Officially implementing the National Single Window Mechanism and connecting the ASEAN Single Window Mechanism

On the morning of September 8, in Hanoi, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung pressed the button to officially announce the implementation of the National Single Window Mechanism and the technical connection of the ASEAN Single Window Mechanism.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung; Deputy Prime Ministers Vu Van Ninh, Pham Binh Minh and leaders of ministries attended the ceremony to officially announce the implementation of the National Single Window Mechanism and technical connection of the ASEAN Single Window Mechanism. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

Attending the announcement ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh; Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Le Luong Minh; leaders of several ministries and branches; ambassadors of several ASEAN countries in Vietnam...

Towards the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community, the pioneering pillar of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, ASEAN countries have implemented a series of specific measures, including focusing on establishing and implementing the ASEAN Single Window, a tool to facilitate trade and contribute to making ASEAN a production base and a common market.

In addition to the commitment to regional integration, stemming from the internal needs of economic development, facilitating the investment and business environment, ensuring Vietnam's position in international economic integration and enhancing national competitiveness, the Vietnamese Government has identified the need to quickly reform administrative procedures in all fields, considering this one of the Government's top tasks in the integration period.

In particular, the successful implementation of the National Single Window as a key tool of Government agencies in facilitating international trade and transport as well as early connection to the ASEAN Single Window has been closely monitored and given very strong directions by Government leaders at all levels.

The National Steering Committee for the ASEAN Single Window and National Single Window, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh, is responsible for directing the implementation of the National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window. The General Department of Customs is assigned to be the Standing Agency assisting the National Steering Committee.

According to the report of the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee, the national single window mechanism is implemented in 3 phases. Phase 1 connects the Ministries of Finance, Industry and Trade, and Transport. Phase 2 connects the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Natural Resources and Environment, and Health. Phase 3 connects the Ministries of Science and Technology, Information and Communications, and Culture, Sports and Tourism.

In phase 1, the Ministry of Finance (General Department of Customs) coordinated with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to implement many one-stop administrative procedures related to the management of ships exiting/entering/transiting at 5 international seaports; procedures for granting preferential certificates of origin for exported/imported goods of ASEAN origin (C/O form D) under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement; procedures for granting import licenses for large-displacement motorcycles; procedures for granting import licenses for ozone-depleting substances.

As of August 27, nearly 1,940 enterprises have declared seaport procedures on the National Single Window Portal.

In phase 2, the National Single Window continues to expand its connection with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Health. Currently, the Ministries are conducting training for businesses combined with step-by-step piloting to be able to deploy widely by the end of 2015.

In phase 3, the Ministries of Science and Technology, Information and Communications, and Culture, Sports and Tourism will complete the connection to the National Single Window Mechanism in the areas of quality inspection for imported goods on the quality inspection list; licensing of import of radio transmitters and receivers; and imported children's toys. The above procedures will be implemented from September 2015 to the end of 2015.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh - Head of the National Steering Committee for the ASEAN Single Window and the National Single Window Mechanism speaks at the announcement ceremony. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

As an active member of ASEAN, Vietnam has proactively participated in ASEAN working groups within the framework of implementing the ASEAN Single Window Mechanism right from the time of drafting the Agreement and Protocol and putting the contents of these treaties into practice when ratified by the Governments of member countries.

Currently, many member countries, including Vietnam, have completed legal reviews and internalized regulations to implement the ASEAN Single Window. Member countries have also signed the Protocol on the legal framework for implementing the ASEAN Single Window, a complete legal foundation for the ASEAN Single Window to officially operate in 2015.

To date, seven member countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, have announced that they have implemented the National Single Window as committed. Five member countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, have announced that they are ready to connect to the ASEAN Single Window since December 2015.

From mid-August 2015 to mid-September 2015, within the framework of the ASEAN Single Window Pilot Project, Vietnam has successively successfully implemented technical connection and exchange of electronic Certificates of Origin under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement between the Vietnam National Single Window and the National Single Window of member countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

According to the plan agreed upon by the member countries, by the end of October 2015, all 5 member countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will complete technical connections to be ready for full connection by December 2015.

