Accordingly, in order to acknowledge the participation and evaluation of the business community in the process of customs reform and modernization, and to build a culture of legal compliance regarding customs for businesses, on September 6, under the guidance of the General Department of Customs, the Customs Magazine organized the annual Customs - Business Forum in 2023 with the theme "Vietnam Customs: Providing fresh impetus for business to recover and thrive”.

The annual Customs-Business Forum in 2023 with the theme “Vietnam Customs: Providing fresh impetus for business to recover and thrive”

At the forum, on behalf of the directing agency, Mr. Hoang Viet Cuong, Deputy Director-General of the General Department of Customs, shared that exactly 78 years ago, on September 10, 1945, just eight days after the establishment of the nation, Minister of the Interior Vo Nguyen Giap signed Order No. 27/SL to establish the Customs and Excise Department, the precursor to Vietnam Customs today.

Over the past 78 years, Vietnam Customs has grown and matured along with the revolutionary cause of the country. Generations of customs officers, civil servants, and workers have made many efforts and strived to fulfill their assigned tasks, contributing significantly to the proud achievements of the Finance sector and the nation's construction and defense.

Deputy Director-General of the General Department of Customs, Mr. Hoang Viet Cuong, shared at the forum.

According to Mr. Hoang Viet Cuong, in recent years, the world has seen many changes due to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing competition among major economies, and the armed conflict in Ukraine, which have had a significant impact on our country's economy. Since the beginning of 2023, the Vietnamese economy has faced significant challenges. In light of this situation, the Customs sector has identified administrative reform, simplification of procedures, modernization of customs, and the facilitation of trade as its top and continuous priorities. Through these efforts, it aims to create new impetus for business recovery and growth, contributing to economic growth.

In line with Resolution 01/NQ-CP of the Government, the Customs sector continues to review, supplement, amend, and improve the legal framework related to customs to meet the requirements of management in the new situation, thereby improving the investment and business environment and enhancing national competitive capacity.

The delegates attending the 2023 Customs-Business Forum with the theme " Vietnam Customs: Providing fresh impetus for business to recover and thrive "

"At the beginning of the year, the General Department of Customs issued Decision No. 123/QD-TCHQ on January 31, 2023, regarding the assignment of administrative reform and customs procedure simplification targets to facilitate trade in 2023. Accordingly, we have assigned 10 groups of reform targets along with corresponding measures for implementation. Notably, these include a 5% reduction in the rate of Red Channel declarations, a 10% reduction in the rate of Yellow Channel declarations, a 10% reduction in customs clearance and cargo release times, and a 20% increase in the number of voluntary businesses participating in the program to encourage voluntary compliance with customs laws compared to 2022," shared Mr. Hoang Viet Cuong.

According to Mr. Hoang Viet Cuong, with tangible benefits, the Customs-Business Program has attracted the attention of the business community and contributed to a shift in business perception towards legal compliance. In the near future, the Customs sector will consider expanding the scope to attract more businesses to participate and benefit from these policies.

"Our goal is that after 2 years of implementation, 100% of businesses participating in the program will not face any penalties for customs law violations and will be assessed at level 2 (high compliance) or level 3 (medium compliance) in terms of legal compliance. And after 5 years of implementing the program, through support activities and voluntary compliance efforts of businesses, we aim to achieve a compliance rate of over 20% among the total number of import-export businesses," emphasized the Customs leadership.

"To make the Customs-Business partnership increasingly effective, in addition to the efforts of the Customs sector, the active participation of ministries, sectors, associations, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, and especially the active involvement of the business community is essential. Therefore, the Customs sector hopes that businesses will continue to collaborate and work together with the Customs authorities to develop richer Customs-Business partnership activities. The companionship, dynamism, and creativity of the business community will be a crucial factor in achieving success and development," Mr. Hoang Viet Cuong expressed.

Vice Chairman of VCCI – Hoang Quang Phong shared at the forum.

Highly appreciating the efforts of the Customs sector in state management and their support to businesses during challenging times, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) – Hoang Quang Phong shared, "We highly appreciate the tireless efforts of the Customs sector in state management, especially in recent years, where the Customs profession has been at the forefront of applying modern management tools to its work."

According to Vice Chairman Hoang Quang Phong, the interaction between Customs and businesses holds significant importance and is indispensable in the gatekeeping role of trade flow, along with other government agencies, to ensure better customs clearance for Vietnam's exports and imports of goods used in production.

"The interaction between Customs and businesses helps businesses understand their challenges accurately and identifies areas where they need to make improvements. Without this interaction, businesses would not know where they are going wrong or how to rectify it... Meanwhile, the Customs sector has considered businesses as partners to collaborate with in order to fulfill their mission. This interaction is not about an entity being subjected to customs inspection and supervision; it's about mutual cooperation between the managing agency and the managed agency to better ensure customs clearance. This is a positive element in perception and fosters a high level of consensus, promoting voluntary compliance with customs laws and other laws in a modern, open, and interactive culture, all while striving to accomplish the objectives," Vice Chairman Hoang Quang Phong expressed.

In addition to the points mentioned, the forum also heard and shared insights from various Customs agencies, business associations, businesses, and experts through two discussion sessions on topics related to improving policy frameworks, administrative procedure reform, trade facilitation to provide new impetus for business recovery and breakthroughs; developing information technology solutions to support state management requirements for export and import goods, transportation means for exit and entry, moving towards Smart Customs; and evaluating and refining policies related to priority enterprises, enhancing the responsibilities and benefits of recognized priority enterprises both domestically and internationally, including the assessment of the "Pilot Program for Supporting and Encouraging Voluntary Compliance with Customs Laws."

According to Gia Nguyen (Business Forum Magazine).