An Giang Customs: Taking businesses as the focus of reform

(HQ Online) - The leaders of An Giang Customs Department requested units to diversify forms of propaganda, guide new procedures and documents for businesses, and focus on businesses in reforming customs procedures.

An Giang Customs officials guide businesses through sand import procedures at Vinh Xuong border gate. Photo: TH

Removing obstacles to specialized inspection

In recent times, some businesses importing sand from Cambodia to Vietnam through Vinh Xuong international border gate (An Giang) have encountered problems with specialized inspection procedures, but these have been promptly resolved. Reporters' observations at this border gate at the end of March 2024 showed that businesses completed customs clearance procedures quite smoothly.

At the dialogue conference between An Giang Customs Department and more than 50 import-export enterprises carrying out procedures through the area last weekend, enterprises continued to reflect and propose related to a number of procedural difficulties, in which most of the difficulties related to specialized inspection procedures for imported sand were specifically guided and resolved by the leaders of An Giang Customs Department.

Mr. Luu Quang Minh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cat Cam An Giang Company, shared that since January 2024, when Circular 04/2023/TT-BXD dated June 30, 2023 of the Ministry of Construction promulgating national technical regulations on construction materials and goods was applied, almost all sand importing enterprises encountered difficulties in receiving registration for state inspection of the quality of imported goods. "However, after the meeting to resolve difficulties by the Director of An Giang Customs Department, as well as the connection between the Department and An Giang Department of Construction, the initial difficulties were resolved, and enterprises were able to clear their goods," Mr. Minh assessed.

Responding to the request of enterprises regarding procedures for importing sand on Saturdays and Sundays, Director of An Giang Customs Department Nguyen Thanh Toan said that the Customs agency works 24/7, including holidays. The problem of enterprises in customs clearance on holidays is related to the specialized inspection agency, the Department of Construction, in receiving registration for state inspection of the quality of imported goods. Therefore, in order to have enough procedures and documents for customs clearance of goods during the weekend, enterprises have sent a document to the An Giang Department of Construction requesting that this unit receive registration for state inspection of the quality of imported goods for enterprises on Saturdays and Sundays.

In addition, according to the reflection of some enterprises importing sand through Vinh Xuong international border gate, because the Department of Construction is quite far from the border gate, so to get a certificate of registration for state inspection of imported goods quality, enterprises have to spend more than 3 hours traveling. Meanwhile, according to regulations, the border closes at 6 p.m., so it is easy for goods to be "dropped" to the next day. Answering this problem for enterprises, Director Nguyen Thanh Toan said that the Customs agency will support and facilitate enterprises. Proposing the solution to provide the certificate of registration for state inspection of imported goods quality to the Customs agency in the fastest way, the Customs agency suggested that enterprises recommend the Department of Construction to put this certificate on the national single window system, or in the near future, after having the certificate of registration, enterprises can scan and put it on the V5 system of the Customs agency and notify the customs officers at the border gate to be flexible in handling customs clearance in time before the border gate closes.

Support businesses to comply with the law

In addition to publicly posting regulations and documents guiding customs procedures, customs branches have focused on disseminating new documents to businesses when carrying out customs procedures. In the process of implementing regulations, the unit promptly answers any problems arising from businesses. The leaders of An Giang Customs Department requested that customs branches provide clear and specific instructions on procedures for businesses so that businesses can implement them easily, avoiding general instructions that make it difficult for businesses.

“The Department Head must be responsible for providing unified guidance on procedures for businesses. Any issues that cannot be immediately guided must be noted and a response time set for businesses as soon as possible,” emphasized Department Head Nguyen Thanh Toan.

According to the leader of An Giang Customs Department, to support procedural guidance as well as answer questions for businesses, the unit maintains the operation of the Customs-Business Partnership Advisory Group with 21 members, including: leaders of the Department, functional departments under the Department and affiliated customs branches. In particular, An Giang Customs Department has signed a memorandum of understanding for businesses voluntarily participating in the Compliance Management Program under Decision 1399/QD-TCHQ dated July 15, 2022 of the General Department of Customs with 5 businesses. Currently, An Giang Customs Department has directed customs branches to review businesses with import-export activities in the area that comply with customs laws to introduce and encourage them to sign up to participate in the Voluntary Compliance Program.

Through the import and export of goods of enterprises through customs units at border gates, Director Nguyen Thanh Toan suggested that the branches classify enterprises according to each type of goods to invite enterprises to instruct on procedures for concentration and consistency. Mr. Toan also suggested that enterprises cooperate and send customs clearance staff to attend in full to receive specific instructions from the Customs agency and comply with regulations.

The leaders of An Giang Customs Department also said that they will send civil servants to support and guide, in order to facilitate the quick settlement of procedures for businesses and hope that if the business community encounters difficulties or problems, they should boldly report them; at the same time, request the Heads of the Border Customs Branches to urgently re-examine the processes and procedures of their units, as well as review the list of import-export businesses that need support and guidance on procedures, to resolve difficulties and problems quickly and most effectively...

Source: https://haiquanonline.com.vn/hai-quan-an-giang-lay-doanh-nghiep-lam-trong-tam-cai-cach-184590-184590.html