Businesses pleased with customs procedures but say more reforms needed

Enterprises say more customs reforms are needed despite a higher level of satisfaction. (Photo: Bao Dau tu)

The survey was conducted on more than 3,000 enterprises from domestic private companies, foreign-invested firms and state-owned enterprises, covering such aspects as access to information, the service of customs officers and goods inspections.

The satisfactory levels of the business community towards the customs sector have improved in most aspects, said VCCI’s head of legal affairs Dau Anh Tuan.

He elaborated that 91% of the surveyed enterprises considered that the information provided by customs agencies was consistent and 90% reported that the available customs information was easy to find.

The respective figures for 2015 were 77% and 81%.

Furthermore, the ratio of enterprises to report difficulties also dropped considerably compared with the findings in 2015.

Roughly 14% said they faced difficulties when dealing with goods inspection procedures at clearance, compared with 21% in 2015. Those having trouble in tax refund procedures fell from 31% to 23%.

It is noteworthy that up to 84% of the surveyed enterprises stated that the support of customs agencies was effective when they were faced with difficulties in dealing with customs procedures.

Nevertheless, enterprises said that there were still many obstacles in implementing export-import procedures, with 56% reporting finding it difficult to learn about customs procedures.

VCCI President Vu Tien Loc stated that the relevant state agencies need to further simplify administrative reform, step up IT application and increase transparency to facilitate enterprises, thereby boosting export and import activities in 2019 and the subsequent years./.

NDO