|
Towards ASEAN one-stop customs market
The intra-ASEAN one-stop shop mechanism will be put into place by 2012, according to a roadmap developed by ASEAN member countries.
Importers will be able to ship their goods to any ASEAN country after completing customs procedures at a regional port. This aims to boost intra-ASEAN trade cooperation and materialize the target of establishing an ASEAN Community (AC) by 2015.
Vietnamese customs figures showed that ASEAN countries have always been Vietnam’s biggest trade partners in the recent years. Mutual trade value grew 25.9 percent annually from 2005-2008 and 13.3 percent annually from 2005-2009 due to 2009 global economic recession. ASEAN is Vietnam’s third largest export market behind the US and the EU. By contrast, the bloc is Vietnam’s second largest exporter behind China.
Statistics show that the trade exchanges between ASEAN and Vietnam kept growing rapidly in recent years. Bilateral trade value increased constantly from 2005-2008. From merely US$14.9 billion in 2005, total import export value between ASEAN and Vietnam hit US$29.7 billion in 2008, nearly doubling 2005’s figure. Due to economic recession, the figure dropped to US$22.4 billion in 2009, 25 percent less than in 2008.
However, the trade and economic relations between ASEAN and Vietnam showed positive signs in the initial months of 2010. The latest statistics by the General Department of Customs reveal that the import export value between ASEAN and Vietnam reached US$6.12 billion in the first quarter of 2010, 37 percent more than a year ago and comprising 18.9 percent of Vietnam’s total import export value. Of this, Vietnamese exports to ASEAN amounted to US$.54 billion, 26.5 percent more and represented 17.6 percent of Vietnam’s total export value. Vietnamese imports from ASEAN were around US$3.57 billion, 45.6 percent more, accounting for 20 percent of the country’s total import value.
Notwithstanding, the trade and economic relations between Vietnam and ASEAN are yet to be commensurate with the region’s huge potential, particularly from late 2008 when the world economy slipped into recession. To facilitate intra-ASEAN trade, ASEAN countries are committed to following a unified roadmap to create an internal one-stop shop mechanism, allowing importers to ship goods to any member country after completing customs procedures at a regional port. The average time for customs clearance is expected to be shortened to 30 minutes by 2012.
To be well prepared for the ASEAN one-stop shop (ASEAN Single Window-ASW) mechanism, Vietnam is preparing premises for the National Single Window (NSW) and consider it a major step before joining the ASW.
The General Department of Customs said that NSW activities mainly pertained to preparations to ensure effective cooperation in this area among ministries, departments, and relevant organizations. Vietnam has thus far established a master plan on NSW implementation. The plan is to take place from 2009-2011 and encompasses different phases: building technical infrastructure, re-designing professional processes, introducing data models, improving the legal framework, and developing information systems. Intensive preparations will take place in late 2011 to be able to connect to ASW by 2012.
The process of ASW implementation is also fraught with difficulties. That is the differences in ASW awareness and ways of implementation by relevant countries. The ASEAN Single Window is a new issue requiring a high level of IT application development. Therefore, reaching a consensus in the awareness, concentration of resources and co-ordination in action is important to ensure the smooth operation of the ASW.
The General Department of Customs said in 2010 Vietnam begins to tackle the master plan components, including simplifying, standardizing and harmonizing procedures and processes and reviewing IT systems; analyzing legal issues and compiling propagation and training documents of relevant ministries and departments; building and developing IT systems that meet the professional requirements of the General Department of Customs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Ministry of Transport.
Then it is important to experiment with the National Single Window project in the import export business and transit services in several key areas. Along with this, Vietnam will finalize legal reports for NSW implementation and undertake trials with the ASW project pursuant to the ASEAN roadmap.
vietnamnet, Vietnam Economic News
|