In the coming time, the implementation of the National and ASEAN Single Window will be divided into 2 phases. The phase at the end of 2015 will focus on consolidating the administrative procedures that have been implemented and spreading them nationwide to all relevant subjects; implementing level 4 online public services for officially connected national single window administrative procedures; connecting the ASEAN Single Window and exchanging information on ASEAN Certificate of Origin (C/O form D) and ASEAN customs declaration information (ACDD) for 4 ready countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand).

Phase 2, from 2016 to 2020, expands the National Single Window Mechanism to all ministries and branches in terms of scope and subjects. All administrative procedures on the National Single Window Mechanism are deployed in the form of level 4 online public services.

During this phase, the ASEAN Single Window is fully connected and ready to exchange information with non-ASEAN trade partners to facilitate Vietnam's exports and strengthen control over imports.

Director of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department (General Department of Customs) introduces the operating mechanism of the nationwide customs surveillance system. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh, Head of the National Steering Committee on ASEAN Single Window and National Single Window, emphasized that this is an important event, a turning point for administrative reform, towards e-Government.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh, administrative reform, improving the business environment, and enhancing national competitiveness are among the strategic breakthroughs in economic restructuring, associated with transforming the growth model, improving productivity, quality, and efficiency of the economy; at the same time, these are also important tasks and solutions for successful regional and international integration.

Vietnam has proposed many synchronous solutions to promote administrative reform, shorten processing procedures, reduce implementation time, reduce administrative costs, and facilitate businesses, organizations, and people in investment, production, and business activities. Among these solutions, the national single window mechanism and the ASEAN single window mechanism are important solutions to implement simple and convenient administrative procedures in accordance with international practices and standards, promote trade, tourism, and investment; at the same time, affirm Vietnam's active and proactive determination in implementing its commitments with other countries in the region to realize the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community by the end of 2015.

In carrying out the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister, the Steering Committee has made great efforts, been proactive, creative and achieved many positive results, proposed and supplemented many legal documents in accordance with the one-stop mechanism, development requirements and international commitments; completed the connection with the national one-stop mechanism for 9 ministries and branches with many administrative procedures related to import-export and immigration activities of Vietnam.

In particular, after a period of active preparation and coordination, today Vietnam officially implemented the National Single Window Mechanism and technically connected the ASEAN Single Window Mechanism with 4 countries in the region: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. This is truly an important breakthrough and good news for the business community, organizations and individuals at home and abroad.

Emphasizing that as a community with a population of about 625 million people and a GDP of over 2,500 billion USD, ASEAN has an increasingly important position and role in the region and the world. However, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh also stated that ASEAN's role and advantages can only truly be promoted when each country works together for a strong and sustainable ASEAN.

“The Vietnamese Government is always determined to carry out administrative reforms, first of all administrative procedure reforms, towards a professional, modern, effective and efficient administration,” Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh affirmed.

To contribute to the successful implementation of the above goal, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh requested the National Steering Committee and relevant ministries and sectors to continue to closely coordinate and carefully prepare necessary conditions to fully connect the ASEAN Single Window Mechanism according to the plan agreed upon by member countries in December 2015.

Continue to consolidate, improve and expand the implementation of the National Single Window Mechanism for all sectors and countries in ASEAN, especially for means of transport entering, exiting and transiting, reaching the same level as advanced countries in the region and completing the targets set out in the Government's Resolution on improving the business environment and enhancing national competitiveness.

Continue to review and internalize domestic regulations in accordance with international commitments, including regulations guiding the implementation of the National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window.

Along with that is the time to complete the process, regulations and close coordination between ministries, branches, domestic and foreign organizations so that the National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window bring about efficiency and practical benefits for people and businesses. At the same time, based on the achieved results, there needs to be a specific plan and measures to gradually expand the connection with other countries in the world.

According to Chinhphu.vn