An Giang Customs: Focusing on facilitating and controlling specific import and export items.

(HQ Online) - Managing an area with a border nearly 100 km long and many specific import and export goods, the An Giang Customs Department has implemented solutions to both facilitate trade and strictly control these goods.

Hải quan An Giang kiểm tra thóc nhập khẩu. Ảnh: T.H

An Giang Customs inspects imported rice. Photo: TH

Removing obstacles for imported sand.

In early 2024, Circular No. 04/2023/TT-BXD dated June 30, 2023, issued by the Ministry of Construction on the National Technical Standard for Construction Materials and Products (hereinafter referred to as Circular 04), came into effect. Many businesses encountered difficulties with the procedures for registering and inspecting the quality of imported sand, causing many shipments to be held up at border gates. The leaders of the An Giang Customs Department quickly intervened to resolve the issues for businesses.

According to Mr. Luu Tuan Binh, Deputy Director of the An Giang Customs Department, the list of construction materials in Circular 04 stipulates that natural sand used for concrete and mortar, HS code 2505.10.00, is subject to quality inspection for imported goods. However, a review of the Vietnamese Export and Import Goods List issued with Circular No. 31/2022/TT-BTC dated June 8, 2022, of the Ministry of Finance , shows that imported sand only has two types: one is "silica oxide sand and quartz sand" HS code 2505.10.00, and the other is "other types" HS code 2505.90.00. Thus, although the HS code is 2505.10.00, the product name in Circular 04 and in the Vietnamese Export and Import Goods List are inconsistent.

In fact, prior to January 5, 2024, businesses importing natural river sand from Cambodia declared HS code 2505.90.00 during customs procedures. The An Giang Provincial Department of Construction also agreed to this code and registered for state inspection of imported goods quality. However, on January 9, 2024, the An Giang Provincial Department of Construction sent a letter to the An Giang Customs Department informing them that customs declarations for imported sand with HS code 2505.90.00 were not subject to state quality inspection according to the QCVN 16:2023/BXD standard and refused to accept registration for state quality inspection of imported goods.

Due to businesses awaiting feedback from the An Giang Provincial Department of Construction, a large number of vehicles transporting natural Cambodian river sand were stockpiled at the border gate from January 5th to January 10th, 2024. The Vinh Xuong Border Gate Customs Branch provided guidance and explanations to businesses regarding this matter, but they expressed concern that without quality inspection, it would be difficult to sell the sand to construction projects (as businesses are required to provide quality certificates when purchasing).

Based on the above situation, the An Giang Customs Department reviewed the tax rates and determined that both types of sand (codes 2505.10.00 and 2505.90.00) have an import tax rate of 0% and a VAT rate of 10%, differing only in whether or not quality inspection is required (silica oxide sand and quartz sand with HS code 2505.10.00 require quality inspection; other types of sand with HS code 2505.90.00 do not require quality inspection according to Circular 04). Therefore, the An Giang Customs Department leadership unanimously directed the Vinh Xuong International Border Gate Customs Sub-department to process the import of natural river sand for businesses depending on whether the businesses declared code 2505.10.00 or 2505.90.00, in order to alleviate congestion of vehicles and goods at the border gate and avoid causing losses to businesses. As a result, all goods were cleared immediately.

Identify key product groups

Managing an area with a border nearly 100 km long, and dealing with many specific import and export goods such as sugar, sand, agricultural products, etc., the An Giang Customs Department has implemented solutions to proactively resolve obstacles, facilitate trade, and strictly control these goods.

According to the An Giang Customs Department's assessment, smuggling, trade fraud, and illegal transportation of goods across the border have occurred in small quantities and in scattered instances, with the most prominent items being cigarettes, cosmetics, sugar, and gold. During the Lunar New Year period, the situation regarding smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border tends to become more complex. To effectively prevent violations of customs laws, the An Giang Customs Department has implemented numerous plans with specific solutions, while also coordinating with forces inside and outside the sector. In 2023, the unit detected and seized 36 cases, with the value of confiscated goods totaling 224.509 million VND; and coordinated with other forces to seize 67 violations, with the value of goods totaling nearly 14 billion VND.

At the unit's 2024 task deployment conference, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Customs Nguyen Van Tho requested the An Giang Customs Department to pay attention to the implementation of several aspects of its work. Specifically, regarding supervision and management, it is necessary to clearly define the operational area of the Customs agency; review the centralized inspection locations at border gates, and recommend that the locality should plan for centralized inspections, avoiding fragmented planning to ensure effective inspection and supervision.

An Giang has been identified as a hotspot for smuggling along the southwestern border. The An Giang Customs Department has identified key items, however, the Deputy Director General suggested that the unit should add more items, such as imported sand; temporarily imported and re-exported goods; and narcotics, to the list of key items to develop appropriate inspection and control plans. Particular attention should be paid to inspecting imported and temporarily imported/re-exported sand, especially those declarations classified as Yellow.

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