quickly by HCM City Customs Department.

Nguyen Van Thien – an officer of DMEX Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. said, the company’s imported shipments of equipment and supplies serving Covid-19 pandemic prevention through Tan Son Nhat airport at any time were immediately cleared.

“There were imported shipments on Sunday, although at the time of customs clearance, there were still a few documents missing, the leader of Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch was flexible in clearance so the company could promptly receive goods to distribute to treatment facilities," said Thien.

In early August, Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City carried out procedures to import a shipment of sanitiser through Cat Lai port, which was quickly cleared by Saigon Port Customs Branch, helping the hospital bring goods for pandemic prevention and control.

Recently, HCM City Customs Department has allowed Thu Do Tourism and Trade Joint Stock Company to take the medical supplies for preservation before customs procedures.

Guide every step in customs clearance process

Imported biological products, vaccines, medical equipment for pandemic prevention and control of southern units mainly arrive in Tan Son Nhat airport. Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch has handled many import documents in the form of non-commercial type (aid, donation, gifts) and commercial business for shipments of drugs, biologicals, vaccines, medical equipment serving the Covid-19 pandemic prevention of foreign organisations and individuals for Vietnamese organisations and individuals.

These imported goods all require immediate clearance, some firms carry out customs procedures outside office hours, and some submit insufficient documents and have not paid sufficient tax amount to the State budget because their partners have not sent the import dossier on time, and the system fails to confirm the tax payment outside office hours.

In addition, most of the units that carry out procedures to receive goods are the representatives of political organisations, hospitals and medical facilities and lack experience in logistics, so they do not fully meet the requirements of import dossier as prescribed; do not understand procedures and tax policy to declare, so the customs officer takes a lot of time to guide them.

Therefor, Customs officers are under pressure and face difficulties because they have to ensure quick customs clearance, meanwhile the documents and procedures are incomplete.

HCM City Customs Department stops carrying out procedures for tax debtors

In addition to facilitation, HCM City Customs Department has also introduced solutions to prevent acts of taking advantage of the State's support policies to illegally trade medical products, such as importing goods with the wrong quantity and quality, without a license.