Hanoi (VNA) – While specialised customs inspectionshave been reduced in recent times, the streamlining process has yet to makesubstantial progress and businesses are still largely unsatisfied with theresults so far, heard a meeting in Hanoi on May 13.

Since 2015, the standing board of the VietnamFatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee and relevant organisations havecoordinated to monitor the tax and customs sectors’ implementation of solutionsto improve the business climate and national competitiveness.

President of the VFF Central Committee TranThanh Man said one of the bottlenecks that needs to be removed is unnecessaryspecialised inspection procedures in customs clearance.

Improvements have been recorded in specialisedinspections, he said, noting that 126 customs procedures joined the NationalSingle Window (NSW) and the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) in 2018 – the mostoutstanding move in customs procedure reforms so far.

Over the last four years, 97 percent ofprocedures have been connected with the single window mechanism. Ministries andsectors are expected to raise this rate to 100 percent by the end of thisyear. 

Meanwhile, the rate of goods undergoingspecialised inspections has been slashed from 35 percent of the total exportand import volume to 19.1 percent within three years.

However, up to 70,087 commodities were stillsubject to specialised inspections as of March 2019. Some ministries had evenincreased the number of such items, Man added.

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue who alsochairs the national committee for the NSW, ASW, and trade facilitation, pointedout that the reduction of specialised procedures has yet to be substantive, whilethe policy implementation attitude remains weak. The satisfaction rate amongstbusinesses remains low and the number of firms joining the NSW and ASW is stillmodest.

He said several imports and exports are stillsubject to overlapping inspections conducted by many units of a ministry oreven by different ministries. The involvement of the private sector inspecialised inspections remains limited. Additionally, ASW connections are jammedduring peak times, affecting businesses’ activities.

Vietnam is one of the countries most dedicatedto implementing the NSW and ASW in the region. When it takes on its role asASEAN Chair in 2020, the Government will promote this work as a focal task toconnect and develop trading in the region.

Hue noted if the reduction of specialisedcustoms procedures is carried out in a mechanical manner, it is likely to betaken advantage of by certain interest groups. Therefore, this issue needsthorough consideration.

The Deputy PM asked the standing board of theVFF Central Committee to monitor the performance of not only state agencies andpublic employees, but also businesses. He also told the Ministry of Finance,the General Department of Vietnam Customs, and relevant agencies to boost theprivate sector’s investment in equipment for specialised inspections so as tocut down costs for both the State and enterprises. –VNA