Quang Ninh Customs promotes development of Customs broker

Quang Ninh Customs Department holds Customs-Business Dialogue Conference to discuss on solutions to promote border import-export activities and develop customs brokers. Photo: Thai Binh

Supporting customs control

According to statistics of the Quang Ninh Customs Department, currently, there are 48 customs brokers have been certified by the General Department of Vietnam Customs, which mainly operate in Mong Cai City, Ha Long City and Hai Ha District. During customs process, Customs brokers have complied with regulations related to imports and exports, and implemented the periodic reporting regime and effectively cooperated with the Customs.

In 2023 alone, 28 of 48 customs brokers declared 2,402 declarations, accounting for 1.62% of the total number of declarations in the province; achieved the turnover worth US$ 389.1 million, accounting for 2.37% of total turnover.

According to Quang Ninh Customs Department, the customs broker is a customs services provider in the supply chain for import and export activities of goods and is likened to “extended arms” of the customs authority in customs processes. In the context of global trade and the trend of international economic integration, customs broker operation is increasingly growing, thereby contributing to promoting the development of import and export activities of goods, enhancing professionalism in declaring and implementing customs procedures, and reducing customs clearance time for goods.

Along with the increase in the number of import-export enterprises, many enterprises have registered and have been recognized as customs brokers, making an important contribution to the customs modernization and reform in the province and supporting the customs control.

Implementing the Customs Development Strategy until 2030, Quang Ninh Customs Department has issued a plan for implementing key customs reform, development and modernization in 2024. The department has focused on building and developing the professional, unified, modern, reliable and qualified customs broker, which play an increasingly important role in customs declaration and goods clearance procedures; aimed to apply recognition of priority regime for the customs broker, gradually perform automated control for customs declaration by the customs broker, and issued card for customs broker’s staff through the control for the implementation in customs processes.

Cooperating in developing customs broker operation

On April 24, Quang Ninh Customs Department organized a Customs-Business dialogue conference to discuss solutions to promote border import-export activities and develop customs brokers in the province in 2024. The conference was attended by more than 100 enterprises, including more than 40 customs brokers.

According to the representative of Quang Ninh Customs Department, Customs agencies, customs brokers, importers and exporters need to cooperate in developing and enhancing efficiency of customs broker operation.

For the Customs agency, customs branches need to strengthen dissemination about the role of customs brokers and the benefits for goods owners when implementing customs procedures through customs brokers. The Customs branches should review and propose a mechanism to manage customs brokers and customs broker’s staff towards facilitating, reducing procedures, costs and time, and providing information related to imports, exports and customs procedures to support enterprises, customs brokers and their staff in customs processes.

On the other hand, the branches should review and publicise customs brokers that effectively operate for importers and exporters to select and authorize them to implement customs procedures. Regularly check and supervise operation and law compliance of customs brokers and staff; work and exchange information with customs brokers to provide solutions to develop and remove problems in the operation. Encourage customs brokers in raising their customs law compliance; train to improve Qualification and skills in customs declaration, regulations for imports and exports and effectively use Customs declaration system.

Import and export enterprises should change their thinking in hiring individuals to implement customs declaration and should authorize Customs brokers to carry out customs procedures to ensure professionalism and efficiency, and reduce risks in customs processes. Regularly contact with the Customs to promptly detect obstacles or difficulties in customs processes implemented by the Customs brokers, so that the Customs can resolve and protect benefits for enterprises.