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New rules govern customs agents
Government Decree No.14/ND-CP, issued on February 16, specifies conditions for registration and operation of customs agents. Organisations or individuals wishing to act as customs agents must (i) complete business registration; (ii) be engaged in the business of providing freigh forwarding services or of providing customs services, with such business purposes stated in the business registration certificate; (iii) have at least one employee qualified to act as a customs agent; and (iv) have a computer network connection enabling connection with customs offices for conducting e-customs procedures through provincial-level customs departments which offer these procedures.
A customs agent must be a Vietnamese citizen with an intermediate or higher degree in economics or law and a customs operation training certificate, and must have worked for a licensed customs agent for at least three months.
Under the regulation, customs agents may sign contracts with owners of goods; request owners of goods to fully and accurately provide documents and information necessary for completion of customs procedures for each export or import lot; perform duties related to customs procedures as agreed upon in contracts, including making declarations and signatures, appending seals on customs declaration forms, producing goods for customs inspection, and paying taxes, fees and charges.
The new decree specifies that customs agents who properly observe the customs law would be commended and rewarded, while others face suspension from operations. The decree takes effect on April 1 and replaces Government Decree No.79/ND-CP of June 2005.
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