Amid the complicated development of the Covid-19 pandemic, officers of Khanh Hoa Customs Department have made great efforts to support rescue flights and maintain smooth customs clearance and ensure revenue collection.

Passengers on entry on flights. Photo: N.T

Implementing customs clearance for rescue flights

According to Khanh Hoa Customs Department, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, entry and exit flights through Cam Ranh International Airport were suspended. The department only implemented customs clearance for Vietnamese citizens returning to the country to avoid the pandemic and foreign experts entering Vietnam to work.

Between January and September, Cam Ranh International Airport Customs Branch cleared 83 flights, a reduction of 98.57%; and 14,886 passengers, a decrease of 98.49% compared with the same period in 2020.

In October 2021, the number of flights taking Vietnamese citizens to the country via Cam Ranh International Airport was four fights per day. During this time, Cam Ranh International Airport Customs Branch has assigned officers to take medical protection measures to quickly pick up and carry out customs clearance for these special flights.

The branch has processed customs procedures for these flights in accordance with the regulations on Covid-19 prevention and control to avoid infecting customs officers.

In addition, the branch has coordinated with other relevant agencies to comply with regulations on disinfection and quarantine.

According to the requirements of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, all passengers on the flight must satisfy pandemic prevention and control requirements including full vaccination with two shots, two weeks after the second shot in a 2-dose series, 7-day supervised quarantine period in a designated accommodation facility, or certificate of recovery from the disease (within 6 months). Those who have just received one dose of vaccine must be quarantined for 14 days.

Revenue from petroleum products falls over 50%

According to Khanh Hoa Customs Department, the Covid 19 pandemic outbreak at the end of June in Khanh Hoa province seriously affected immigration, business production and the import and export work in the province, especially enterprises producing items such as fishery products, textiles and garments, and exporters of wood chips, construction stone, petroleum products.

Although Khanh Hoa Customs Department faced difficulties, the department has made great efforts to implement action plans to achieve the dual goals of preventing the disease while ensuring effective customs control, removing obstacles for businesses, strictly supervising the management area in Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan, and completing the revenue collection.

The department’s leader requested branches to smoothly maintain, operate and use the Vietnam automated system for Seaport customs management (VASSCM); implement administrative procedures under the National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window on specialized inspection for imports and exports. The department has implemented customs clearance for 132 vessels and processed nearly one million declarations for import and export goods.

Officers of Khanh Hoa Customs Department make great efforts in performing tasks.
Photo: Thu Hoa

According to the department, the department’s revenue is mainly from petroleum products worth VND606.19 billion, accounting for 29.8% of the total revenue. However, the revenue between January and September saw a sharp decrease of 54.04% compared with the same period last year.Amid the pandemic, the department has established working teams to support and handle the customs process for imports and exports to quickly clear goods for businesses. The department also proposed the General Department of Vietnam Customs to approve the checkpoint at Cam Ranh International Port of Tan Cang - Petro Cam Ranh Co., Ltd., creating favorable conditions for businesses.

The result is from the falling import volume of petroleum of over 200,000 tons; and the dropping in trade of these products by about US$80 million. In addition, the department refunded overpaid taxes for enterprises submitting C/O form D and KV, leading to the decrease in revenue of VND440 billion.

The revenue from machinery and equipment from power and thermal power projects rose about VND30 billion to VND1,081 billion, accounting for 53.19% of the total revenue.

At the end of September, the department collected over VND2,033 billion, meeting 67.8% of the assigned target and 60.71% of the desired target, a year-on-year decrease of 23.38%.

Recently, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has revised down the desired target from VND3,350 billion to VND3,000 billion. To achieve this target in the remaining months of the year, the department continues to support enterprises to restore production and business; and provide effective solutions to collect revenue and outstanding tax debts.