The Prime Minister approved the scheme on reforming the model of quality inspections and food safety inspections for import goods in Decision 38/QD-TTg dated January 12 to resolve problems and shortcomings in specialised inspection. However, to implement the scheme effectively and bring benefits for businesses, the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Vietnam Customs, and ministries, branches and sectors must quickly complete specific regulations and policies.

Customs operation at Hai Phong Customs Department.

Throughout the past year, quality inspection and food safety inspection for import goods have been radically reformed and recognised by the business community. However, businesses still face difficulties in carrying out specialised inspection procedures for import goods. 

At the end of March, Customs Newspaper’s reporter arrived at Hai Phong Port to record the implementation of customs procedures by firms.

Phan Van Cuong, the representative of Duc Phat Trading and Service Co., Ltd, in Hai Phong, was in the process of carrying out customs procedures for import goods.

Cuong said currently, the volume of products subject to specialised inspection is still large. The duplication of inspecting still occurs. For example, for milk cream, firms must both carry out customs procedures for quality inspection and quarantine. It takes a long time to complete said procedures.

“Although quality inspection time has been shortened, shipments still must be gone though quarantine procedures. It takes 13 days to complete these procedures for a milk cream shipment. Specifically, it takes five days to apply for an import permit from the Department of Animal Health, and three days to register for quarantine at the Branch of Animal Health of Zone 2, and after five days taking samples, the results will be issued for goods clearance,” Cuong said. 

At Thu Dau Mot Customs Branch (Binh Duong Customs Department), Duong Trung Viet, the representative of Kewpie Vietnam Co., Ltd., said the registering declaration and sending information to the National Single Window is fast, but but it takes long time to apply for a specialised inspection license

The principle of mutual recognition among countries, so businesses must submit the original certificate of animal quarantine issued by the exporting country and the Department of Animal Health will take the sample and issue the result to send it to Customs for goods clearance. The goods will be cleared after three or five days. However, if a shipment is eligible for customs clearance, the businesses have to pay additional costs for testing, storage at the warehouse, especially eggs imported from the US that must be stored at frozen warehouse, leading to an increase in costs.

Dang Ngoc Sinh, an import and export staff of Kaiser Company, said to carry out customs clearance for consignments of imported wood materials, the company has to wait for the phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country and go to HCM City to submit it to the specialised inspection management. After waiting for the quality inspection result issued by the competent authority, the firm must submit the result to Binh Duong Customs Department for customs clearance, costing time and money.

Sinh said the import of boiler shipments is more difficult than the import of wood materials. Because the shipment is subject to a quality inspection by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and subject to an energy efficiency inspection by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The company spends about VND70 million for each shipment for a license on energy efficiency inspection. The cost of air tickets for four staff from Hanoi to Binh Duong for a physical inspection is about VND20 million. If the product is eligible for import, the firm must apply for re-inspection, causing an increase in cost.

In addition, commodities like yogurt and cheese are managed by ministries and branches. They must be issued a food safety certificate by Food Safety Institute and a veterinary certificate issued by the Department of Animal Health.

The application of many different management regimes and methods to an export or import product not only causes difficulties for enterprises, reducing their competitiveness, but also loses business opportunities.