Policy changes won’t further slow procedures

Anh said that next year the customs sector will upgrade the e-customs procedures, implementing a cutting-edge clearance programme that follows the Vietnam Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System and the Vietnam Customs Information System (VNACCS/VCIS) and will apply ASEAN single window procedures.

VNACCS/VCIS will end the customs confusion and work toward modernising and innovating customs management to the level of more advanced countries in South East Asia, said a GDC source.

Relating to the customs-business partnership development programme for 2013-2015, deputy head of GDC’s Customs Modernisation Reform Department Tran Quoc Dinh said that under their development strategy, customs-business relations would be a major priority in the coming time to ensure support for the business community.

Toward this, customs bodies will create information channels to intake and review proposals from businesses.

At the forum, several business representatives voiced concerns that the application of the new e-customs clearance system would delay import-export activities, hurting their production and business.

Others argued that local companies selling products to export processing zones (EPZ) were included in the export category and this has caused problems for the EPZ’s in re-exporting the products.

One representative from a Korean firm said small and medium-sized export businesses are finding it difficult to access customs’ priority enterprise policy and proposed they loosen requirements to allow them to benefit.

A source from express mail service UPS said delivery firms are facing difficulties due to overly time consuming checking requirements for specialised goods.

The source proposed agencies better coordinate their checking of fast-track goods to ensure express delivery firms can follow timetables.

Deputy head of GDC’s Customs Control Department Au Anh Tuan reminded businesses of challenges that may result from Vietnam’s joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), possibly next year.

During the transition period he reminded businesses that imported goods will be required to have country of origin (C/O) certificates provided by exporters but will not have to present C/O certificates from agencies in the export countries, as before.

At the forum, deputy head of GDC’s Legislation Department Trinh Thanh Hai said the amended Law on Customs was submitted to the National Assembly in November this year. The draft will be further changed according to enterprises’ feedback and submitted to the NA for final approval at the upcoming 2014 session.