Thanks to promoting administrative procedure reform, customs modernization and implementation of solutions to support and accompany businesses, cooperation and partnership between customs and businesses in the province in recent years has been highly appreciated by the business community. It contributes to improving the business environment and promoting investment attraction in the area.
Develop customs-business partnership
Thanks to the increasingly improved investment environment, Binh Duong has attracted many domestic and foreign investors. Thereby, the number of enterprises participating in import-export activities in the province has grown rapidly in both quantity and scale, especially the group of FDI enterprises. To assist and support businesses to develop production business and improve competitiveness, in recent times, Binh Duong Customs Department (HQBD) has had many solutions. Thereby, contributing to improving the business investment environment, enhancing the PCI competitiveness index, and developing the relationship between customs and businesses.
In the PCI indicators, the customs industry is related to 4 indicators, which are "unofficial costs", "transparency", "time costs" and "business support services". To continue improving the PCI index, supporting business development, and improving the business environment, the Customs Department strives to reform and modernize in all aspects, enhance electronic payment through the VNACCS/VCIS automatic customs clearance system at customs branches, 24/7 electronic tax payment.
Binh Duong Customs Department promotes administrative procedure reform and implements solutions to accompany businesses
Nguyen Tran Hieu, Director of Binh Duong Customs Department, said that customs branches in the province always closely monitor the situation of businesses, regularly organize dialogues, visits, and encourage businesses to overcome difficulties and stabilize production to create jobs for workers and contribute to State budget. To help businesses overcome difficulties, in addition to implementing the solutions proposed by the Government, Ministry of Finance, General Department of Customs, and Provincial People's Committee, Provincial Customs Department closely follows the local situation and implements many groups of solutions, to remove difficulties for enterprises and create favorable conditions for new investment in the province.
Assist businesses to comply with the law
With the goal of facilitating trade, reducing costs for businesses, and establishing trusted partnerships, in July 2022, the General Department of Customs officially launched a pilot program to support businesses in voluntarily complying with customs laws. According to Provincial Department of Customs, up to now, this unit has signed with 18 businesses in the area to join the voluntary program of complying with customs laws. This is a pilot program thus the selection of participants was also carefully considered.
After more than 1 year of implementation, the program has brought many practical benefits to businesses according to the goals set by the customs industry. Out of the 18 enterprises joining the program at the time of memorandum signing, there were 15 enterprises complying with level 3 and 3 enterprises complying with level 4. Up to now, 5 businesses have increased their compliance level, accounting for 27.7% of participating businesses. Notably, the red channeling rate of businesses in this program has decreased by 4% compared to the time before participating in the program.
Appreciating this pilot program to support and encourage businesses to voluntarily comply with customs laws, Ratchapol Thanawarith, representative of Vina Kraft Paper Co., Ltd., said that after becoming a member of this program, member businesses have enjoyed more benefits. This company has been consulted by the Department of Customs to resolve 100% of business support requests, ensuring to quickly and promptly help businesses resolve arising problems.
"The results of the legal compliance level of the company have improved from an average compliance level to a high compliance level when participating in the program," Ratchapol said. He also added that participating in the program brings benefits for the business community; improves the management efficiency of customs authorities and state management agencies; creates a healthy business environment and improves national competitiveness. Therefore, businesses have both the benefit and the obligation to comply with the law; by closely coordinating with customs authorities to assess the current situation, then have specific plans to gradually improve the level of compliance.
According to Provincial Department of Customs, this pilot program will last 2 years; but after 1 year, there have been good changes in increasing compliance levels and risk ratings of enterprises. The program has gradually brought very practical results to businesses. As joining this program, businesses are supported by customs authorities to reduce customs clearance time and reduce costs for businesses; separate channels are allocated to joining enterprises; skilled customs officers are assigned to assist customs procedures; increase the proportion of green channel, reduce the proportion of yellow and red streams; warn potential risk factors to help businesses minimize violations of customs laws...
Businesses also realize that participating in this program has turned the partnership between customs authorities and businesses into a trusted partner, so businesses have continuously spread the benefits of this program to their partners and other import-export enterprises. In the coming time, Binh Duong Customs Department will expand the number of member businesses to further spread this program.
"Improving the business investment environment and creating favorable conditions for businesses to develop is one of the key tasks that Binh Duong has carried out over the past time. Especially, in the current period, when businesses are still going through great difficulties, the companionship of the province, departments and branches, including the customs industry, is a big support to help businesses feel secure. During this time, we must not only continue to overcome difficulties but also find ways to access new sources of investment capital," said Nguyen Tran Hieu, Director of Binh Duong Customs Department.
Reported by Ngoc Thanh - Translated by Ngoc Huynh
