Operations at Thai Nguyen Customs Branch (Bac Ninh Customs Department). Photo: Quang Hung

Efforts to improve the effectiveness of customs brokers

Bac Ninh Customs Department manages in term of customs field three provinces: Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Thai Nguyen, with more than 6,200 enterprises. Among them are many very large-scale enterprises belonging to the system of multinational corporations such as Samsung, Canon, Amkor, Goertek, Foxconn, Luxshare...

In the area managed by Bac Ninh Customs Department, there are 36 customs brokers operating to support enterprises in the area in carrying out customs procedures and providing professional policy advice on customs regulations, taxes and issues related to import and export activities. Most of these brokers carry out customs declaration through formal and informal contracts with production and business enterprises in the management area.

To improve the efficiency and quality of customs brokers, Bac Ninh Customs Department has regularly organized training courses, seminars or guidance programs related to customs operations, listened to feedback from customs brokers, thereby improving processes, creating favorable conditions for import and export activities.

In addition, the department has also directed its affiliated customs branches to inspect and evaluate the operations of customs brokers to ensure compliance with regulations and improve service quality, prevent fraudulent acts or violations of the law during the performance of operations.

Furthermore, it has supported the provision of information related to tax policies, customs procedures and import and export regulations so that customs brokers can clearly understand and apply them correctly during the customs process; arrange separate procedures to prioritize the handling of procedures for customs brokers.

According to Bac Ninh Customs Department, the customs brokers strictly comply with the customs law, properly implement the periodic reporting regime as prescribed and have a good spirit of coordination and cooperation with the Customs authorities.

The fact that the customs brokers have full awareness of the Customs Law and carry out customs procedures on behalf of enterprises helps to significantly reduce the amount of inspection and guidance work of the Customs authorities, helping the Customs authorities focus on important tasks such as inspection, supervision and risk management.

Assessing compliance level of customs brokers

Although activities of customs brokers bring positive results, with increasing amount of import and export declaration, the performance of customs brokers at Bac Ninh Customs Department has not been really effective. The number of declarations named customs brokers accounts small rate, mainly for import shipment of type C11 (foreign commodities deposited at bonded warehouses)

To monitor and manage customs brokers managed by Bac Ninh Customs Department, it is necessary to have specific and substantive solutions so that customs brokers works in compliance with regulations.

Accordingly, it is necessary to assess compliance level with customs law of customs brokers to have prioritized mechanisms for customs clearance for declarations made by customs brokers, proactively support compliant customs brokers in approaching to large enterprises to have chances to sign contract and performs acts of a customs broker.

In addition, it should organize examination to grant certificate of customs operation in accordance with the regulations, meeting new policies and regulations; study and apply validity period for the certificate and organize examination to re-issue the certificate for holders of the certificate to update new knowledge; organize training course periodically to update customs operations, laws on tax, regulations on import and export and related processes to improve qualifications for customs brokers.

It is necessary to build annual plans and working groups to inspect performance of customs brokers. Besides, it needs to enhance information exchange on assessing performance of customs brokers in the province when assessing the compliance level customs brokers.

Bac Ninh Customs Department will support connection to establish Logistics Business Association in Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Thai Nguyen provinces, help customs brokers build a healthy competitive business environment. At the same time, the association also a focal point to connect customs brokers with customs authorities to solve difficulties and problems, thereby contributing to preventing negative acts and customs officials during task implementation.