By applying modern management solutions and information technology programmes in customs procedures, Express Cargo Customs Procedures Branch (HCM City Customs Department) has made a positive impression on import and export firms.

Officers of Express Cargo Customs Procedures Branch inspect
import goods via scanners. Photo: T.H

Online work

At the Express Cargo Customs Procedures Branch, the branch processes thousands of airmail and documents of express delivery companies. Therefore, as the Covid-19 pandemic showed complexdevelopments, to prevent the pandemic effectively, in addition to requiring express delivery companies to sterilise parcels of goods, the branch has created a lot of creativity in receiving documents and dossiers from firmsto prevent disease infection.

According to Bui Thanh Hung, Deputy Manager of Express Cargo Customs Procedures Branch, the branch has managed documents and meeting schedules on the HCM city Customs Administration System (HCAS) and100% of customs officials have used professionally and supported effectively the branch. Through the HCAS, the branch receives scanned copies from express delivery companiesandpostal enterprises via the digital signature and stamp system and then handled and responded usingthe information technology system.

The branch has implemented solutions for automatically providing dispatch numbers and replying to documents transacted online by express delivery companiesandpostal firmsat the branch.

“Previously, each express delivery companiesandpostal enterprise always had to assign from oneto threestaff to daily send paper documents and ask for dispatch numbers, with the number of about 50-100 dispatches per day. The effective application of HCAS has been appreciated by enterprises. Firmsdo not have to send their staff to work at the branch and only send documents online to the Customs authority. Motivated by this programme, the workload of the branch’s archivist has been reduced,” the branch’s leader said.

As part of a big express delivery company, Shoeib Reza Choudhury, General Director of DHL Express Vietnam, said HCAS is the system that the firmand HCM city Customs Department have run in 2020. This programme is very convenient for import and export activities. Previously, when the system was not applied, all procedures and documents related to import shipments were processed manually by printing and submitting them to Customs officials. This process took a lot of time because firmshad to sign and print nearly 60 documents per day. The launch of system has helped all procedures to be processed electronically, therefore, electronic documents and responses are received very quickly via email. For enterprises with a large volume of import-export goods, this programme is very useful and highly connected.

Along with that, the branch has established a group via Viber application to connect the leaders of the branch and express delivery companies and postal enterprises to exchange information and remove problemsin customs clearance.

Create maximum convenience for enterprises 

As a border gate customs branch specialised in management and processing customs procedures for the import and export goods of 12 express delivery companies and postal enterprises, in 2020, the branch processed customs clearance for nearly 1.6 million import and export declarations for both commercial and non-commercial goods. The major import and export products are software, software certificates, computer components, fabrics, machinery equipment, medical equipment and masks.

According to the leader of the branch, in 2020, the pandemic affected the entire economy, causing difficulties for the business operations of enterprises. Therefore, the number of commercial import declarations arising at the branch droppedby more than 10% year-on-year, and the value fellby more than50%.

However, due to the impact of social distancing orders and the suspension of civil passenger flights by airlines, goods transportation via postal and express delivery services in 2020 increased in volume and value from 2019. With the huge volume of goods, the branch has applied many modern management programmes and conducted customs clearance quickly for businesses. Providing many solutions to maximise the convenience of enterprises' import and export goods, in 2020, the branch exceeded the State budget revenue target, with a total revenue of more thanVND 1,223 billion (only assigned target is VND 1,200 billion).

In addition to applying IT programmes in import and export activities to shorten customs clearance time and reduce paper documents for firms, the branch has actively proposed to remove many problems for enterprises. For example, shortcomings in specialised inspection. According to the branch’s leader, the specialised inspection and management face many obstacles. In fact, customs administrative procedure reform has reduced 70% of the customs clearance time. However, in the process of measuring the customs clearance time and general assessment, the time for compliance with the State management on specialised inspection still lengthen customs clearance of import and export goods.

From the above reality, the branch recommends 100% of specialised inspection units should connect and use the National Single Window Portal forthe registration and return of administrative procedure results; improve and upgrade the function of subtracting specialised inspection permits on the National Single Window Portal.

In 2020, through screening, the Express Cargo Customs Procedures Branch discovered and workedwith the Anti- Drug Enforcement Team to handle 28 cases of illegal transportation of drugs and marijuana via postal services with total weight of more than 52,185 kg. Smugglers sent goods from France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the US to Vietnam and then exported goods from Vietnam to Australia. Drugs are hidden in gift packages and declared as normal gifts to outsmart the competent forces.