Photo: vnaccs.com

PANO - The new E-customs system called Vietnam Automated Cargo Clearance System and Vietnam Customs Information System (VNACCS/VCIS) started operation in Vietnam on April 1st. The modern system was brought by Japan, and customized for Vietnam.

For developing software, the procurement of necessary equipment to operate the system, the Japan’s Grant Aid “The Project for E-Customs and National Single Window for Customs Modernization” had been implemented from 2012 to March 2014.

National Single Window is a system that enables some procedures for export/import in a country, such as Customs clearance and quarantine, to be carried out by imputing and transmitting the necessary data just once.

Since Vietnam’s accession to WTO in 2007, FDI to Vietnam grew dramatically. Also the number of export/import declaration increased rapidly, from 1,160,000 in 2002 to 4,160,000 in 2010. Accordingly, the load on customs officers became heavier and heavier, so efficiency of customs clearance procedure by introducing IT system had been an urgent issue for General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC).

Furthermore, on the basis of “the Customs Development Strategy up to year 2020” (Prime Minister’s Decision on March 25th 2011), Vietnam aims 60 per cent of all export/import declaration will be handled by electronic system and 50 per cent of export/import approval and licenses will be processed by National Single Window by 2015.

Under these circumstances, GDVC requested Japanese Government to support developing a new IT system for customs clearance procedures in Vietnam based on Japan’s technology of “Nippon Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System (NACCS)” and “Customs Intelligence Data Base System (CIS)”.

The operation of VNACC and VCIS is expected to contribute to improve business environment by reducing time and cost for trade procedure as well as to reduce administrative cost through IT introduction. Also it is expected to contribute not only for economic and trade growth of Vietnam but also for enhancement of connectivity between Vietnam and the world economy by the efficient customs clearance procedures through ASEAN Single Window.    

After introduction of VNACCS and VCIS, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) continues to support GDVC through the Technical Cooperation Project “Project for Promoting E-customs in Vietnam” (2012-2015), such as risk management in customs examination with VNACCS/VCIS, collaboration with other ministries towards National Single Window, development of legal and institutional framework.

Viet Anh