Quang Nam Customs officers always make efforts in the pandemic. Photo: Q.N

Flexible clearances

According to the Quang Nam Customs Department, before the development of the Covid-19 pandemic, affiliated units under Quang Nam Customs Department are always flexible in carrying out customs procedures for businesses. Administrative procedures are always operated smoothly, thanks to the effective implementation of processing online documents via online public services, utilizing the National Single Window System and connecting the ASEAN Single Window.

As of November 15, 2021, the whole Department has received and processed 2,527 sets of dossiers, including 72 procedures at departmental and branch levels on the Online Public Service System, an increase of 9.8% compared to the same year in 2020. The following procedures arise regularly, including, the cancellation of declarations, additional declarations and declarations of tax returns along with many others. Most of the administrative procedures in the customs field are provided with online public services at level 4, the highest level in Vietnam.

At the same time, the Quang Nam Customs Department processed 117 electronic C/Os on the ASEAN single window system, 114 chemical declaration dossiers, three dossiers of license for import and export of precursors, one quality inspection record, 59 veterinary dossiers, five phytosanitary records and handled 18 customs procedures for means of transport on entry and exit via the National Single Window system.

Areas of administrative reform, fair business investment environment creation and ways of improving competitiveness continue to be developed. The units have actively supported businesses and investors to quickly and promptly solve problems, ensuring quick cargo clearance for businesses.

As of November 15, 2021, the Quang Nam Customs Department has cleared goods for 109,464 import-export declarations, up 27.5%, with a total import-export turnover of US$3,134 million, increasing 35% over the same period.

The State revenue collection reached VND5,291.2 billion, up 11.4% over the same period. However, due to the implementation of tax, following Decree 57/2020/ND-CP, refunds are different from the tax amount by more than VND2,041.84 billion. This led to the actual State revenue reaching VND3,249.36 billion, down 18.96% over the same period in 2020, reaching 97% of the assigned target (VND3,350 billion) and reaching 90.26% compared to the striving target (VND3,600 billion). The decrease in State revenue over the same period is due to the high increase in tax refunds under the preferential tariff program, under Decree 57/2020/ND-CP, with the amount of VND1,966 billion, up 177.7% over the same period in 2020, leading to a decrease in revenue for 2021.

Revenue from post- clearance audit increased five times

In order to achieve the revenue collection target, besides trade facilitation, the fight against revenue loss through post-clearance audit and anti-smuggling has always been focused by the Quang Nam Customs Department. In 2021, the post-clearance audit was focused on a few key items, such as car tires and corn kernels, and has achieved strong results, increasing revenue for the State budget by nearly VND 13 billion, more than 5 times higher than the same period last year. Notably, in November, the unit increased revenue for the State budget by nearly VND 8 billion through post clearance audits.

Along with that, the work of anti-smuggling, drug prevention and handling of violations in the locality have been carried out by the unit, while fighting against loss of revenue and ensuring a positive investment environment for businesses.

As of November 15, the unit detected and handled 56 cases of administrative violations, with a value of infringing goods reaching nearly VND 400 million. In particular, the Quang Nam Customs Enforcement Team chaired and coordinated with Unit 2 of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, to track and detect an enterprise selling 88 tons of refined sugar imported from Thailand. The case is currently being investigated and verified for signs of crime, according to Article 188 of the 2015 Penal Code.

At a meeting with the Quang Nam Customs Department at the end of October 2021, Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs, Luu Manh Tuong, highly appreciated Quang Nam Customs' initiative to carry out assigned political tasks. At the same time, the Deputy Director General noted that the unit should strengthen export production and export processing enterprises. He also advised they firmly grasp the operation situation by timely detecting signs of high volume, properly assessing the scale and production capacity of the enterprise, and ensuring the management requirements of the customs authority right from the stage of import, production and export.

They will also have to work to strengthen the inspection of settlement reports, especially cases showing signs of violations, and handle enterprises going bankrupt and running away without being examined and handled.