This information was revealed by Deputy Director of Binh Duong Customs Department Nguyen Truong Giang at the virtual seminar "Customs accompanies businesses amid the Covid-19 pandemic" held by Customs News on August 18.

Deputy Director of Binh Duong Customs Department Nguyen Truong Giang

Declarations and turnover decrease sharply

According to Nguyen Truong Giang, as of August 17, Binh Duong province had more than 50,000 Covid-19 patients out of a total of more than 2.5 million people, which caused many difficulties for the production and operation of firms.

Therefore, the number of declarations at the department (updated from July 15 to August 15), decreased sharply by 42% compared to the previous months, leading to a decrease in import and export turnover by over 32%.

“Binh Duong Customs carries out procedures for about 6,000 businesses every year, of which about 2,000 firms carry out customs procedures regularly. However, due to the pandemic, many businesses have temporarily suspended operations. In particular, about 600 firms stopped performing import and export activities," Giang said.

Regarding the difficulties of the businesses, according to Deputy Director of Binh Duong Customs Department, firstly, many businesses did not meet the requirements of "three on-spot" or "two locations, one route" model, or they had a Covid-19 patient, so had to suspend operations.

Secondly, costs increased due to frequent Covid-19 testing or accommodation costs of workers. In addition, some businesses lacked workers, so receiving goods at the port was slow and difficult, which would increase storage and yard costs.

Thirdly, due to supply chain difficulties, some enterprises lack raw materials and fuel for production.

Therefore, Binh Duong Customs proactively implemented many support solutions. Firstly, establishing a quick response team of the Department and its branches to quickly handle problems and quickly clear goods for businesses.

Secondly, ensure all customs officials and employees strictly follow the instructions of the Central level, branches and localities on ensuring pandemic prevention and economic development.

Thirdly, arranging working areas to meet the requirements of pandemic prevention and control to minimize direct contact and risk of infection.

In addition, the unit also implements many support solutions such as: in case of conducting physical inspection, 100% inspection through a container scanner when in doubt, opening manual inspection, thus speeding up customs clearance; for enterprises late to submit the original in the customs dossier (submit the scanned copy in advance); suspend the inspection and checking at the enterprise; enhanced online answering and guidance; support and advise on import procedures for pandemic prevention and control equipment; proposing travel vouchers for import-export staff.

Actively "sharing" with Cat Lai port

In the future, Binh Duong Customs would continue to research solutions to support the business community in import and export activities.

Especially, in the context of cargo congestion at Cat Lai port (HCMC) and following the direction of the General Department of Vietnam Customs on transferring backlogged goods in Cat Lai to domestic ports (ICD), Binh Duong Customs actively carried out the related work.

In particular, the Department has established implementation teams at the Department and related branches to coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City Customs and Saigon Newport Corporation to perform the clearance of dangerous goods backlogged at Cat Lai port.

Along with that, the department actively propagated to the business community about the procedures and conditions to be transported from Cat Lai to ICD in Binh Duong area. At the same time, there are specific guidelines for the business community and branches to grasp and implement.

However, according to Giang, in the process of implementing the policy of bringing backlogged goods from Cat Lai to ICDs, Binh Duong Customs Department has grasped some difficulties reflected by enterprises such as lack of human resources to receive goods, rising costs of loading and unloading goods

Therefore, the Department proposed solutions to the General Department of Vietnam Customs and related units.

Firstly, communicating this policy effectively to the business community.

Secondly, Saigon Newport Corporation considers supporting and sharing with businesses on arising costs, storage and yard costs.

Thirdly, organizing coordination between the relevant local customs departments and the Saigon Newport Corporation.

Fourthly, requesting the General Department of Vietnam Customs to propose the Ministry of Finance to soon issue a Circular on handling backlogged goods as a basis for units to deploy.