Plan for implementing Vietnam – US Customs mutual assistance agreement

Signning ceremony between Vietnam Government and the US Government on customs mutual assistance. Photo: Hồng Nụ

The PM assigned the Ministry of Finance to chair the implementation of the agreement within the scope of its functions and competence in cooperation with concerned ministries and agencies.

The plan outlined the key tasks such as: Agree with the US side on the priority fields and commodities, as key points to exchange and share information (goods having a high risk of origin fraud, fraud in transshipment to evade taxes and other trade remedies, information on customs management regulations, policies, programmes, advanced practices and modern techniques that are being applied in the field of customs); developing a roadmap and cooperation plan for each specific period; activities to improve professional capacity of customs officials based on the needs and resources of each party.

Another task that needs to be implemented is to unify the way of coordination among the concerned agencies in the implementation of the agreement, focusing on the implementations of the agreement requiring the cooperation and coordination of relevant ministries and sectors such as collaboration for investigation and verification of customs violations; monitoring, reviewing and periodically evaluating the results of the implementation of the agreement and related proposals and recommendations.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Finance to be responsible for communicating and strengthening dissemination of the agreement to relevant subjects through the media, websites to raise awareness, knowledge of the commitments content as well as the work that needs to be carried out to effectively implement the agreement.

The content of the agreement between Vietnam and the United States on mutual assistance in the field of customs regulated implementation of providing and exchanging originals or certified copies of dossiers and documents based on relevant provisions of law of each party. Implementing activities of checking, verifying, investigating and clarifying customs violations or cooperating with the requester in investigating and verifying customs violations, including allowing officials of the requesting party to be present in the territory of the requested party to assist in the execution of the request.

Using information and documents received under the provisions of the agreement for the purposes as specified in the agreement including the use in proceedings to enforce customs laws. Implementing the confidentiality of information and documents exchanged with the US under the agreement in accordance with the provisions of domestic law applicable to confidential information.

Implementing cooperative activities in areas including: establishing and maintaining communication channels to facilitate the information exchange, reviewing and testing of new equipment or procedures, technical assistance. Conducting periodic meetings if necessary to review and evaluate the implementation of the provisions of the agreement and handling related arising issues and appoint focal points for the implementation of the agreement.

The agreement took effect on May 20, 2020.