Reducing customs clearance time at border gates, promoting 'ASEAN single window mechanism'

Comrades: Nguyen Xuan Phuc - Politburo member, Prime Minister, Vuong Dinh Hue - Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, Dinh Tien Dung - Party Central Committee member, Minister of Finance chaired the conference.

Attending at Nghe An bridge point were comrade Le Xuan Dai - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and representatives of leaders of provincial departments and branches.

Nghe An Customs officers inspect import and export goods at Cua Lo Port. Photo: Document

The conference aims to evaluate the results achieved in promoting the national single window mechanism and the ASEAN single window mechanism in the 2011-2017 period.According to the Ministry of Finance, up to now, 11 ministries and sectors have connected and implemented 53 administrative procedures with nearly 1.26 million records of 22,000 enterprises processed through the national single window mechanism.

In general, compared with the set targets, most macro indicators have been achieved or have had remarkable results.

The main contents implemented have achieved many positive results, positively impacting the business environment in Vietnam; especially in shortening customs clearance time at border gates (Vietnam is among the top 4 countries in ASEAN).All customs procedures have been connected to the National Single Window Mechanism and are highly automated with 99.65% of enterprises participating in implementation at 100% of customs units nationwide; the application of IT has helped enterprises shorten the time to carry out necessary procedures.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc gave a speech at the conference. Photo: Phu Huong

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc acknowledged the results achieved in recent times, while strictly pointing out that the implementation results are still modest compared to the set goals.

The Prime Minister requested,It is necessary to promptly propose solutions to overcome shortcomings and limitations as well as adjust inappropriate contents of trade facilitation policies through the implementation of the national single window mechanism; further promote administrative reforms, seek solutions to further improve the investment and business environment; facilitate transportation and trade activities; better and more substantially serve people and businesses in production and business activities and enhance national competitiveness.

Delegates attending the online conference at Nghe An bridge. Photo: Phu Huong

To create maximum conditions for the business community, it is necessary to reform the administration in a more synchronous, strong, extensive and substantial manner. In particular, it is necessary to review and perfect the legal basis in accordance with reality; deploy an information technology system in accordance with the development trend of the 4.0 industrial revolution. Along with that, it is necessary to establish an independent monitoring, reporting and evaluation mechanism for the implementation of the national single window mechanism, the ASEAN single window mechanism...

TFrom now until the end of 2018, ministries and branches must complete and submit to the Government for promulgation a Decree on implementing administrative procedures through the national single window mechanism, the ASEAN single window mechanism and specialized inspection of import and export goods; submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation the Government's action plan on this issue.

On that basis, ministries and branches develop their own action plans and organize the implementation of the national single window mechanism. Continue to promote initial results, overcome difficulties and limitations to make Vietnam a country with a good investment and business environment.

In Nghe An, implementing the national single window mechanism has contributed to saving time in completing licensing procedures and customs clearance for import and export goods; saving costs and using resources; increasing transparency in the process of administrative procedures, improving state management capacity and quality in providing public services...

In the coming time, Nghe An will continue to promote propaganda, provide information, organize training courses on this issue for the business community; build and deploy an IT system to serve the implementation of the National One-Stop Mechanism.