The General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) plans for customs clearance amid the complex development of Covid 19-pandemic. Thereby, achieving the dual goals of maintaining smooth import and export activities, and supply chain while combating the pandemic.

Customs officers of Cau Treo Customs Branch instruct declarants
to carry out procedures. Photo: Phan Tram

Actively execute plans amid complex outbreak of pandemic

The GDVC’s Departments establish working groups to assess impacts of the pandemic to report and handle in a timely fashion for problems of organization, individuals in the process of customs procedures.

The departments arrange a part of officials to alternately work online in line with directions of the Ministry of Finance and the GDVC.

If customs officials of local customs departments must be quarantined or treated, leading to the shortage of official in implementing procedures, the Organization and Personnel Department will be responsible for proposing the GDVC’s leaders to temporarily send and transfer officials from other local departments or GDVC’s departments to support departments affected by the pandemic.

Local Customs department make plans to respond and limit contact during the process of customs procedures.

The GDVC requires directors of local customs departments to actively plan to respond to the pandemic and prevent disruption of cargo clearance based on the actual situation, directions of the Government, Ministry of Health and local governments.

For example, establish working groups to assess impacts of the pandemic in their areas to report and handle difficulties in the process of customs procedures. If problems arise beyond their competence, they will report them to the GDVC guidance.

Set up support working units that may replace to perform procedures in units affected by the pandemic. If it is possible to arrange support working units, assign officials perform alternately or separate working units into small groups to ensure the distance when the area is quarantined or applied lockdown measures.

For operational stages, assign officials to work online.

Contact local government agencies and health authorities to vaccine Covid-19 vaccination for officials who often contact with businesses and other forces in the process of customs procedures.

Coordinate with local health authorities to implement pandemic prevention measures at offices to prevent the infection of the disease.

All customs declarants are required to make a medical declaration.

Customs branches are required to ask customs declarants and taxpayers to make declaration, submit customs dossiers and applications for tax exemption, reduction, refund and non-tax collection via e-customs data processing system, postal delivery service or phone to avoid face-to-face contact.

Also, Customs branches must arrange private working areas to receive dossiers and documents. Officials must be equipped with tools and equipment for pandemic prevention.

Minimizing the risk of spreading an infection

At the customs branches that have the headquarters with other agencies at border gates, local customs departments must directs branches to work with management agencies to arrange a private passage for these branches to minimize the risk of infection.

Officials working at physical inspection, customs supervision and inspection units must be equipped with necessary equipment to prevent the Covid pandemic (medial masks, antiseptic solutions, protective clothing, anti-drop glasses, thermometers...) when they are performing.

For the inspection of processing and production facilities; post-clearance audit at the enterprise's headquarters; checking the final settlement report, the use of raw materials, machinery and equipment, the GDVC requests local customs departments to base on the actual situation to direct customs branches to comply with regulations on prevention of Covid-19 pandemic.

If these works may not be performed due to social distancing measures, local customs departments must report to the GDVC for guidance.

If customs branches are subject to quarantine, directors of local customs departments are asked to implement following measures to ensure customs clearance of goods.

Inform the business community in the area to have appropriate plans to carry out customs procedures, encourage businesses to choose customs branches that are not subject to quarantine and distance to implement procedures at border gates.

Arrange officials to receive and carry out customs procedures replacing officials subject to quarantine or treated.

If goods are subject to physical inspection, border gate customs branches or customs braches managing checkpoints are asked to inspect goods.

The GDVC also requires departments to proactively prepare equipment in case the border gate customs branches are isolated due to Covid-19, and coordinate and classify channel of goods and means of transport to carry out customs procedures at other customs branches to ensure smooth flow of goods.