In the first half of 2021, the General Department of Customs carried out policies on customs supervision and management while creating favourable conditions for import and export activitiesamid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Customs officers of Na Meo international border gate Customs Branch (Thanh Hoa)
take anti-pandemic measures during the physical inspection of goods. 

Timely support measures

The General Department of Customs has launched solutions to support and create maximum convenience for businesses and individuals carrying out customs procedures,strengthened IT application and modern customs management methods to handle administrative procedures to ensure the supervision and inspection of import and export goods, contributing to repelling and minimising the spread of the virus.

It has requested international border gates and airports quickly release goods, especially aid goods for anti-pandemic efforts, and strictly punish customs officers whocommit violations of the law,causing difficulties for businesses,and deployed the National Single Window and automated system for customs supervision at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports.

In addition, it has guided coordination among units in the sector to ensure the clearance of goods in areas subject to social distancing or isolation measures in accordance with regulations on pandemic prevention; arrange places fully equipped with pandemic prevention conditions) for officials and employees to work with businesses if necessary.

The General Department of Customs has reported to the Ministry of Finance to submit to the Government to apply preferential tax policies to domestic and foreign firms in providing humanitarian aid, non-refundable aid, gifts as goods for Covid-19 prevention and control such as Van Lang Co., Ltd imported 2,000 ventilators, Hansae Korea Company imported 170,600 medical blouses (antibacterial fabric) to donate to the Government and the Ministry of Health.

From January to June 23, the exempted amount of import tax for anti-pandemic goods under Decision No. 155 of the Ministry of Finance dated February 7, 2020 and Decision No. 436 of the Ministry of Finance on March 27, 2020 hit VND 6,317 billion.

To facilitate import and export activities and fast customs clearance of goods at border gates and help businesses remove difficulties amid the pandemic, the Ministry of Finance (General Department of Customs) has issued a document requesting the Customs Departments of provinces and cities support import and export activities.

Also, the General Department of Customs sent an urgent dispatch to request provincial and municipal Customs Departments facilitate and carry out customs clearance within the same day for export agricultural products in main harvest in particular and agricultural products in general at border gates; immediately solved problems arising in the customs clearance for export of goods; closely worked and regularly exchanged information with the quarantine agency to carry out procedures for businesses.

It has also arranged officials and civil servants to implement customs procedures and supervise exported agricultural products through border gates beyond office hours and onweekends and public holidays; prioritise and arrange for vehicles that have completed customs clearance procedures to cross the border gate first.

It has worked with Border Guard and Police forces to regulate traffic for vehicles in and out, avoiding congestion, ensuring security and order, and preventing instability affecting the export activities of businesses; regularly exchanged and captured information on customs procedures and goods policies of the importing side to notify businesses.

Management ensured

Regarding the management and implementation of customs procedures for import and export goods, in the first six months of the year, the General Department of Customs requested provincial and municipal Customs Departments to handle problems in customs clearance, customs inspection and supervision for import declarations of automobiles and motorbikes; imported alcohol for domestic consumption; goods imported and exported on the spot, as well as one-time declared goods and multiple imports and exports.

It has strengthened the management of imported sturgeon products at the request of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

It has solved problems for import and export goods as raw materials of plant origin for the production of supplementary foods. In addition, required provincial and municipal Customs Departments to manage exports of limestone and strengthen the management of exported minerals and handle obstacles in the use of foreign codes and barcodes of export goods to facilitate the business community.

The General Department of Customs has enhanced management and sped up customs clearance; strongly applied IT in customs management and supervision amid Covid-19; and solved the problems of local customs units in a timely fashion, especially proving origin-related problems