The Customs sector is focusing on performing a series of tasks related to building a digital customs system to make customs operations more transparent, expedite customs clearance and improve the efficiency of Customs management.

Quang Ninh Customs officers conduct surveillance using
the camera system at Van Don airport. Photo: Quang Hung

Director of the Department of Customs Information and Statistics (General Department of Customs) Le Duc Thanh said based on Resolution 52 dated September 27, 2019 of the Politburo on a number of undertakings and policies to actively participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution; Decision 749 dated June 30, 2020 of the Prime Minister approving the "National Digital Transformation Program to 2025, with an orientation to 2030" and the direction of the Ministry of Finance, the Customs sector is preparing to carry out tasks related to digital transformation in the field of customs.

First, redesigning operation processes to improve management efficiency through increasing openness and transparency, and restricting human intervention. The new process must be more automatic.

“The new process will be smarter and streamlined, minimizes human intervention, but improves management efficiency through more accurate information analysis and evaluation to manage high-risk subjects,” said Le Duc Thanh.

To have a sufficient and accurate information for automatic analysis and evaluation of information technology systems, digital transformation is a must.

Specifically, all paper records and documents related to the field of customs, import and export will be digitized so that the computer system can obtain sufficient data for automatic analysis and evaluation.

Second, the Customs sector has been strengthening the application of modern equipment in customs management such as electronic seals, container scanners and surveillance camera systems. These devices help connect and exchange information (in digital form) directly with the management software systems of the Customs sector.

The Customs authority will apply the achievements of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 to analyze and evaluate information and data sources through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), business intelligence (BI) and internet of things (IOT).

Third, the important content in the digital transformation of the customs sector is the use of Big Data to collect and store relevant data (both raw and processed information).

“The digital transformation includes many contents, but the customs sector will focus on the above issues to serve the State management on customs,” said the customs official.

According to Mr. Le Duc Thanh, the Customs authority receives about 15 million customs declarations each year and attached documents and systems of legal documents in the field of customs, import and export. Thus, the Customs authority must deal with a heavy workload in digital transformation.

Currently, the General Department of Customs is focusing on implementing many contents related to digital transformation. The main task is to implement Decision 97 dated January 26, 2021 of the Ministry of Finance approving the policy of "Outsourcing information technology services to develop digital customs".

He said that the outsourcing in information technology services to perform digital Customs is to launch a new information technology system on the basis of applying new technological achievements, in accordance with international standards and requirements on smart administration; to manage enterprises, import, export and transit goods; to control means of transport on exit, entry and in transit comprehensively from the beginning to the end; to integrate, connect and share information with ministries, sectors and businesses through the National Single Window and is ready to exchange customs data with countries in the region and the world.

The General Department of Customs is performing the work related to the outsourcing of information technology services to implement digital Customs in accordance with the objectives and plans.