To ensure that exported limestone products have legal origin in accordance with the Law on minerals, the General Department of Vietnam Customs recently instructed local customs units to implement management requirements following regulations.

Cua Lo customs officials checked exported limestone. Photo: H.Nụ 

The customs authority establishes criteria for classifying channel of physical inspection for all export shipments of limestone and common construction stone with particle size ≤ 100 mm, declaring the code of the goods in the heading 25.17.

The Customs Department of the province or city should direct customs branches to take samples and send them to the Customs branch of goods verification for analysis and inspection of the export shipment of limestone, common construction stone with particle size ≤ 100 mm, without declaration of CaCO3 content or declare CaCO3 content <85%.

The sampling process must be supervised and witnessed by the customs authority. The samples must be sealed with a customs seal have the seal and signature of customs official supervising the sampling and the signature of the customs declarant.

If the results of analysis and inspection of exported stone consignments have CaCO3 content ≥ 85%, the classification should comply with the guidance of the General Department of Vietnam Customs in Document No. 8019/TCHQ-TXNK dated December 22, 2020. Limestone products that meet national standard TCVN 6072: 2013 must be classified in heading 25.21.

Pursuant to the provisions of Articles 64 and 82 of the Law on Minerals, competence to grant exploitation permits is as follows: Limestone exploitation license issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; mineral exploitation permits granted by the provincial People's Committee to exploit limestone in areas with scattered and small minerals that have been delineated and announced by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; a mineral mining license issued by the Provincial People's Committee (Article 67 of the Law on Minerals stipulates that the full exploitation of the minerals is the exploitation of the remaining minerals in the mine disposal sites, where the decision of closing the mine has been made).

In addition, the General Department of Vietnam Customs said that according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, based on the law on minerals, relevant standards and regulations, limestone with a CaCO3 content ≥ 85% is not a common construction material and the exploitation license is under the authority of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

In a case of wanting to recover minerals accompanied as the amount of limestone with a CaCO3 content ≥ 85%; firms must obtain the permission of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment or the relevant provincial People's Committee after having the opinions of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment by written document.

In case the results of analysis and inspection of exported limestone shipments have CaCO3 content < 85%, they should report to the General Department of Vietnam Customs for instruction before carrying out cargo clearance.

In case of suspected illegal origin, the Customs Branch should transfer it to the Customs Enforcement Team to investigate, verify and clarify; ensure the consignment is exported in accordance with the law.