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Customs Inspection Department officials analyze samples at the laboratory. Photo: KD

Focus on checking and inspecting high-risk goods

Currently, the Customs Inspection Department is managing 11 focal points and 8 infrastructure facilities nationwide, 8/8 laboratories are recognized to meet Vilas standards.

According to statistics, from January 1, 2024 to July 31, 2024, the Customs Inspection Department (General Department of Customs) received and issued Notices of results with commodity codes, Notices of classification,analysis results for nearly 2,300 samples, of which about 51% of samples changed codes compared to the declared codes (20% of samples increased tax, 30% of samples kept the same tax rate, 1% of samples reduced tax).

This shows that provincial and municipal customs departments have promptly directed and requested their subordinate customs branches to effectively carry out the work of taking samples for analysis, classification, inspection, determination of commodity codes, commodity policies, customs clearance of goods and other customs operations on the basis of Notices of classification, analysis results, Notices of inspection results of the General Department of Customs, Customs Inspection units and related guiding documents.

Director of the Customs Inspection Department Do Van Quang said that the goal of customs inspection in the coming time will focus on building a legal corridor for customs inspection activities; complying with international recommendations, commitments and standards; the implementation process always ensures accuracy, professionalism, transparency and efficiency.

At the same time, organize inspection and testing of high-risk goods, prone to trade fraud in tax rates, commodity policies, goods that affect public health, pollute the environment, and are harmful to national security; strictly control imported and exported goods through border gates, participate in inspection of groups of goods related to industrial precursors and dual-use goods.

Simultaneously, apply risk management methods in customs inspection, exchange electronic data on inspection results between inspection agencies and relevant management agencies. Effectively exploit the equipped equipment, bring the means to participate in actual inspection at the scene to ensure close and timely coordination between units in the whole Sector.

Strengthen control of analysis and classification work

To improve the effectiveness of analysis, classification and inspection of import and export goods, the General Department of Customs has recently requested local customs units to direct branches in the process of performing the inspection of import and export goods declaration codes, identify the correct goods to take samples for analysis and classification according to regulations. Avoid sending samples of goods to the wrong subjects, with low risk or being returned due to not taking samples for analysis and classification or omitting high-risk goods that are subject to sampling and classification.

The officer checking the dossier requires the enterprise to fully declare the criteria of the goods name, composition, structure, physical and chemical properties, uses, etc., and provide technical documents (if any) and related documents as a basis for checking the declared goods code. During the dossier checking process, it is required to carefully review the types of high-risk goods to correctly identify the subjects that must take samples to send for analysis, classification or inspection in accordance with regulations.

Prepare a request for analysis in accordance with regulations, complete with documents, content of the analysis request, clearly stating the basis of suspicion, the suspected code, criteria for analysis request for specific and detailed classification according to HS Notes, Additional Notes to the AHTN List, List of Vietnam's Export and Import Goods, Export and Import Tariffs; sampling method, sample packaging, sample quantity, sample sealing; at the same time, review cases of goods sent for analysis, classification, and inspection that are returned due to incorrect sample subjects or regulations on documents, etc.

Regarding the determination of subjects for sampling and inspection and the preparation of sample collection and inspection records, the General Department of Customs also requires local customs departments to direct branches in the process of performing the task to correctly identify the subjects of goods sent for inspection according to the provisions in the procedures, regulations, or guiding documents of the General Department of Customs.

Goods subject to customs inspection are goods with grounds for suspicion of fraud in terms of declaration criteria according to commodity policy regulations or in cases where samples are not taken for analysis for classification, and there is suspicion of inaccurate declaration of composition, structure, physical and chemical properties, and uses, leading to the possibility of fraud in commodity codes.

For the Customs Inspection Department, its under and directly under units, the General Department of Customs also requires organizations to monitor, analyze, and synthesize information on exported and imported goods on the industry's professional system, the Customslab system to identify groups of high-risk goods, report, and advise the General Department's leaders to direct, operate, inspect, and supervise the implementation of analysis, classification, and inspection work for the entire Sector.

The Customs Inspection Department, based on the results of monitoring, analyzing, and synthesizing data on the system, points out existing problems in the analysis, classification, and inspection of exported and imported goods to guide or coordinate to provide unified guidance on the analysis, classification, and inspection of exported and imported goods in the customs field. In addition, the General Department of Customs also assigned the Customs Inspection Department to study and issue additional instructions on sampling methods, packaging, specifications, and sealing for items with arising requirements. Guide and organize the inspection of preliminary assessments for inspection when physically inspecting certain types of high-risk goods to detect suspicions before taking samples for analysis, classification, and inspection to increase the rate of detecting errors with the samples taken.