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50-70 percent of import-export turnover will get e-customs clearance
70 percent of customs manifests will get e-customs clearance by the end of the year – this is the goal set by the HCM City Customs Agency
Deputy Director of the HCM City Customs Agency, Tran Ma Thong, said in a recent interview given to Nguoi lao dong newspaper, that the agency has kicked off a pilot programme on reforming customs procedures, under which, the automation level of customs procedures will be improved.
Nguoi lao dong: This morning, October 12, the HCM City Customs Agency opened a training course on e-customs procedures for 1600 businesses in the city. Could you please tell us about the goal of the training course?
Tran Ma Thong: The target we have set is that 70 percent of customs manifests, or 50-70 percent of total import-export turnover will get e-customs clearance by the end of the year. Four classes will be opened by the HCM City Customs Agency which will explain customs procedures to businesses and provide training, so that businesses can fluently follow the procedures by November 1, 2010.
Nguoi lao dong: What are the differences between e-customs procedures and the e-customs clearance programme which is being carried out by the HCM City Customs Agency?
Tran Ma Thong: The similarity is that businesses have to make customs declarations via Internet. However, previously, after making customs declarations via Internet, businesseshad to go to customs agencies, present documents in paper for those to be compared with the soft versions. After that, businesses have to follow other procedures to get customs clearance. With the new programme, all import and export goods will get clearance right on the computer network. Businesses and customs agencies will exchange information right on the network.
Nguoi lao dong: How high the automation level of e-customs procedures will be?
Tran Ma Thong: The automation level is about 70 percent. Direct contacts between customs agencies and businesses will be minimized so as to avoid bribery or wrongdoings. Meanwhile, e-customs procedures will allow businesses to get customs clearance quickly, thus allowing businesses to save money and time.
Nguoi lao dong: Some businesses complained that sometimes they met troubles when trying to make declarations on Internet. Do you think that the network quality will be high enough to satisfy the requirements of the new programme?
Tran Ma Thong: We received the support from the General Department of Customs in fixing software errors. We have increased the number of servers in order to meet the requirements of the new programme. However, the quality of the network will depend on the service providers.
According to Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Director of Tan Cang Customs Sub-agency, the HCM City and Hai Phong Customs Agencies are the two agencies which have joined the trial programme on e-customs procedures since October 2005. Over the last five years, more than 400 businesses have got customs clearance under the programme.
vietnamnet, NLD
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