Ho Chi Minh City Customs: Creating strong changes from modern management methods

Customs officers of Saigon port area 1 carry out import procedures for businesses. Photo: T.H

Apply many IT initiatives

In the last days of April 2024, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department is completing work to prepare for implementing a number of management application and business support programs. Sharing about these application programs, Mr. La Viet Hung, Head of IT Department - Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department said that following the direction of the Department's leaders, the unit built a program to track records and incoming dispatches from businesses, with the purpose of supporting businesses to track online the system of customs clearance dossiers under the Yellow and Red channels, as well as monitor the processing of dispatches which are sent to Customs agency.

Continue to perfect the Centralized Administration System (HCAS), expand applications towards the System becoming a management - operating ecosystem - supporting connection and information sharing between Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and other departments in the area as well as connecting professional activities with support and providing information for import-export businesses. In particular, with the efficiency of processing documents and work on the HCAS network environment, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department is taking steps to upgrade and build a digital office.

Previously, from the application of HCAS, a number of customs sub-department at border gates and outside border gates have exploited and developed many automation applications in the stages of receiving documents and official dispatches, creating convenience and saving costs for both Customs authorities and businesses. Typically, the Express Delivery Customs Sub-department deploys the application "Solution for synchronization, number allocation, and automatic response for documents of express delivery and postal businesses" (referred to as Solution, Application). This application is deployed on the HCAS system platform. With this application, instead of having to submit paper copies, businesses only need to send scanned copies of digitally signed documents to the sub-department's email box. The HCAS system will automatically receive, issue numbers and respond to emails from businesses. This entire process takes a maximum of 5 minutes. According to express delivery and postal companies, solutions and applications of IT software systems in the stages of receiving documents and documents related to imported and exported goods have saved businesses a lot time, cost, and at the same time contribute to environmental protection when businesses do not have to print hundreds of documents every day, etc.

Digital transformation through procedural reform

One of the initiatives implemented by the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department in recent times that has brought positive results and is highly appreciated by the business community is the initiative "Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and the business community are companion partners to join hands for development". This initiative has been continuously implemented for many years and has developed a business-customs partnership that has gradually affirmed the power of proactive cooperation and flexibility. Sharing information, adapting together and finding new solutions have helped the two sides overcome difficulties, creating consensus in promoting sustainable development.

Through this initiative, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has organized many partnership activities for the business community to participate in the process of reform, modernization, and digital transformation in the Customs sector, improving voluntary compliance with the customs law for the business community; Thereby contributing to improving the efficiency of state management of customs and promoting the circulation of import and export goods. At the same time, the Customs agency and the business community jointly proposed breakthrough and flexible solutions to build a specific action program to support businesses in overcoming difficulties and grasping opportunities to recover and develop production and business activities in the context of the complicated world socio-economic situation.

Notably, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department deployed and implemented specific action plans and programs, determined to carry out comprehensive digital transformation, ensuring adherence to the Customs sector's digital transformation plan until 2025, determined towards 2030. In particular, we commit to create maximum convenience in import and export activities for the business community. Implement and apply risk management in all professional activities; Implement compliance management, apply measures to support and encourage voluntary compliance in the business community; Providing online public services at the highest level, facilitating the operations of businesses in the area. Effectively operate the automatic goods clearance system; Automated customs management system and satellite programs support professional activities according to modern, centralized management methods, electronic payments, automatic licensing, electronic C/O to facilitate commercial activities, reducing costs of container storage, warehousing, and other costs for businesses.