06.04.2020 Measures to cope with the Covid-19 outbreak by Vietnam Customs
1- As of 1st April 2020, the procedures and public services provided by Vietnam Customs for
activities of importation, exportation and transit of goods have not been suspended amid
the spread of COVID-19. The customs clearance system is in operation 24/7. Customs
control has been carried through the CCTVs, cargo management and automation systems
including the National Single Window.
2- Customs clearance has been prioritized for goods imported for Covid-19 prevention and
treatment.
3- Since the entries and exits of passengers via the land border gates with neighboring
countries1 have been suspended, Vietnam Customs has coordinated with relevant
authorities to allow trucks and drivers to pass in special areas that are located very near
the border for transshipment of goods and customs clearance. These activities require
efforts of all parties concerned especially the importer, exporter and transporter. The time
spent at the borders is longer than expected because of some additional actions and
measures taken to ensure all persons involved to be safe from the disease. With the
protective measure, clothes, close surveillance, the drivers are not required for quarantine
when returning to Vietnam after staying in the foreign land within an hour. This is to
facilitate for movement of goods crossing borders.
4- As required by the government directions, most of Customs officers have been working
from home since the 1st April 2020. Vietnam Customs maintains a minimum number of
officers in separate working shifts at every customs branch and office to ensure efficiency
and effectiveness of the customs clearance and control. The working shifts teams are set in
a way that one shift team can be replaced by a new shift team if found that an officer in a
shift has been infected by the virus. This is to mitigate situations where an officer in a shift
is infected by COVID-19, then all people working in the shift would be strictly quarantined
and isolated.
5- List of commodities are eligible for import tax exemption serving for the prevention and
control of the Covid-19 epidemic: https://customsnews.vn/video-five-groups-of-importedgoods-serving-for-the-prevention-and-control-of-covid-19-virus-eligible-for-tax-exemption13629.html
6- Customs guide for export of face marks: https://customsnews.vn/general-department-ofcustoms-guides-export-of-masks-14019.html
7- More about the measures in details, please visit: https://customsnews.vn/ or
https://customs.gov.vn
Further information: http://www.wcoomd.org/....../natural-disaster/covid_19/vietnam_en..... |