On the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam Customs (September 10, 1945 - September 10, 2024), on September 10, at the headquarters of the General Department of Customs, Customs Magazine and the Customs Modernization Reform Board will jointly organize the 2024 Annual Customs-Business Forum, with the theme "10 years of developing Customs-Business partnership".
Over the past 10 years (2014 - 2024), the Customs sector has implemented the development of Customs - Business and related parties partnership with 4 major groups of solutions including: information, consultation, participation, and cooperation at all 3 levels.
Deputy Head of the Reform and Modernization Board, General Department of Customs Luong Khanh Thiet said: “The outstanding results in the development of Customs-business partnership in the past 10 years are clearly shown in the following aspects: Firstly, the legal basis and system of guiding documents for the development of partnership are relatively complete. Secondly, a step is taken to perfect the organization and apparatus for implementing the development of partnership. The General Department has designated a focal point for developing partnership. Accordingly, the Reform and Modernization Board is the unit assigned to take the lead in advising, guiding and organizing the implementation of the task of developing partnership; is responsible for supporting units in implementing partnership activities; takes the lead in implementing a number of partnership activities as assigned by the General Department of Customs, and is the focal point in building partnership relations with business associations. The General Department of Customs also established Customs-Enterprise Advisory Groups, Problem Solving Groups, etc. at the department and branch levels to act as focal points for developing partnership relations at each unit. Third, the partnership development work has achieved many specific and very positive results in information, consultation, support, problem solving and cooperation activities.
According to the survey on business satisfaction with the development of Customs-business partnership in April 2024, 53.37% of businesses were very satisfied with the diversity of information provision forms; 52.01% of businesses were satisfied with the accuracy and timeliness of information provision..;
Regarding information, the Customs sector has deployed various forms and methods to customs declarants and businesses, such as posting new content of legal documents on the Customs Electronic Information Portal, through newspapers and radio, or through conferences, seminars, training, instructions, direct answers or in writing, by phone; hotline; viber, zalo; direct meetings... to remove difficulties and obstacles for businesses.
In recent times, business community consultation activities have been organized at both central and local levels, focusing on consulting on new tax and customs legal policies and regulations; customs reform and modernization programs; and solutions to remove obstacles for businesses.
Locally, many units have actively implemented consultation activities with businesses in the area such as: Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Binh Duong... In 2023, the whole industry conducted 846 customs consultations with businesses, mainly on tax and customs legal policies and regulations, and customs modernization reform programs.
Deputy Director of Quang Ninh Customs Department Bui Ngoc Loi said: “Quang Ninh Customs Department has had many initiatives to effectively implement the development of Customs-Business partnership. That is, implementing the mechanism to evaluate the Grassroots Competitiveness Index (CDCI) within the Department; establishing teams to handle and receive problems of businesses (ESEC Team). Especially, proactively building software to improve the efficiency of customs management such as software to manage goods of border residents”.
From the business perspective, Mr. Truong Van Cam, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, commented: “The Customs authority has been focusing on modernization, applying information technology towards Digital Customs, Smart Customs, creating favorable conditions for businesses, reducing compliance costs; participating with businesses in working with ministries and branches to amend regulations and policies accordingly. For example, with issues related to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Information and Communications, etc., the Customs authority has had working sessions to resolve difficulties for businesses, creating favorable conditions for businesses. The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association recommends that the Customs authority continue to promote the development of the Customs-Business partnership in the direction of "Information-Consultation-Participation-Cooperation"; applying information technology to improve quality, ensuring that professional activities take place smoothly".
After 10 years of "unanimity, consensus, and companionship", the relationship between Customs and businesses has transformed from "management" to partnership.
In the coming time, the goal set by the Customs sector is to continue to build a partnership between the Customs agency and trusted businesses based on research, development and implementation of a trusted partnership program with the participation of import-export businesses and business partners in the supply chain. At the same time, encourage the business community to participate in providing feedback to improve customs law policies; participate in monitoring customs law enforcement; cooperate to improve the law enforcement capacity of customs and businesses, and improve the quality of public services in the customs sector.
