An Giang Customs inspects imported rice (paddy). Photo: T.H

A rise of cargo clearance

In 2024, An Giang Customs Department was assigned a state budget collection target of VND 330 billion by the Ministry of Finance and the An Giang Provincial People's Committee. To fulfill this target, the department has been proactively implementing key tasks for 2024 since the beginning of the year. These include focusing on administrative procedure reform, customs modernization, and the application of information technology in business activities; carrying out inspections, supervision, and management of exported, imported goods, and means of transport on exit and entry in accordance with regulations.

To attract import-export goods through border gates, An Giang Customs Department has directed its customs branches to actively support, promptly answer, and guide enterprises when requested; carry out customs procedures quickly and conveniently, avoiding congestion and bottlenecks at border gates; and facilitate businesses on the basis of compliance with the law.

As a result of these facilitation measures, a large number of enterprises have been attracted to carry out clearance procedures for goods through border gates. The total number of enterprises registering for procedures at customs branches under the department in the first six months of the year increased by about 3%, reaching 444 enterprises. In particular, there are 70 enterprises in the province and 374 enterprises outside the province.

The customs branches at the border gates have handled procedures for over 18,300 declarations, with the value of import and export goods paying full tax reaching US$ 851.205 million. Compared to the same period in 2023, the number of declarations increased by 14%, and the value increased by 3%; transit goods reached 409,899 thousand tons, an increase of 123%; the total value of goods registered in other places and actually exported through An Giang border gates reached US$ 648.874 million, a decrease of 23% compared to the same period in 2023.

Achieving high revenue collection

Thanks to a comprehensive set of solutions, the An Giang Customs Department's state budget collection in the first half of 2024 reached a remarkable VND 313.669 billion, exceeding 95% of the Ministry of Finance's assigned target of VND 330 billion and representing an 89% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The main sources of revenue came from goods such as natural sand, iron ore, scrap metal, wood, and molasses.

In addition to facilitating trade and nurturing revenue sources, the An Giang Customs Department has placed a strong emphasis on combating smuggling and preventing revenue loss to create a fair business environment for enterprises.

In the first six months of the year, the customs branches at border gates checked the tax value of 10,229 declarations, covering goods such as rice, natural sand, garment materials and accessories, garment equipment, fresh fruits, and used agricultural machinery. As a result, the declared value was accepted for 10,216 declarations, and the declared value of 13 declarations for CaCO3 limestone powder and natural sand was suspected and sent for consultation.

At the recent mid-year review and deployment conference for the second half of 2024 of the An Giang Customs Department, Director Nguyen Thanh Toan acknowledged and commended the efforts of the units for achieving many important results in the first half of the year, creating momentum for the fulfillment of tasks in the second half.

Analyzing the factors affecting the fulfillment of tasks in the second half of the year, to successfully complete the assigned political tasks, Director Nguyen Thanh Toan instructed the units to carry out customs procedures for import and export goods and means of transport on exit and entry in accordance with the procedures and regulations of the law; strictly enforce the inspection and supervision of means of entry and exit in accordance with regulations; actively support and resolve difficulties and obstacles for enterprises within their authority, creating a favorable environment for enterprises on the basis of compliance with the law.

Furthermore, continuing to follow up on the proposal to the Provincial People's Committee to determine the scope of border gate areas under their authority and propose to the Government to determine the scope of international border gates and main border gates in the province; considering and arranging yard for exported goods that already cleared at Tinh Bien International Border Gate.

Moreover, review and inspect the actual operation of yards, warehouses, and cargo inspection sites recognized at the Border Customs Branches and report to the General Department for consideration of withdrawal for those that do not meet the conditions; strengthen the management of investment, processing, and export production to ensure both facilitation and strictness.

With regard to the task of revenue collection, the department will strengthen the fight against revenue loss through the supervision and inspection of customs procedures, post-clearance audit, specialized inspection, combatting smuggling and trade fraud, and focusing on checking types, subjects, and preferential tax policies.

Also, regularly monitor the management area, strengthen open and secret patrols and controls within the Customs operation area; actively coordinate with functional forces in the implementation of control, combatting smuggling and trade fraud, illegal transportation of drugs across the border, and handle violations in accordance with regulations.