Two key tasks of digital transformation in 2024 of Customs industry

	Master plan of border gate area needs to be linked with customs digital transformation
	Focusing on human training to meet digital transformation requirements
	E-commerce is exploding, requiring digital transformation of logistics "links".

Customs officers of Tra Linh Border Gate Customs Branch at work (Cao Bang Customs Department). Photo: Thai Binh

Six task groups to implement the Prime Minister's direction

To effectively implement the Prime Minister's direction on promoting digital transformation in the customs (at Official Dispatch No. 245/TTg-KTTH dated April 17, 2024), the General Department of Customs set out six groups.

First, reviewing and completing legal policies, upgrading the information technology (IT) system towards digitizing documents in customs records to paperless in customs clearance for exported and imported goods; means of transport on exit and entry, stopping the requirement paper documents in the customs records.

Second, reviewing and completing the system of legal documents related to licensing and specialized inspection of exported and imported goods to promptly detect inadequacies and problems and make recommendations to management ministries and competent authorities to amend and supplement; promoting reform, applying information technology, and sharing data with customs authorities to serve customs clearance of goods.

Third, ensure equipment to serve the modernization of the Customs industry, customs inspection, supervision and control at border gate and seaport areas, reduce contact between people, businesses and Customs authorities in strict compliance with the provisions of law.

Fourth, strengthening cooperation activities and exchange of customs data information with countries in the region and around the world, especially strategic trade partner countries with large import-export turnover to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese goods to be exported to these countries and vice versa.

Fifth, regularly organizing dialogues to remove difficulties and obstacles, and evaluate the satisfaction level of people and businesses when carrying out administrative procedures at the customs authorities at all levels; promptly inspecting, rectifying and sanctioning customs units and officials who violate the law, cause trouble or harassment, do not resolve problems quickly and prolong problems without making suggestions or recommendations to competent authority for settlement.

Sixth, proactively coordinating with the Ministry of Public Security to implement Decision No. 06/QD-TTg dated January 6, 2022 of the Prime Minister approving the Project to develop the application of population data, electronic identification and authentication to serve national digital transformation in the 2022-2025 period, with a vision to 2030 and quickly digitizing cross-border import and export procedures, building smart border gates to reduce administrative procedures and compliance costs for people and businesses.

Implement digital border gates and digital seaports

Regarding the implementation of the contents in the Digital Transformation Plan 2024 of the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Customs has been focusing on implementing procedures to build an IT system to implement Digital Customs to meet technical requirements in customs clearance.

Notably, the General Department of Customs strives to complete the construction of models and business processes to meet the requirements of deploying the digital border gate platform nationwide.

Specifically, researching, building and submitting to competent authorities for approval on the implementation of the digital border gate platform. Reporting to the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with the People's Committees of border provinces to develop a master plan for land border gate areas on the basis of border gate planning decisions on Vietnam's land border lines with China, Laos, and Cambodia, which has been approved by the Prime Minister.

Arranging areas for complex control houses, working locations for management authorities at the border gate, and locations for gathering, inspecting, and supervising import and export goods to promote modernization of specialized management and trade and logistics activities at border gates; preventing congestion of goods and vehicles, causing disorder, safety and security in the border areas.

Reporting to the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with the People's Committees of border provinces, relevant ministries and agencies to build smart border gates and quickly digitizing cross-border import and export procedures to reduce administrative procedures and compliance costs for people and businesses.

For the deployment of the digital seaport platform, the General Department of Customs coordinates with relevant units to complete the development of models and technical process to meet the requirements of deploying the digital seaport platform nationwide. Researching, building and submitting to competent authorities for approval on the implementation of the digital seaport platform.