The reform of the Customs sector is increasingly facilitating business

Looking back over the past year, the business community has been expecting a lot of change as the Customs sector has launched a series of new services and tools as well as a lot of administrative procedures. All businesses were excited when Customs implemented the Electronic tax payment scheme through collecting and clearing customs 24/7; officially operating the online public service system; deploying the One-Stop-Shop mechanism; Pilot implementation of automatic customs management systems at seaports, airlines etc. These activities not only contribute to the overall success of the economy but also helps businesses with better facilitating conditions, more opportunities to invest and to increase confidence and hope in the business environment, so that Vietnam is an ideal destination for foreign investors.

Dr.. Vu Tien Loc, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Vietnam (VCCI): Customs procedures need to quickly reach the OECD standard.

It can be said that the Ministry of Finance, customs and taxation are leading units in the wave of institutional reform. The Ministry of Finance is the pioneer in conducting periodic dialogue with the business community. Based on the opinions of enterprises, the Ministry of Finance has made suggestions to guide other ministries and agencies in improving the business environment. Notably, recently the Ministry of Finance has launched a project to amend several laws, decrees etc., to help create favorable conditions for businesses. In addition, for the implementation of e-government, the finance sector is also leading with nearly 100% of businesses declaring and paying electronically, through customs clearance online, etc. Therefore, through the enterprise it found that, the time of goods clearance across the border is less than 10 days for export goods, less than 12 days for imported goods, meeting targets set in Resolutions 19 and 35 of the Government.

However, at present, the problem that should be strengthened further is the specialized examination in import-export activities. This has not been improved much since it involved 12 ministries. But in my opinion, the role of the General Department of Customs is very important. For many things, the Ministry of Finance must take the lead, by strongly suggesting ways to promote the improvement of administrative procedures in specialized inspection, especially with regard to the foreign experience, the way to take the proposal physical. I think there are some things that can be done for the Customs sector, so they should be done. In addition, regulatory authorities should take into account the need for strong socialization of specialized audits, including clearance procedures. By the way, many specialized inspection procedures require modern equipment and facilities for inspection, analysis; If the state does not have enough funds to equip and then socialize, hired private services have prestige and capacity to enhance equipment, to reduce the work for administrative agencies.

Thus, in addition to strengthening policy and administrative procedures reform, the modernization of customs and the shortening of specialized inspection time needs the joint efforts of the ministries and sectors, both private and service sector. In the areas of administration, the customs sector must quickly and decisively reach the standards of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); this not only facilitates the business but also a necessary condition for attracting foreign investment.

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Cung, Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM): Customs is one of the best reforms.

Customs is one of the units with the best thinking, and visionary reform. This is demonstrated by the fact that the customs office has approached international practices, implementing the management of transfer from pre-check to post-control, enterprise management based on the level of risk and compliance of enterprises. With that in mind, the Customs office has also designed the toolkit for effective reform. I appreciate the reform thinking as well as the process of operation of the Customs. The changes and reforms of the past time have had a positive impact on the promotion of economic development.

However, in practice where customs procedures are still in place, businesses are required to pay "lubricant" costs to customs officers. This requires a change in the way and attitude of the workforce, and more emphasis is placed on the civil servants. Another angle of business is that it also needs to remove the habit of bringing the envelope. The delivery and receipt of the envelope where the procedure may have become a habit, a phenomenon of life, must change. This move requires more action. In particular, the state employees ahead, limited troubles for businesses. This can also be promoted by increasing electronicization, avoiding direct contact between government officials and businesses.

Pharmacist Le Viet Hung, General Director of Saigon Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Sapharco): Many automated management programs are applied to customs procedures.

Being a large pharmaceutical importer specializing in customs procedures at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Department, in over 30 years of operation, with the enthusiastic attention and support of customs offices and agencies. The company has developed rapidly and become one of the leading companies in the field of importing, manufacturing and distributing pharmaceutical and medical equipment in Vietnam. With the application of many automatic management programs, customs procedures are now very quickly, increasingly improved, more favorable for businesses. Cadres and civil servants are also very enthusiastic, fast, do not cause difficulties and troubles in the process of procedures.

Imported goods of Sapharco are mainly medicines and especially vaccines, which require special preservation according to the regulations of the manufacturers, so the enterprises need support to shorten customs clearance time. Although enterprises have been arranged by the customs office to carry out the preferential door procedures, however, since these items are subject to specialized management, they are not subject to the Green channel. It still affects the clearance time, cost, as well as the quality of the goods.

In the future, the Customs Department of Ho Chi Minh City will pilot the modern customs management system at seaports and airports, and we hope that export and import goods will be further facilitated in manufacturing and business.

Mr. Duong Van Phi, Deputy Director of Petrolimex Saigon: The company appreciates the cooperation of the Customs

Petrol is a special item, every year authorized by the Vietnam Petroleum Group, Petrolimex Sai Gon carries out import procedures at the customs office at the port of Saigon port 3 in very large quantities. With many modernization programs and reform of customs procedures in the past, the implementation of goods import by the unit is increasingly favorable. During the procedure, we have received great support from customs offices in general and customs office of Saigon port area 3 in particular. All obstacles in the process of customs clearance, can be passed on to the leaders of the Department and Petroleum Procedures team to answer, for their dedicated and specific guidance.

Besides, the customs office is also close, accompanying businesses expressed through the dialogue meetings, contact with enterprises. In particular, in early 2017, the leaders of the Customs Department of Ho Chi Minh City also directly work with a business just to understand the business plan of the company, answered, and acknowledged difficulties in business operations in import and export goods. We appreciate the cooperation and support of the customs authorities in order to further enhance customs partnerships for enterprises to develop together and help enterprises in production, contribute to the State budget.

For further favorable conditions for import and export of petroleum, the company is looking forward to receiving support and assistance from customs offices in general and customs office of Saigon port area 3 in particular, by carrying out customs procedures, especially tax refunds, and maintaining a dialogue between customs and enterprises.