Implementing Circular 56: Actively guiding enterprises

Many new regulations about procedure for mails, packages or parcels sending via postal service, express delivery

Inspecting import and export goods sent via express delivery by scanner. Photo: T.H

New regulations for postal goods

On October 2, the Express Cargo Customs Branch under Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department deployed Circular 56/2019/TT-BTC dated August 23, 2019 of the Ministry of Finance amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular 49/2015/TT-BTC regulating customs procedures for letters, parcels, packages of import and export goods sent by the postal service of the designated enterprise and Circular 191/2015/TT-BTC prescribing customs procedures for import and export goods and transit goods sent via international express delivery service.

According to the leader of the Express Cargo Customs Branch, to prepare for the deployment and support express and postal enterprises, leaders of the branch and working teams worked with the representatives of enterprises and staff directly involved in import and export. Thereby, enterprises and Customs authorities will frankly discuss the performance and changes in implementing Circular 56/2019/TT-BTC.

During the discussion, enterprises highly appreciated the amended and supplemented contents in Circular 56 that have removed shortcomings.

The representative of DHL Company said that the Customs authority has received the company’s comments and include them in Circular 56 with many positive contents to facilitate the company. For example, for gifts and donations, the paper declaration is specified for each case. The cancellation of the declaration is also specified for each case, creating favorable conditions for enterprises.

A representative of UPS Company said that for lost goods, Circular 56 allows enterprises to open a declaration and transfer domestic border gates, facilitating enterprises compared to the previous regulations.

Provide the best facilitation to customs clearance

In addition to the new positive points in Circular 56, enterprises are also concerned about the form of goods inspection, the screening of goods, the long list of goods under the new regulations is 20 columns of criteria instead of 10 columns.

A representative of DHL Company said that, with more than 3,000 packages per morning, the scanning can meet the requirements or not. Or the representative of FedEx said that the speed of goods clearance depends on the period. For example on Monday, the goods volume is huge, so the scanning time for goods in group 1 and group 2 may increase.

At the conference, facing concerns of enterprises, the leader of the Express Cargo Customs Branch said that to implement Circular 56, the leaders of the Branch and working teams have actively studied the the content of the Circular. The Branch commits to support the enterprise in the best manner. If problems arise, they will be promptly removed for enterprises.

For enterprises' concerns that the goods under the group 1 and group 2 subject to be scanned 100%, it will affect the customs clearance time of enterprises or not, the Branch’s Manager Nguyen Thanh Nam said currently, the Branch has 5 goods scanners for the scanning for import-export goods as prescribed in Circular 56. The Branch took the initiative to report and propose to the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department to propose the General Department of Vietnam Customs to provide 3 more scanners to ensure the quick clearance of goods for enterprises.

The Express Cargo Customs Branch also assigned officers who have skills on scanners at important positions to promptly perform customs clearance of goods for enterprises.

To implement Circular 56 in the most convenient and effective manner for enterprises, Deputy Manager Bui Thanh Hung also noted that enterprises need interaction between Customs authorities and enterprises. Enterprises should arrange their human resources to meet the requirements of customs authorities classifying goods according to the groups prescribed in Circular 56. The channel classification and storage of goods at enterprises' warehouses must comply with regulations, but it still ensure the clearance time for goods with the fastest time.