Implementation of the National Single Window should be accelerated

	Agricultural enterprises actively participate in National Single Window
	Improvements in Customs Control and promotion of international interoperability through SCCP APEC
	Accelerate implementation of the National Single Window

The conference. Photo: Thu Trang.

The conference was attended by representatives of Departments and agencies under the Ministry of Finance, the Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs and leaders of Departments under the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

According to the Deputy Minister of Finance, Ms. Vu Thi Mai, this conference was held for the Ministry of Finance to grasp the situation of Customs in the first 2 months of 2017 and difficulties in Customs operations, to promptly remove obstacles.

Regarding results that Vietnam Customs achieved in the first 2 months of 2017, the Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs, Mr. Nguyen Duong Thai stressed that in February 2017, the General Department of Vietnam Customs collaborated with Ministries to actively implement the National Single Window and the ASEAN Single Window for 2016-2020 (issued with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 2185/QD-TTg of 14th January 2016). Till now, there have been 11 Ministries participating in the National Single Window with 37 administrative procedures, with more than 264,000 sets of administrative records processed through the National Single Window from 9,400 enterprises.

In particular, in the first 2 months of 2017, Customs revenues were very positive, reaching 41,092 billion vnd, equivalent to 14.4% of the estimate for 2017, an increase of 22.2% compared to the same period in 2016. In fact, in the first 2 months of 2017, Customs revenues increased compared to the same period in 2016 due to a drastic increase in imports and exports compared to the same period in 2016 (an increase of 29.7%). Specifically, crude oil price increased compared to the same period in 2016, leading to an increase of 200 billion vnd in Customs revenues. In addition, some imported commodities with high tax rates and great value increased dramatically such as revenues from automobiles increasing by 2,220 billion vnd, revenues from automotive components increasing by 500 billion vnd, revenues from steel increasing by 1,100 billion vnd, revenues from plastics components increasing by 1,450 billion vnd, revenues from computers and electronic components increasing by 450 billion vnd and revenues from petrol and oil increasing by 2,400 billion vnd.

Another highlight in Customs operations in the first 2 months of 2017 was Customs post-clearance audits. Accordingly, from 1st January 2017 to 15th February 2017, Customs conducted 286 cases of Customs post-clearance audits, with 67 inspections at the offices of Customs declarants (equivalent to 146% compared to the same period in 2016). Customs collected tax arrears of 149.23 billion vnd (equivalent to 158% compared to the same period in 2016), paid 99.04 billion vnd to the State budget (equivalent to 123% compared to the same period in 2016).

Particularly in the fight against smuggling, from 15th December 2016 to 15th February 2017, Customs detected and handled 1,947 cases of violation, worth 29.097 billion vnd and collected 23.492 billion vnd for the State budget. Customs authorities have prosecuted 5 criminal cases and transferred 8 cases to relevant agencies to prosecute.

Accordingly, the key tasks of Customs in the coming period are as follows: Implementation of the National Single Window and the ASEAN Single Window, promotion of Customs role as the standing agency of the National Steering Committee for the ASEAN Single Window, the National Single Window and trade facilitation; submission to the Government about the legal basis for the National Single Window, the Decision of the Prime Minister for aircraft on exit, entry or transit through the National Single Window. In addition, the functional authorities should promote key tasks such as collection for the State budget, prevention of revenue losses, anti-smuggling and anti-commercial fraud.

Regarding the implementation of the National Single Window and the ASEAN Single Window, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has proposed to the Ministry of Finance to recommend the Government to reduce administrative procedures when implementing investment projects through the National Single Window and develop the information technology system.

In addition, regulations on specialized inspections have been not specified in the documents guiding the implementation of Customs procedures. Therefore, the General Department of Vietnam Customs cannot have sufficient legal basis to implement. Thus, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has reported to the Ministry of Finance and the National Steering Committee for the ASEAN Single Window, the National Single Window and trade facilitation to permit the Customs Examination Department to conduct specialized inspections for some key imported and exported commodities, contributing to trade facilitation and rapid Customs clearance of goods at border gates.

Besides, the leaders of the General Department of Vietnam Customs have proposed to the Ministry of Finance on mechanisms and policies for Customs inspections and examination.

Accordingly, the proposals and recommendations of the General Department of Vietnam Customs were responded to directly by the Deputy Minister of Finance at the conference.

At the conference, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Ms. Vu Thi Mai highly appreciated the results of Customs in the first 2 months of 2017. In particular, the Deputy Minister of Finance noted the recommendations and proposals of the General Department of Vietnam Customs to handle and resolve issues in a timely way.

Regarding tasks in the near future, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Ms. Vu Thi Mai stressed that the General Department of Vietnam Customs should promote the implementation of the National Single Window through reviewing the overall regulations in Circular and Decree to report to the Ministry of Finance. Vietnam Customs may organize a meeting among the Ministries chaired by the Minister of Finance. In particular, Vietnam Customs needs to further accelerate the construction of a Decree on the National Single Window.

Regarding the task of State budget revenues, Customs must collect 290,000 billion vnd that the Communist Party Committee has assigned and accelerate measures to meet this target.

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