Mr. Pham Xuan Truong - Head of Customs Procedures Reform Division (Customs Reform and Modernization Board).

Could you please tell us about the development of Customs-Business partnership by the Customs industry over the past time?

The Customs industry has identified the development of Customs-Business partnership as a key and regular task, and performed at three levels of general department, department and branch.

At the general department level, the Customs-Business partnership focuses on completing and instructing customs policies and management methods. At the department level, the partnership is associated with law enforcement. At the branch level, the activity is associated with the branch’s actual and regular performance.

Partnership activities in recent times have been standardized and implemented in line with the guidance of the World Customs Organization (WCO) under four major solution groups, including information, consultation, participation and cooperation.

Over the past time, the Customs - Business partnership development has achieved positive results for the Customs and the business community, and has been recognized and highly appreciated by the State and people.

What are the benefits brought for the business when participating in activities executed by the Customs to develop Customs - Business partnership?

During developing Customs-Business partnership, the Customs always takes business and people-centric approach, promotes creativity, strives to overcome difficulties, and facilitates import and export activities. The Customs considers the satisfaction level of businesses as a measure of efficiency and quality of work, and businesses as reliable partners to balance the two aspects of management and service, facilitating the business community to access support measures of the Customs, thereby raising businesses' awareness of law compliance and enhancing the responsibility of Customs officers in the public service performance.

When the businesses participate in activities deployed by the Customs, they also enjoy benefits.

The business community will be provided fully, accurately and promptly information about new customs policies.

Businesses can give feedback directly or indirectly to the business associations in the process of developing customs policies, thereby understanding and sharing with the Customs and enhancing compliance with the Customs Law.

In addition, businesses can participate in cooperative activities with the Customs administration, propose thematic cooperation programs with the Customs and supervise customs law enforcement through surveys conducted by the Customs.

The GDVC has issued the plan for development of partnership between Customs and businesses and stakeholders in 2024.What are key contents in the plan?

Similarity to the annual plan, the plan in 2024 includes five key contents: information, support, consultation, cooperation and supervision. However, 2024 is determined to be the year to promote digital transformation in state management of the Customs industry, and an important foundation for building Digital Customs and Smart Customs in line with the policies of the Party and Government, Ministry of Finance on promoting digitization, digital transformation and technology application of the 4.0 industrial revolution. Therefore, the five key activities of the plan focus on contents related to digital transformation. The Customs industry will also pay attention to support and instruct new policies and regulations for the business community.

What do local customs departments need to do to improve the efficiency of Customs-Business partnership development in the near future?

The development of Customs-Business partnership in the Customs Development Strategy to 2030 (as specified Decision 628/QD-TTg in 2022 of the Prime Minister) aims to build the partnership the Customs and businesses to develop a reliable supply chain based on research, development and implementation of a trusted partner program with the participation of importers, exporters and partners of enterprises in the supply chain”.

In order to effectively develop the Customs-Business partnership in the near future, local customs departments need to promote the performance of the following activities:

Firstly, the local customs department need to attach the Customs-Business partnership to the daily operations, support enterprises and consider businesses as reliable partners.

The second, the departments need to be proactive and innovate in implementing partnership activities in line with the reality. Reform dialogue and cooperation activities to attract the business community to cooperate with the Customs administration.

The third, regularly exchange and grasp information on the production and business status of enterprises to provide appropriate solutions to support enterprises. Proactively analyze and select matters that businesses are interested in to support businesses promptly.

Thank Sir!