Accompanying with businesses to overcome difficulties during Covid-19 pandemic

​Exporting goods at Dong Nai Port.

Sharing difficulties with businesses

Mr. Le Van Tho, Head of Import - Export Tax Department - Dong Nai Customs Department (DNC) said that since the outbreak began, DNC has increased contact with enterprises, especially directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic with causes such as: shortage of foreign experts due to inability to come to Vietnam to administer and direct operations; interruption of production of raw materials due to markets in which countries are unable to export due to the pandemic; inability to export manufactured products, and cancelled orders, etc. for the fact that those countries stopped importing goods; and working capital of enterprises was in shortage because production goods are not consumed, etc. Thereby, accurate assessment of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on production and business activities of enterprises is identified.

In order to remove difficulties for businesses, Dong Nai Customs has regularly connected closely with business associations in the province to promptly grasp the difficulties and problems of enterprises in import and export activities to apply appropriate support solutions. At the same time, businesses are encouraged to seek a domestic raw material market to replace imported raw materials; exploit and take advantage of the supply chain link in a way that one company's products are the other's production materials, etc.

Staff of Bien Hoa Customs Branch are inspecting the warehouse at Dong Nai Port.

Clearing customs procedures

 Mr. Vu Duc Sinh, Chief of Dong Nai Customs Office said, DNC has proactively arranged overtime staff including Saturday and Sunday, holidays and New Year Holiday to support businesses to quickly settle customs procedures and release goods even in the period of social distancing. In addition to promoting changes within the field, Dong Nai Customs has also cooperated closely with functional units including specialized management agencies, treasury, banks, port authorities, border forces, etc. to focus on quickly solving problems arising of enterprises in the process of carrying out customs procedures for import and export goods, promptly reporting to the General Department of Vietnam Customs for problems beyond its handling competence and seeking direction and guidance on how to remove difficulties for businesses, ensuring stability, and limiting influence and disturbance to import and export activities of enterprises.

DNC has also strengthened IT application and electronic software for professional management such as electronic clearance, online tax collection and payment 24/7; solving customs procedures on the national one-door customs mechanism, ASEAN Single Window, and so forth. Through technology application software, customs clearance time has been shortened, facilitating enterprises in the process of doing customs procedures, contributing to limiting incurring costs for demurrage and detention of enterprises and so on.

Up to now, 100% of customs procedures in the field of customs have been provided on the online public service system. DNC has answered and processed over 19,000 records and over 1,000 questions of enterprises about policies related to customs.

Talking about activities to support enterprises in the coming time, Director General of Dong Nai Customs Department Phung Thi Bich Huong advised that DNC will continue to strengthen the direction of specific activities to support enterprises in accordance with actual arising situation, new changes and additions to the State's policies on customs. It is expected that in September 2020, DCN will organize an annual business dialogue conference through which to continue listening and responding directly to problems and proposals of businesses related to goods import and export activities, and also to expect comments and feedbacks from businesses about solutions and plans so that DNC can continue to improve efficiency in supporting, accompanying and sharing difficulties with the business community in the context of the current pandemic.

Phan Anh​