VietNamNet Bridge – Import-export companies and customs officers have got worried stiff because of the new regulation that requires exporters to gather goods at the border gates, seaports, airports or bonded warehouses before they make customs declarations and submit the declarations.

The regulation would take effects as of April 1, 2014.

Exporters put on tenterhooks

A senior executive of a wooden furniture import-export company said the new regulation sets a procedure contrary to the currently applied one.

At present, businesses bring goods to the ports to containerize there after they make customs declarations. With the procedure, businesses don’t have to pay for the storage of goods at the ports, while they still continue making products while waiting for their turns to get customs clearance.

With the new procedure, things would be more complicated and would cost businesses more time.

“If we plan to export 30 containers of goods in March, we will have to finish making the products, carry goods to the ports and wait for the customs clearance. It will be impossible to contact shipping firms, follow customs procedures and keep production at the same time,” he explained.

In case the clients cancel the contracts, exporters would have to waste money on storing their goods at the ports.

Other businesses also have expressed their worries that the new regulation would make the exports get stuck at the airports, because of which exporters would have to pay higher for the storage.

Commenting about the new regulation, the senior executive of a firm specializing in providing customs declaration services, said this is a step back in the process of modernizing the customs procedures to create most favorable conditions for businesses’ activities.

Customs officers also… feel worried

A customs officer of the Saigon Port customs agency No. 2 frankly said the new regulation is “unreasonable” and “unfeasible.”

The officer said export companies were informed about the new regulation one week ago. Meanwhile, customs officers are still awaiting the guidance for the new regulation implementation from the Ministry of Finance and General Customs Department.

“However, it is foreseeable how the business community will react to the enigmatic request,” he said.

A solution to fight against heroin trafficking?

In mid-February 2014, the General Department of Customs released the Notice No. 1767 addressing local customs agencies, informing that from April 1, 2014, exporters have to gather export goods in the places to be determined. The notice said the new regulation aims to ease the problems existing in the e-customs procedures which have affected the state’s management.

Prior to that, the idea was suggested by the HCM City People’s Committee, the HCM City Customs Agency to the competent state management agencies.

The new regulation aims to prevent businessmen from making the corrupt use of the legal loopholes to commit trade frauds and smuggle.

Most recently, 600 cakes of heroin went through the Tan Son Nhat Airport to Taiwan and they were only discovered by Taiwanese officers. The consignment of goods was labeled with “green card” which was not examined.

According to the HCM City, 80 percent of exports do not have to go through examinations.

TBKTSG