On Tuesday 20 April, EuroCham met with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Customs (HCMC DOC) and representatives from the Export-Import, Tax, Control, and Management departments at the offices of the DOC.
In the meeting, EuroCham Chairman Alain Cany and Director of the HCMC DOC Dinh Ngoc Thang discussed opportunities for co-operation between European business and the HCMC authorities in the areas of transport & logistics, customs, and tax & transfer pricing. EuroCham thanked the HCMC DOC for their support of our Sector Committees in recent times, helping them to remain compliant in these and other important areas.
The two sides also discussed Decision 29/QD-TCHQ of the General Department of Customs and the HCMC DOC’s plan regarding this regulation. EuroCham reaffirmed that it supports activities to engage with business in the post-COVID climate, including the organization of consultations and dialogues to increase their understanding and implementation of new policies and legislation.
The meeting also included a discussion on the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the role of customs in facilitating the smooth flow of growing trade between Vietnam and the EU. The EVFTA includes a chapter on Customs and Trade Facilitation (Chapter 4), highlighting the importance of customs in this landmark agreement.
In particular, to unlock the full potential of the EVFTA, it will be essential to share information on customs legislation, as well as to continue the simplification and modernization of customs procedures; enforce IP rights; and facilitate trade though technical assistance and other supportive measures with business communities. In particular, EuroCham and HCMC DOC discussed how both sides could work together to further speed up the release of goods and ensure greater use of IT solutions – such as e-declaration procedures – for traders and agencies.
EuroCham and HCMC DOC committed to work together to drive trade and investment between the EU and Ho Chi Minh City. With the EVFTA soon reaching 12 months of implementation, we aim co-organize events to assess its success so far and consider how to further encourage exports and imports. One initiative could include an Action Plan and special hotline to support companies with customs-related enquiries. Further activities could include trainings and seminars on topics such as Rule of Origin – either in person or online.
