Vietnam Customs will assume the Chairmanship of the 33rd meeting of the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs

8 outstanding results of ASEAN Customs

Implementing the Customs Development Strategy for 2021-2025, the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs highly appreciated the achievements of the Customs administrations of the ASEAN member states.

First, the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs highly appreciated the implementation of the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) 2022 by all member states under the committed schedule.

Second, the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs highly appreciated all the member states for the effective execution of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme and welcomed nine member states, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam for signing the ASEAN AEO Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AAMRA).

The meeting encouraged the remaining states to complete the signing in early 2023 and suggested they pilot the AAMRA in 2023.

The 32nd meeting of the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs takes place from 6 to 8 June in Pattaya, Thailand.

Third, the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs approved Feasibility Report on streamlining customs procedures for Low Value Shipments (LVS) and shared the main content of the Report with the Joint Business Council (JBC). With the aim of regional unification, member states need to share their experience and best practices in implementing procedures for LVS and further facilitate or simplify customs procedures for the LVS transported by air.

Fourth, the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs adopted the "Guidelines on Customs-Tax Cooperation" to provide general and comprehensive principles for coordination between Customs and Tax authorities.

Fifth, the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs endorsed "the ASEAN Customs Integrity Framework" as a reference guidelines for ASEAN Customs administrations to design programs, aiming to promote transparency and protect the integrity of the Customs officers, and the "Guidelines on ASEAN Customs expert selection" to improve the capacity of customs officers and further expedite cooperation among the ASEAN Member States (AMS) in training.

Sixth, the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs appreciated the official operation of the exchange of the ASEAN Customs Declaration Document (ACDD) among nine member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, and hoped that Lao People's Democratic Republic would join the official operation in 2023. The meeting also recognized the official exchange of the E-phytosanitary Certificate (e-Phyto) between Indonesia and Thailand and encouraged other states to make great efforts to join the operation soon.

Seventh, consultation sessions with Australia, China, Japan, Korea and the World Customs Organization (WCO) were implemented to exchange experiences and best practices on customs-related matters, including contents related to AEO, trade facilitation, Customs, customs cooperation on enforcement and anti-smuggling, digitalization of customs procedures, green customs, automation customs, cross-border e-commerce, LVS, plastic waste management and sustainability.

Eighth, the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs conducted consultation sessions with private sector representatives from the EU-ASEAN Business Council and the US-ASEAN Business Council. It recognized proposals of the private sector to improve trade flows and enhance supply chain resilience.

Vietnam Customs tightens cooperation

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Director General of Vietnam Customs, Nguyen Van Can, had bilateral working sessions with the Directors General of Customs of Thailand, Cambodia and Japan to tighten cooperation and exchange information to unify attended matters and effective implementation measures.

Accordingly, in the spirit of cooperation and jointly realizing the strategic goals of customs cooperation with Thailand Customs, the two Customs administrations will actively implement the programs and initiatives of the region, such as "Operation Mekong Dragon" and the ASEAN AEO Mutual Recognition Arrangement as well as other ASEAN customs cooperation programs.

Director General Nguyen Van Can work bilaterally with the Director General of Thai Customs. Photo: Viet Nga

After the pandemic, smuggling and trade fraud is increasingly complicated. The two sides have actively cooperated in facilitating legal trade and preventing the smuggling of banned goods, especially drugs. At the end of the meeting, the two Directors General of Vietnam - Thailand Customs signed working minutes to unify contents that need to be executed shortly.

* Strengthen cooperation in exchanging information to prevent smuggling and illegal cross-border transportation of goods.

* Set up a focal point between the two Customs administrations to promote information exchange.

* Support each other and actively participate in regional and inter-regional control projects and campaigns in the fight against drugs and illegal cross-border transportation of goods.

The Vietnam Customs delegation had working sessions with the control unit and Customs Intelligence Center of the Thai Customs to evaluate information exchange and coordination in combating smuggling and illegal cross-border transportation of goods.

Over the past three years, the two sides have conducted 23 information exchanges, of which 12 requests for mutual support verification and 9 responses on request, and 2 for technical information of Vietnam Customs has implemented more than 90% of requests for verification assistance.

The two sides also agreed on key orientations in control cooperation shortly. Accordingly, the two Customs administrations will enhance cooperation in the exchange of information in combating smuggling and illegal cross-border goods transportation, focusing on cooperation in preventing drugs, banned goods and high-risk goods.

The two administrations established a focal point for information exchange based on bilateral cooperation mechanisms and enhanced mutual support in regional control campaigns, including Operation Mekong Dragon 5, co-initiated by Vietnam Customs and China Customs. Based on the ASEAN Customs Agreement, the two sides agreed to develop and discuss the implementation of a plan for investigation cooperation shortly.

The Vietnamese Customs Delegation also had a working session with the National Drug Control Commission of Thailand. At the working session, the delegation emphasized the importance of cooperation in drug prevention and control in the increasingly complex development of transnational drug crime rings. It jointly established the focal point for information exchange, strengthening cooperation soon.

For Cambodia Customs, in the current strong development, to achieve the goal of ensuring legal trade flow based on applying effective and modern customs management measures, Vietnam and Cambodia Customs administrations agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the near future.

Director General Nguyen Van Can works with the Director General of Cambodia Customs. Photo: Viet Nga

The framework of ASEAN cooperation focuses on the following matters: actively implementing agreements and initiatives, including the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS); effectively conducting the Memorandum of Understanding on customs cooperation and mutual assistance signed in 2019; together towards modern customs management measures such as digital customs, smart border, green customs as recommended by WCO; cooperation in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and Customs offences through controlling and exchanging information promptly; facilitating trade, including goods in transit, with the principle of maximum facilitation to lawful trade flows and the application of appropriate and effective control measures.

In cooperation with Japan Customs, Vietnam and Japan Customs administrations must continue cooperating and supporting each other in sharing experiences and best practices to achieve common goals. In addition to the requirements on trade facilitation, both Customs administrations must perform well in combating smuggling and trade fraud.

Accordingly, the two sides supported each other in implementing the following tasks: preventing smuggling, including combating illegal trafficking in drugs and goods infringing intellectual property rights, and promoting the efficiency of regional intelligence exchange. Helping to ensure the security and safety of regional supply chains. At the same time, strengthen the capacity of Customs officers in the areas: Intellectual property rights and intelligence exchange on anti-smuggling.