Vietnam Customs makes impression on ASEAN Customs

	ASEAN Customs administrations need to implement initiatives on Green Customs, and enhance connectivity within ASEAN: DG Nguyen Van Can
	Vietnam Customs - a committed member of ASEAN Customs community
	Outstanding results in cooperation in customs control and enforcement of ASEAN Member States

Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vietnam Customs Nguyen Van Tho. Photo: Tran Anh

That is the information shared by Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) Nguyen Van Tho to the press at the 33rd ASEAN Customs Directors-General Meeting hosted by Vietnam Customs in Phu Quoc from June 4-6, 2024.

GDVC’s Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Tho said that the hosting and chairing of the most important meeting in the ASEAN Customs cooperation in 2024 has great significance for Vietnam Customs, which is following the spirit of Directive No. 25-CT/TW of the Politburo on proactively participating and promoting Vietnam's role in multilateral mechanisms, including ASEAN and demonstrates Vietnam’s responsibility and full commitment as an ASEAN member, thereby, enhancing the position and role of Vietnam Customs in the ASEAN cooperation mechanism and in the world.

Vietnam Customs, wishes and hopes to work with ASEAN Customs towards a common goal in the ASEAN Customs integration process, contributing to successfully realizing ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Tho chairs a meeting with the EU-ASEAN Business Council on the afternoon of June 5.

According to Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Tho, as Chairman of ASEAN Customs for the 2024-2025 term, Vietnam Customs will continue to promote and enhance positivity and responsibility to coordinate ASEAN Customs members, push ahead the implementation of the Strategic Plans for Customs Development (SPCD) as schedule; encourage countries to increase exchange, update information, share experiences and lessons in the actual implementation process, narrowing the gap between member Customs administrations; join hands with the ASEAN Secretariat to consult with partners and seek appropriate support resources to implement ASEAN Customs initiatives, especially for emerging contents related to customs management.

In addition, Vietnam Customs also shows its proactive role in proposing green customs initiatives, enhancing connectivity and information sharing on customs control, which will contribute to achieving the goal of ASEAN customs cooperation and help build a prosperous and sustainable ASEAN Economic Community, realizing ASEAN's vision of "A region of development and prosperity for all people ".

On June 5, Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Tho also moderated offline and online consultation sessions within the framework of the ASEAN Customs Directors-General Meeting, with representatives of Customs Administrations of Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and World Customs Organization to exchange information, enhance mutual understanding and seek support resources to implement ASEAN Customs initiatives in the future.

The notable is bilateral talks with the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC). Sharing at a talk, Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Tho said that ASEAN and EU-ABC have maintained a close and effective annual dialogue and consultation cooperation channel. EU-ABC's efforts and activities as a bridge to promote cooperation between European businesses with ASEAN and Vietnam as well as the technical support that EU-ABC has given to Vietnam’s enforcement authorities, including the Customs administration in planning, building and implementing policies, contributing to improving the business investment environment and enhancing Vietnam's competitiveness.

“For Vietnam, the EU has always been one of the most important partners and is increasingly strengthened when the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has come into effect from 2020. Based on that commercial relationship, Vietnam Customs always expects to establish and maintain an open and friendly partnership with the European business community in Vietnam, is willing to talk and listen as well as solve problems or issues that the EU businesses are concerned about, contributing to facilitating European exports to Vietnam as well as operations of the EU businesses in Vietnam", said Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Tho.