Customs mulls establishing intelligence force to reduce clearance time

The finance ministry will consider issuing regulations on the structure and mechanism of an intelligence-gathering division, deputy minister Truong Chi Trung said Tuesday July 12 in Hanoi.
The agency will be responsible for gathering, analysing and assessing intelligence which the customs will use to decide upon conducting checks of import and export goods, he said at a press briefing to make public the Customs Law.
Due to a lack of intelligence, customs currently has to conduct checks on 70% of all import and export goods. Such an agency will help reduce the time needed for customs clearance in Vietnam, which is now twice as much as other countries in the region, Trung said.
Besides, the Customs Law provides for a new management method of the customs administration so as to facilitate import and export activities.
Import, export tax law
State agencies that are slow in returning tax refunds to importers or exporters are required to pay interest on the refund for each delayed day, according to the new Law on Import Tax and Export Tax which was also announced at the press briefing.
According to deputy minister Trung, the law also adds more cases in which importers and exporters can receive tax refunds.
The press briefing also made public three other new laws, including the Maritime Code, the Railway Law, the Law on Import Tax and Export Tax, the Customs Law and the Tourism Law.
The new laws will take effect as of January 1st, 2006.

 

Category: Legal