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Baby steps for e-customs services
More than 67.500 import and export customs declarations have been processed online in Ho Chi Minh City since pilot electronic customs procedures were launched in late 2005, according to a meeting Friday.
Traditional customs clearance formalities still dominate, as Friday’s figure accounts for only 1 percent of all import and export customs declarations.
At the meeting, held by the HCMC Customs Department, the municipal People’s Committee leaders and many business representatives appreciated the electronic customs clearance, saying it helped save time and speed up the process.
About 240 companies have been granted licenses to perform electronic customs procedures at the department
While most are in HCMC, others are in cities and provinces across the country.
The number of businesses using e-customs services is small because legal documents and network infrastructure for e-transactions are still in developmental stages.
Vinamilk, Vietnam’s top dairy firm, is meeting difficulties with export declarations as the customs software did not register cartons.
Many businesses, meanwhile, were familiar with the traditional form and not eager to change.
The city customs department is planning to improve network infrastructure and encourage more businesses to join in e-services for the 2008-2010 period.
Seven percent of the city’s import-export financial turnover is being transacted through e-customs clearance services while the customs department expects to raise it to 30 percent by 2010.
Thanhnien
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