Megan Shaw, head of International Customs and Border Engagement, HMRC and director general Nguyen Van Tho signing the Declaration of Intent

During the Ministry of Finance’s Investment Promotion Conference in the United Kingdom, Vietnam Customs held bilateral meetings with HMRC and the UK Border Force (UKBF). On September 18, director general Nguyen Van Tho and Megan Shaw, head of International Customs and Border Engagement at HMRC, formalised the partnership by signing a Declaration of Intent to enhance collaboration between the two customs authorities.

The deal aims to promote domestic procedural reviews to pave the way for the early signing of an intergovernmental agreement between Vietnam and the UK on customs cooperation and mutual administrative assistance at the earliest appropriate high-level event. The two sides also agreed to step up certain cooperative activities tailored to customs management practices and their mutual needs, with the goal of facilitating trade, boosting investment, and safeguarding the security and integrity of supply chains.

During the meeting, both parties exchanged views on information-sharing for enforcement activities, anti-smuggling operations, and supply chain security. In recent years, the two-way exchange of information between Vietnam Customs and HMRC has yielded concrete, noteworthy results in anti-smuggling investigations, particularly in preventing illicit transportation of tobacco and counterfeit cigarettes, with significant seizures recorded.

Looking ahead, the two sides will intensify information exchange to help prevent and combat the illicit trade of goods such as narcotics and tobacco, as well as crimes involving tax evasion, money laundering, and environmental violations.

They also shared experiences in digital transformation and the application of technology in customs, discussed their respective digitalisation roadmaps, and addressed the requirements for fully digitising customs procedures in the next 2–3 years. The discussions revealed strong alignment in reform and digitalisation goals, opening opportunities for future cooperation and exchange of best practices.

Over the past several years, Vietnam and the UK have recorded notable growth in bilateral trade. In 2024, two-way trade reached $8.42 billion, accounting for 1.07 per cent of Vietnam’s total trade turnover. The UK ranked 16th among 228 trading partners with regular import-export activities with Vietnam.

Tho said, "Through the Declaration of Intent, by fostering information-sharing for anti-smuggling efforts, exchanging professional expertise, negotiating a mutual recognition agreement on authorised economic operators, and carrying out capacity-building activities, both sides can further trade facilitation, support highly compliant businesses, and ensure supply chain safety, thereby contributing to the growth of bilateral trade and investment."

Also as part of the event, Vietnam Customs held working sessions with the UKBF and conducted a field survey at Stansted Airport. The meeting and survey were chaired by Matt Davis, Border Force assistant director at Stansted Airport, who introduced customs control operations managed by the agency at the airport.

Vietnam Customs discussed and learned from UKBF’s experience in organisational structure, staff training, rotation, and professional development; the use of equipment for customs control at airports; cooperation between customs authorities and express delivery businesses; and UKBF’s authority to set infrastructure and equipment requirements for airport operators.

Following the discussions and survey, both sides agreed to enhance information-sharing for anti-smuggling purposes, particularly concerning tobacco products, through liaison with HMRC and UKBF.