Requirements for allocating sufficient resources of customs clearance to support businesses

	Goods for Covid-19 prevention and control not subject to import duty and VAT payment
	Ministry of Finance asks local governments to support customs clearance
	Allocating resources for quick customs clearance and supporting businesses

Officials of Quang Ninh Customs Department check imported goods of enterprises. Photo: Q.Hung

Allow to submit scanned copy certified with digital signature

Accordingly, the Government requested the Ministry of Finance to direct the General Department of Customs to apply Article 50 of the 2014 Customs Law on customs procedures for goods serving urgent requirements for fast customs clearance for aid goods, gifts, donations from abroad or goods imported by domestic organizations and individuals to support, sponsor, donate to the Government, the Ministry of Health, the People's Committees of the provinces and cities, or Fatherland Front Committees of provinces and cities to serve the work of pandemic prevention and medical examination and treatment.

Enterprises, cooperatives and business households are allowed to submit scanned copies certified by digital signatures for documents that must be submitted in paper, which are originals in the form of paper/notarized/certified true copies according to regulations and decisions of ministries and agencies to solve bottlenecks when clearing goods; enterprises, cooperatives and business households shall make additional payments after the goods are cleared for post-inspection.

The General Department of Customs needs to guide local customs departments and sub-departments to arrange sufficient resources to organize customs clearance continuously, in a timely manner, safely and promptly to meet the requirements of enterprises producing and processing components in the field of electronics and high technology; enterprises, cooperatives, and business households importing essential goods for disease prevention and treatment, medical food and milk for children.

Unified implementation of “green flow”

Besides, the Resolution also requires the Ministry of Transport to guide localities to uniformly implement the "green flow" for road and waterway transport nationwide, inter-province, and inter-region to transport goods safely, smoothly on the principle of simplifying procedures quickly and conveniently; exploit the advantages of rail freight in the product supply chain; conditions and permits are not added to obstruct the circulation of goods, especially for essential goods and production materials; do not allow negative events to increase costs of enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

This agency must also chair and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries, branches, localities and agencies in promulgating guidance on regulations on delivery and transportation in the context of Covid-19 pandemic prevention, reporting to the Prime Minister in September 2021.

The Government requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to chair, and coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies and localities in strengthening market management, ensuring the balance of important and essential materials and goods for production and life, not to take advantage of price increases.

Strengthening the supply of information, markets, import and export needs of other countries; online trade promotion support; connecting supply and demand, fairs and exhibitions in the digital environment; continue to support localities to boost the consumption of agricultural products in the domestic market and expand exports to markets with high potential.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is assigned to chair, and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, localities, associations and commodity sectors in summarizing production, consumption, and activities of enterprises, processing cooperatives, business households in the fields of agriculture, forestry and fishery; proactively and promptly implement solutions to remove production disruptions, ensure supply and consumption, especially food, and essential consumer products when implementing measures to relax social distancing in disease prevention and control.

The State Bank will direct, monitor and urge credit institutions to deploy and implement solutions to support and remove difficulties in loans for traders, enterprises, cooperatives and business households purchasing and temporarily storing paddy and rice, especially in the Mekong Delta.

The Government directs localities to actively research, agree on plans and conditions for safe production and business, adapt to local pandemic developments and actual conditions of enterprises, and cooperate with communes, business households; take the initiative in deciding and taking responsibility for allowing enterprises, cooperatives and business households to resume operations when meeting safety conditions for pandemic prevention and control; minimize closures of factories.

The ability of enterprises, cooperatives and business households must be fully assessed to meet the safety requirements of pandemic prevention when applying the models: "One road, two destinations", "Three on the spot”, and suitable models to be applied when meeting safety conditions, in accordance with local practices.

The Government also directed to focus on thoroughly removing congestion, supply chain disruptions, and freight transportation due to inadequacies in the implementation of regulations and procedures on the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic; regulations and instructions of the Central Government must be obeyed; do not create “sub” licenses, conditions that hinder the circulation of goods, disadvantages are not allowed to issue to increase costs of enterprises, cooperatives, and business households.