A dialogue between customs offices and businesses in the north was held in Hanoi on July 10. Many businesses attended the meeting and many questions were directed to customs officials. Some questions were answered, but some needed cooperation between customs and other sectors.

As a result, enterprises are now more aware of the importance of such meetings. Instead of asking general questions, they raised specific questions which relate to common difficulties. In return, customs officers, from the deputy general director to directors of specialised agencies, mostly were able to give satisfactory answers.

Enterprises’ hitches

Many businesses are facing difficulties in declaring customs online. Cao Hung Lan, an official of the Hanoi Trade Corporation, said e-customs has helped simplify redundant procedures. However, there remain certain snags, including the speed of the Internet at customs offices and the number of customs officers in charge of e-customs declarations.

Pham Dinh Hai, general director of SOTO, a company specialised in producing woollen products, garments and textiles in northern Thanh Hoa province, said many businesses, including his, have not yet enjoyed preferential treatment in customs declarations in spite of paying tax on time. He added that the preferential treatment is supposed to apply to classification of businesses which practice good performance in terms of tax paying. However, some businesses have abused the preferential treatment to import goods illegally.

According to Dang Thi Binh An, deputy general director of the General Department of Customs, Mr Hai’s concern is true. She added that the classification of businesses is aimed at better managing businesses in terms of paying tax. But businesses must always fulfil their tax-paying obligation and should not wait to receive the preferential treatment, Ms An said.

Businesses must observe the law to ensure their interests

Queries from businesses reflected that they have not thoroughly grasped regulations stipulated in the Customs Law and Tax Management Law, even regulations which stipulate the interests of businesses.

Nguyen Van Can, director of the Department of Import-Export Checking, the General Department of Customs, said both businesses and customs agencies must thoroughly research all regulations in the Tax Management Law, by-law decrees and instruction circulations. In short, businesses and customs agencies are equal in the eyes of the law. One has the rights and responsibilities of businesses and the other has the rights and obligations of customs agencies.

Pham Gia Tuc, general secretary of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry said some legal documents do not provide clear guidelines for implementation, even in the customs field. Disseminating the contents of regulations is becoming necessary to help both enterprises and customs agencies practice them successfully, Mr Tuc said.

Businesses said that some improvements have been made in customs procedures, including time for customs clearance, file and goods checking. This is a positive outcome of the customs sector’s efforts to reform its procedures.

However, the dialogue also gave businesses a cause for concern. They should thoroughly grasp the regulations in order to make use of advantages and avoid violations.