Import and export activities through Nghi Son International port. Photo: N.Linh

The draft Strategy for developing Vietnam logistics services to 2030, with a vision to 2050 is being formulated and completed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Commenting on the draft, the Ministry of Finance raised the importance and proposed issues related to building models, trade databases and the National Single Window.

Accordingly, based on the provisions of Decree 85/2019/ND-CP on implementing administrative procedures under the National Single Window, the Ministry of Finance proposes to supplement the responsibilities of the Ministry of Finance and relevant ministries and branches in building commercial models and databases and promoting the development of the National Single Window Mechanism to the draft documents.

The Ministry of Finance chairs and coordinates with relevant ministries and branches to promulgate the National Administrative and Commercial Data Model. Regulations on forms and electronic documents in the fields of logistics, transportation, and cross-border trade to serve the implementation of administrative procedures and cross-border transactions. When developing legal documents related to administrative procedures on import-export and logistics, ministries and branches must refer to and comply with electronic document forms issued following this model to standardize and digitize documents; and avoid overlapping in administrative dossiers and international trade integration.

Furthermore, building a national database on cross-border trade and transport to store and share information with Government agencies, import-export business community and logistics businesses through the National Single Window Mechanism to facilitate cross-border trade and transportation as well as improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state management. At the same time, expanding the National Single Window to provide public services, and utilities and be ready to connect and share information with Vietnam's trading partners.

In addition, the Ministry of Finance also commented on the issue of planning the warehouse and port system to serve import and export activities. Accordingly, based on the provisions of Clause 3, Article 4 of Decree 08/2015/ND-CP (amended and supplemented in Clause 2, Article 1 of Decree 59/2018/ND-CP of the Government, the recognition of warehouses, yards and locations serving import and export activities fall under the functions and authority of the Ministry of Finance (General Department of Vietnam Customs), as followed: "3. After considering the projects and announcement of the zoning for seaports, zoning for inland ports, international airports, land border checkpoints, inland container depot (ICD), international intermodal rail terminals, public postal networks providing international mail services, the Minister of Finance shall decide the organization structure to deal with customs procedures; The Director General of Vietnam Customs shall decide recognition of warehouses and locations, which are inside the seaports, zoning for inland ports, international airports, international intermodal rail terminal, if they satisfy the conditions for providing venues and processing customs inspection and supervision before allowing imported or exported goods to go through customs procedures.”

To ensure that areas designated for the development of border gate logistics centers, seaports, inland waterway ports, international airports, and international intermodal railway stations are eligible for gathering, customs inspection and supervision, the Ministry of Finance requested the drafting unit to supplement the responsibilities of the Ministry of Finance in the draft report submitted to the Government and the draft Decision in the direction: The Ministry of Finance chaires and coordinates with ministries and branches to review, amend and supplement relevant legal regulations on conditions for establishing warehouses, yards, locations for logistics centers, seaport areas, inland waterway ports, international airports, and border gates. Roads and inland ports (ICDs) that are planned and announced that have import and export activities must meet customs inspection and supervision conditions.

One of the new contents mentioned in the draft Decision submitted to the Prime Minister on main solutions to implement the Vietnam Logistics Services Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050 is: establishing free trade zones associated with seaports, airports, international border gates and key commodity production areas. However, according to the Ministry of Finance, the concept of "free trade zone" has not been mentioned in current legal documents. Therefore, there is no legal basis to build and form free trade zones in Vietnam. To avoid problems when implementation, the Ministry of Finance requested the drafting unit to remove content related to free trade in the draft.