Hanoi (VNA)- Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has asked the Ministry of Finance andHai Phong city to strictly follow the PM’s instruction on reviewing fees forusing infrastructure, service facilities and public utilities at ports in thecity.

The Government Officehas sent Document 9014/VPCP–KTTH to the city’s People’s Committee toconvey the Prime Minister’s instruction on the issue. The previous documentfrom the Government in May said adjustments infees were needed to ensure they are reasonable, comply with the law and createfavourable conditions for import and export firms, as per Governmentresolutions on improving the business climate.

The document was sentright after the municipal Hai An district People’s Committee requiredbusinesses that have imported and exported goods through the city’s ports topay fee from the beginning of the year to quickly complete the payment. Thedeadline is September 15.

The announcementby Hai An district also said if firms did not pay the fee by the deadline,they would be subject to administrative penalties stipulated under Decree109/2013/NĐ-CP, dated September 24, 2013, on price management, fees andinvoices.

The district also saidthey would apply coercive measures on companies that did not follow theannouncement.

“Customs units, bondedport and warehouse trading firms in Hai Phong will not allow import-exportgoods through their seaports if companies do not pay the fee,” the announcementsaid.

The district saidmost businesses have executed the resolution thatcame into effect from the beginning of this year, regulating fees forconstruction, infrastructure, service buildings and public utilities at ports.However, there were some companies that had not paid the fee.

Under theresolution, individuals and organisations that have shipments stored atbonded warehouses must pay 2.2 million VND (97 USD) to 4.8 million VND (220USD) per container, an increase of nearly 70 percent from the previous fee.

The municipal People’sCommittee said fee collection was legal and suitable with the current laws. Inaddition, the fee is half of that collected at the Lao Cai border gate, itsaid.

Businesses, meanwhile,expressed their disagreement with the city’s resolution,saying the fees were unreasonably high and underminedtheir competitiveness.

The Vietnam PrivateSector Forum (VPSF) has proposed the municipal people’s committees conductdirect dialogues with businesses and associations to collect their ideas on theissue. In addition, associations also sent several documents to the Governmentto resolve the problem.

Pham Thi Ngoc Thuy,VPSF’s deputy general secretary, said the shortduration between the resolution’s promulgation and it coming into effect hasmade businesses passive, as all issues, including contract and price for thewhole year, were negotiated and signed beforehand. The fee could make theirexport products’ prices higher, causing losses for businesses.

Chairman of the VietnamChamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Vu Tien Loc said the resolution couldbe a dangerous precedent for other localities which have seaports and airportsto collect fees in the future, creating disadvantages for the country’s exportactivities.

Hai Phong Port isthe second-largest port in Vietnam with one third of total cargo passingthrough it.-VNA