InterLOG participates with Long An Customs Department in a dialogue with businesses regarding regulations on Certificate of Origin

Recognizing the importance and necessity of the Certificate of Origin for goods, experts gathered at the Dialogue Conference between Customs and businesses on Certificate of Origin, organized by Long An Customs Department and the Vietnam Industrial Support Alliance. At the conference, Mr. Phan Hai Trieu, Deputy Manager of Customs Clearance Department at International Logistics Corporation (InterLOG)  and an expert in customs procedures at VISA Alliance, delivered a presentation on "The Importance of Certificate of Origin and Solutions to Address Common Errors."

In the opening remarks at the dialogue session, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Huan, Director of Long An Customs Department, stated that in recent times, Long An Customs Department has always been ready to support and create favorable conditions for businesses to carry out import and export customs procedures. They listen attentively and assist businesses in overcoming difficulties during the implementation process. "The state aims to create a favorable environment, considering businesses as the target to serve and build new trust and motivation through concrete actions and support for the development of businesses and entrepreneurs."

During the 10-year period from 2013 to 2023, Long An Customs Department achieved impressive growth. The number of businesses conducting customs procedures tripled, the number of declarations increased 4.6 times compared to 2013, and the annual import-export turnover reached over 16.3 billion USD, more than three times higher than in 2013. It became the unit with the largest budget revenue in the Mekong Delta region. 

Particularly noteworthy is the fast customs clearance time for import-export goods, which has attracted many businesses to carry out customs procedures within the jurisdiction of Long An Customs Department. Currently, 100% of investment projects in industrial zones involving imported goods for fixed assets have been granted import tax exemption within a maximum of 2 days.

Currently, Long An Customs Department is responsible for managing import-export activities in the three provinces of Long An, Tien Giang, and Ben Tre. In the first six months of 2024, Long An Customs Department achieved over 50% of the assigned revenue target for the year 2024, contributing 2,138 billion VND to the state budget.

At the conference, Mr. Thieu Quang Nguyen, Deputy Head of the Operation Department at Long An Customs Department, shared and updated the new regulations on the import and export of chemicals, aquatic products, and important notes in the activities of processing, manufacturing, and export production.

Emphasizing the importance of the Certificate of Origin, Mr. Phan Hai Trieu, Deputy Manager of Customs Clearance Department at International Logistics Corporation (InterLOG) and an expert in customs procedures at VISA Alliance, shared: "The Certificate of Origin is a decisive factor for businesses to enjoy tax benefits based on trade agreements between countries. However, many businesses often encounter unnecessary errors, such as not properly recording and excluding quantities used for other purposes in the calculation sheet for the origin criteria when applying for the C/O, or selecting the wrong origin criteria according to the provisions of each agreement. These errors significantly affect the process of obtaining a Certificate of Origin for goods. Therefore, businesses need to exercise tighter control, coordinate with other departments, and choose the correct origin criteria stated in the C/O to maximize tax benefits."

Alongside the discussions, participating businesses had many questions for the speakers and Long An Customs Department regarding challenges encountered in the process of customs clearance for import-export goods. The issues raised by businesses are related to the actual production capacity for processing, manufacturing, and export goods, duty-free imports, on-site import-export regulations, VAT rates, analysis of goods classification, and procedures for liquidation of machinery, materials, and equipment. These concerns were appropriately addressed by the speakers and representatives from Long An Customs Department.

During the conference, Long An Customs Department awarded Certificates of Commendation from the Director of Long An Customs Department to 53 businesses for their outstanding achievements in 2023. Among them, 16 companies demonstrated good compliance with customs laws, high import-export turnover, and 37 companies exhibited good compliance with customs laws and high tax contributions to the state budget.

In the coming period, Long An Customs Department commits to providing favorable conditions for businesses, ensuring fast customs clearance time, shortening the guidance and acceptance of notifications for the list of tax-exempt imported goods from 3 days to the regulated 2 days, and promptly resolving any issues regarding tax policies and customs procedures faced by businesses.