Ms. Tran Hong Nguyen, Deputy Chairwoman of Steering Commitee on Law of National Assembly

Attending the session were Mr. Tran Duc Hung, Deputy Director-General of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, representatives from various units under the General Department of Vietnam Customs, representatives from Ho Chi Minh City departments and agencies, representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City Business Association, the Vietnam Logistics Business Association, and Saigon Newport Corporation.

In his report to the delegation, Mr. Tran Duc Hung outlined the efforts made by the Customs sector to fulfill its assigned political tasks despite facing significant challenges. He highlighted issues such as aging IT infrastructure, which has led to physical system failures, and the expiration of special mechanisms for the Customs sector since July 1, 2024.

Following Mr. Hung's remarks, Mr. Do Thanh Quang, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, provided an overview of the unit's operations in 2024. He presented detailed explanations on customs procedures and relevant legal provisions as requested by the delegation.

Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Tran Duc Hung

Mr. Quang also identified 10 key areas of difficulty in professional operations and offered specific recommendations to facilitate import-export activities for businesses while ensuring effective state management by the Customs authorities.

He emphasized the department’s role in handling customs clearance for over 66,000 import-export enterprises, highlighting its commitment to simplifying procedures and promoting trade facilitation.

Notably, the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has maintained one of the highest frequencies of dialogues with the business community across the entire Customs sector. These engagements have enabled the department to promptly address challenges and provide practical support to enterprises.

The National Assembly's Law Committee expressed its admiration for the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department's achievements, particularly in administrative reforms, trade facilitation, and efforts to combat smuggling and commercial fraud.

Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh Customs Department Do Thanh Quang

In reviewing the department's report, the delegation requested clarifications on several issues, including: coordination in specialized inspections, handling of customs law violations, legal matters related to Article 35 of Decree No. 08/2015/ND-CP, inspection rates for goods, management of temporary import and re-export goods.

Mr. Tran Duc Hung addressed the delegation's concerns in detail, directing relevant units under the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department to provide comprehensive responses to all queries raised. He also reviewed suggestions made by businesses and associations during the session.

In her concluding remarks, Ms. Tran Hong Nguyen acknowledged both the accomplishments and the challenges faced by the Customs sector. She noted the proactive measures taken by the General Department of Vietnam Customs to address IT system failures, ensuring uninterrupted customs clearance for businesses. However, she emphasized the need for accelerated investment in modern IT infrastructure to manage the current volume of goods effectively.

The delegation pledged to continue working with relevant units to address the issues and recommendations raised by the Customs authorities.