Lang Son Customs Department held Customs-Business Dialogue Conference with 30 warehouse operators on April 9, 2024. Photo: Nam Hoang

Many limitations on infrastructure

Currently, there are 21 checkpoints at four border gates managed by Lang Son Customs Department, including three bonded warehouses at Coc Nam Border Gate and Chi Ma Border Gate, two postal and express delivery warehouses, and two duty-free shops at Huu Nghi International Border Gate, two checkpoints at the construction site of Bao Long Co., Ltd. and Dong Banh Cement Factory, eight checkpoints at Chi Ma Border Gate, seven check points at Tan Thanh Border Gate, four check points at Coc Nam and two checkpoints at Huu Nghi International Border Gate.

According to Lang Son Customs Department, the local operators have met regulations in Decree 68/2016/ND-CP amended and supplemented in Decree 67/2020/ND-CP. However, the demand of import-export activities, the flow of vehicles, and import-export goods have increased, so some warehouse operators have expanded in area. The operators have expanded their area beyond the licensed area, or warehouse operators have not arranged separate storage areas for import-export goods, transit goods, and backlogged goods as prescribed in Decree 08/2015/ND-CP.

In addition, the fence system, surveillance cameras, management software... at warehouses still see many limitations such as: operators have not fully entered data into the enterprise's management software; the connection from the camera system of the warehouse to the Customs is not consistent; the fences at the warehouses and construction investment sites are not unified, which have caused many difficulties for customs control.

At the working session with leaders of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee on April, the representatives of Huu Nghi Xuan Cuong Joint Stock Company and Bao Nguyen Commercial Transport Joint Stock Company said that besides the advantages, during the operation, the companies have faced obstacles related to import and export activities, foreign affairs, channel classification, vehicle regulation, infrastructure, digital border gate platform, digitization of business activities, management of passenger cars at the border gate, site clearance for project implementation…

Representatives of companies proposed the Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments, agencies and forces for some contents such as expanding lanes in and out of Huu Nghi International Border Gate; implementing customs process to facilitate yard operation; promoting negotiations with China to agree on the method of goods delivery between the two sides; and asking relevant agencies consider and soon submit to the Provincial People's Committee for approval to adjust and expand the yard area at the border gate for operators to carry out the next investment steps...

Making great efforts for the business community

At the Customs-Business Dialogue Conference with 30 local warehouse operators held on April 9, Lang Son Customs Department answered questions raised by operators. Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department Nguyen Anh Tai said that the department recorded feedback from the operators to report to the General Department of Vietnam Customs for revision of some regulations on customs control for warehouses to facilitate operations of operators.

However, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tai recommends that businesses need to research and comply with regulations as stipulated in Article 41 of the Law on Customs 2014, and provision in Clause 2, Article 34 Decree 08/2015/ND-CP. He also recommended that businesses need to maintain and meet regulations on operating conditions in Decree 68/2016/ND-CP amended and supplemented in Decree 67/2020/ND-CP.

In addition, Lang Son Customs Department requests businesses to meet requirements for trading of duty-free goods, storage facilities, locations for customs clearance procedures, commodity gathering, customs inspection and supervision; closely coordinate with customs branches in supervising, and exchange information and report arising problems to the Customs for instruction.

The Deputy Director Nguyen Anh Tai said that businesses need to focus on training staff to operate equipment and software connected to the Customs agency.