According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, customs cooperation plays a very important role in building, developing and maintaining the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), when ASEAN becomes a single market, a production and general distribution base in the region, through trade facilitation, enables free circulation of goods and implementation of ASEAN's deep economic integration goals.

The Minister of Finance, Ho Duc Phoc and Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Nguyen Van Tho attended the ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting (AFMGM) in April 2024 in Laos

One of the main results of ASEAN customs cooperation and integration is the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN). This is the List of goods at the 8-digit level used by Customs of ASEAN countries, built based on the WCO HS List. Currently, ASEAN countries have implemented the 2022 version of the AHTN List.

Vietnam has also completed relevant legal documents to implement the AHTN 2022 version, specifically issuing a Circular promulgating the List of Vietnam's import and export goods in December 2022.

The ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) is also one of the outstanding results in ASEAN customs cooperation. This system automates the implementation of customs procedures for the transport of goods in transit across borders within ASEAN by road vehicles. Through a common customs procedure, ACTS allows businesses to move goods freely across ASEAN nation members.

ACTS officially went into operation on November 30, 2020, with 6 member countries participating including: Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The ACTS system is currently operated by the Permanent Center Management Team at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters (Jakarta, Indonesia), with financial and technical aid from the European Union (EU) through the ARISE PLUS project. Since January 31, 2024, there were 190 transit shipments undergoing customs procedures through the ACTS system, mainly from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.

As a member country, Vietnam has implemented the ACTS initiative with ASEAN countries according to common progress. Regarding completing the legal foundation, the Vietnam Government has issued Decree No. 46/2020/ND-CP regulating customs procedures, customs inspection and supervision for goods in transit through the ASEAN Customs transit system following the 7th Decree on Customs Transit System.

Regarding the system connection, the General Department of VIetnam Customs has closely coordinated with relevant ministries, including the role of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Transport and commercial banks in providing guarantee. In addition, Vietnam Customs also received support from the ARISE PLUS Project to complete the installation of the ACTS system (updated with full functionality of the new version). In terms of human resources to operate the system, through technical support programs from partners, Vietnam Customs officers are also trained to proactively operate and administer the system.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs said that the first transit guarantee transaction through the ACTS system in the Vietnamese market was successfully implemented in February 2024 through Moc Bai Customs Branch, Tay Ninh province.

Mutual recognition of Priority Enterprises in ASEAN

In implementing the ASEAN Single Window (ASW), currently, Vietnam Customs has officially connected to exchange information on electronic Certificate of Origin Form D (C/O Form D) with 9 ASEAN countries, exchange experiment of export customs declarations with the Eurasian Economic Union, exchange of electronic C/O information with South Korea, electronic certificates with New Zealand.

In addition, Vietnam Customs has completed the system connection to enable businesses and related parties to look up Vietnam's C/O e-Form D from August 2021 through the National Single Window Information Portal. Gia (https://vnsw.gov.vn).

Regarding the exchange of ASEAN Customs Declarations Document (ACDD) through the ASEAN Single Window, until April 2024, except for Laos, which has not yet joined the system, Vietnam Customs has successfully exchanged data with 5 countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore) and is continuing to test with the remaining countries according to the roadmap.

Currently, Vietnam Customs said it has officially connected the ASEAN Single Window to exchange electronic Certificate of Origin Form D (C/O Form D) information with 9 countries in the region. (Photo: Vietnam+)

According to the rotation mechanism, Vietnam Customs will take on the position of Chairman and be the host country to organize the 33rd ASEAN Directors-General of Customs (ADGCM) in 2024. Representative of the General Department of Customs said that as the Chairman of Customs in 2024, Vietnam will make efforts to strengthen connection and unity among ASEAN countries to continue implementing the ASEAN Customs Development Strategic Plans for the period 2021- 2025.

Source: Công Thương