On February 4, 2026, the Customs Department (Ministry of Finance) issued an urgent document to the Regional Customs Sub-Departments, requesting to focus on quickly resolving customs clearance of exported and imported goods during the peak period near the Lunar New Year. The document aims to implement Prime Minister's Official Dispatch No. 08 on immediately removing obstacles in inspecting food and exported and imported goods, ensuring timely and smooth customs clearance.
According to the direction, the Head of the Regional Customs Sub-Department must arrange for leaders and civil servants to be on duty 24/7 to handle customs procedures during peak hours. The focus is on prioritizing immediate customs clearance for imported food goods that have ensured complete dossiers according to regulations and guidance from specialized management ministries.
The Customs Department requests units to promptly report to the Department on difficulties and obstacles arising in the process of carrying out procedures for imported food items. For food data that is still in stock at the port but has not been processed or has not been cleared, it must be summarized and reported periodically at 8 am and 1:30 pm daily for monitoring and handling direction.
In parallel with nghiệp vụ work at border gates, the Customs Department assigned the Information Technology and Customs Statistics Board to arrange on-duty staff to ensure that the customs electronic data processing system operates stably and smoothly throughout the peak period to serve customs clearance during Tet.
Previously, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed and issued Official Dispatch No. 08 on focusing on removing difficulties and obstacles in organizing the implementation of Decree No. 46/2026/ND-CP of the Government detailing the implementation of a number of articles and measures to organize and guide the implementation of the Law on Food Safety. The Official Dispatch emphasized the requirement to urgently handle bottlenecks in inspection of food and imported and exported goods, ensuring timely customs clearance, and preventing continued congestion.
The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant ministries and agencies to urgently issue documents guiding the implementation of Decree 46 according to the assigned functions and tasks; and at the same time direct units and localities to fully prepare human resources, equipment and necessary conditions for smooth customs clearance of food and goods for import and export.
For the Ministry of Finance, the Prime Minister requested to direct the Customs Department and customs forces at border gates to arrange 24/7 work, strengthen coordination with functional forces at border gates to quickly relieve congestion, ensure timely customs clearance of food and import and export goods, especially during the peak period near the Lunar New Year.
