VietNamNet Bridge – Overseas Vietnamese (OV) on last week voiced concerns over a new circular on second-hand machine imports, saying the new rules would hit their operations.

Circular 20/2014/TT-BKHCN issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology states that second-hand machines in most cases can be imported if they have been used for less than five years and their quality is equivalent to 80% of new machines.

The circular, which will come into effect on September 1, is aimed to ensure the quality, safety, energy efficiency and environmental protection of used machines, equipment and technology imported into Vietnam.

While the first condition was considered easy, delegates at a dialogue between enterprises, overseas Vietnamese and tax and customs leaders in HCMC on August 21 said that the second rule was impossible to observe.

Phan Van Tuc, an overseas Vietnamese in Japan, said his company in Vietnam usually imports offset printers. In Japan, offset printers used within five years from the production date are too expensive for Vietnamese enterprises to buy.

“Japanese printers that have been used for over five years still have high quality and work well. If we don’t import the products, we will by accident help Chinese products flow into the country, and Chinese new printers may be not as good as Japanese second-hand products,” Tuc said.

Do Hoang, an overseas Vietnamese in the United States, said the circular will also tighten regulations on allowing the Vietnamese people returning from overseas to the country to import automobiles as movable assets.

The circular requires that these vehicles should have been registered in the country of residence for at least six months and have run on the road at least 10,000 kilometers by the time of their arrival at Vietnamese ports.

Hoang questioned that why the 10,000-kilometer rule is applied besides the rule on six-month registration.

Nguyen Quoc Toan, deputy head of the import-export tax office under the Customs Department of HCMC, admitted that it is difficult to evaluate the remaining quality of used machines and production lines imported. But, customs offices have to implement regulations stipulated by the ministry.

The HCMC Customs Department will take note of suggestions by enterprises and overseas Vietnamese to report to the ministry and related agencies to help businesses cope with the difficulties presented, Toan said.    

SGT/VNN