Ho Chi Minh City Customs focuses on developing partnerships with businesses

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Through conferences, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department answered many problems for businesses. Photo: T.H

Solve thousands of problems

In 2023, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department answered 1,255 problems of businesses directly at the sub-departments, 1,021 problems by phone and 838 problems in writing.

According to Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department Nguyen Huu Nghiep, with the purpose of helping the business community grasp, understand and proactively participate in cooperative activities with the Customs agency, the Department has developed a plan of Customs-Business Partnership and related parties in 2023; Post new information on customs procedures, import and export management policies, and regulations on specialized inspection of import and export goods at the places that carry out customs procedures for the business community to know and coordinate to implement according to regulations.

Accordingly, the unit has organized a series of conferences, seminars, dialogue programs with businesses, thematic training programs, etc, to focus on removing obstacles and difficulties as well as disseminating legal policies, customs law for the business community, thereby creating conditions for businesses to comply with the law, promoting trade flow in the management area, and nurturing budget revenue.

Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has guided businesses to comply with regulations on customs procedures, regularly supporting, answering, and removing problems and recommendations of businesses. In 2023, the Department directly answered 1,255 problems of businesses at branches, 1,021 problems by phone, and 838 problems in writing. The content of problems answered is related to product policies, such as: C/O, imported food safety inspection, procedures for various types of export and import of non-commercial goods, repair and guarantee, tax policy, etc.

According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Nghiep, in 2023, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department will change the method of dialogue with businesses. For businesses that regularly carry out customs procedures through border gates, the Department has empowered the branches to carry out dialogue and troubleshoot problems for businesses in a more detailed and specific manner; The Department organizes dialogue conferences on topics related to fields such as: warehouse and port businesses; aviation businesses; Enterprises transporting goods in transit, etc aiming to support enterprises in complying well with customs laws.

Guide businesses to comply with customs laws

In addition to thematic dialogue conferences, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has organized 4 conferences, programs, and training courses on customs procedures for the business community, focusing on important skills such as: Goods classification operations, improving skills in applying HS codes and classifying goods, etc. At the end of November, the Department actively coordinated with the Korean Business Association in Ho Chi Minh City to organize a training conference on customs clearance for the Korean business community in Ho Chi Minh City. According to Deputy Director Nguyen Huu Nghiep, the organization organized this conference to communicate import-export policies and customs procedures to the business community, to comply with regulations, and to avoid errors in the implementation process of customs procedures. Accordingly, many notes on customs procedures for processing and export production; classification of applying codes; Customs value, post-customs clearance audit, etc have been shared by leaders of functional departments of the Department with Korean businesses.

Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has organized 54 business consultations on regulations and policies on export and import taxes, and solutions to overcome difficulties of businesses. Outstanding activities include: coordinating with the Border Trade Agency (CBSA) to provide training on "goods classification" for the Canadian business community (held on February 17, 2023); coordinate with the Vietnam Confederation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) - Ho Chi Minh City Branch to carry out the topic "Commodity classification operations and Circular No. 31/2022/TT-BTC dated June 8, 2022 of the Ministry of Finance promulgating the List of Vietnam's export and import goods" at the 2023 professional training course organized by VCCI Ho Chi Minh City Branch (February 28, 2023) to support businesses in updating their knowledge on Goods Classification and answering business questions.

In addition, the unit regularly reviews legal documents related to policy mechanisms, combined with problems reflected by the business community. From there, propose recommendations and comments to build and perfect the legal system, improve state management of customs, effectively handle and meet the legitimate wishes and aspirations of businesses. Units under and directly under the Department have developed plans for cooperative activities between Customs and businesses at the unit. Accordingly, the branches organize meetings to solve problems for businesses. At business meetings, leaders of units listen to the difficulties and problems of businesses in order to overcome them and create more favorable conditions on the basis of compliance with customs laws.

In particular, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has expanded businesses to participate in the Pilot Program to support and encourage businesses to voluntarily comply with customs laws of the General Department of Customs. Currently, the unit has expanded to 8 more units signing the Memorandum of Understanding recognizing businesses that comply with customs laws, increased the number of businesses participating in this program to 17 businesses.