/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • • • / 0 Comments

ENCRYPTION OF SPECIALIZED MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION POLICIES: MEASURE TO UNIFY VNACCS AND NSW PORTAL

VCN – The encryption of specialized inspection and management documents is an important requirement to fulfill the State management requirements for export and import goods subject to specialized management and inspection, and unify the information exchange between the National Single  Window portal and the VNACCS/VCIS. 

encryption of specialized management and inspection policies measure to unify vnaccs and nsw portal
Operational activity at Da Nang Customs Branch Photo: N.L

In order to implement this requirement, the General Department of Vietnam Customs implemented a centralized review period (from 7th to 10th June 2017) for the administrative procedures of management policies for exported and imported goods.

Mr. Ngo Minh Hai, Deputy Director of the Customs Control and Supervision Department, said that the review for documents on specialized management and inspections had been conducted regularly by the General Department of Vietnam Customs especially since implementing the Government’s guidance in Decision 2026/QD-TTg approving the Scheme on Solutions to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of specialized inspections and Resolution 19 in the past 4 years.

It can be seen that the review of administrative procedures on the management policies for imported and exported played an important role in administrative reform. Through the review, the Customs proposed the Government to direct relevant ministries and departments to amend many administrative procedures in a simpler way and facilitate the imports and exports and clearance goods. According to Mr. Hai, it was necessary to review to encrypt the specialized management and inspection documents for e-customs declaration.

During this period, the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the provincial and municipal Customs Departments requested that ministries and sectors should review the entire administrative procedures of the management policies for imported and exported goods, including 270 administrative procedures of management policy. Including import license, export license; Notification of approval or exemption from inspection of quality, food safety, quarantine. Customs also reviews documents required during implementing customs procedures that are not the result of the administrative procedure of a ministry or sector (conditions for importing goods). For example certificate of business registration, investment certificate or business certificate in which the fertilizer business certificate issued by the competent authority.

For each administrative procedure of management policy, it is necessary to review that it is correct and sufficient contents such as: agency which issues documents regulating on management policies; Type of management policy (ban, license, automatic license, quotas, quality control, Veterinary Quarantine, phytosanitary, food safety inspection …); Administrative procedures; Results of the administrative procedures; Validity of the administrative procedures; Objects of exemption; legal framework; List of applicable goods; Time of document presentation and submission.

The large volume of the list of administrative procedures that regulate the management policy for exported and imported goods, the representative of the Customs Supervision Department also presented the contents that are expected to cause great difficulties when reviewing, such as the list of applicable goods. Because ministries and sectors issued documents which are not unified, are not accompanied by the list, and are accompanied by the list but only regulate one commodity or some commodities, or even the list of commodities such as animal feed is regulated in many documents. Therefore, entire the list of those commodities needs to be reviewed.

Based on the results of the review, the General Department of Vietnam Customs will develop a list of administrative procedures regulating on management policy for imported and exported goods, in order to apply code and encrypt on the e-customs clearance system as well as synchronized exchange of information with the National Single Window.

In the recent times, the General Department of Customs is assigned by the Ministry of Finance to chair to deploy the Prime Minister’s Decision 2026/QD-TTg and the Government’s resolution on specialized inspection and management for imported and exported goods, it has set up a specialized and responsible team including 30 members who are officials of units under the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

In 2016 and beginning of 2017, the Ministry of Finance (the General Department of Vietnam Customs) has actively collaborated with relevant competent agencies of ministries and sectors to urge the implementation of tasks related to the specialized inspections for imported and exported goods; The leaders of the General Department of Customs worked directly with the leaders of a number of specialized management ministries to propose on the implementation of tasks assigned by the Prime Minister in Decision 2026 / QD-TTg and Government’s Resolution 19/NQ-CP. After the review sessions, the Ministry of Finance reported to ministries and the Government Office on implementation results.

In addition, the Ministry of Finance (General Department of Vietnam Customs) has actively implemented many measures to simplify administrative procedures on specialized inspections and shorten customs clearance time for imported and exported goods. The Ministry of Finance chaired and coordinated with the ministries and sectors to build the portal on specialized inspection in NSW portal. While waiting for the finished National Single Window portal, the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has actively built a specialized inspection portal to resolve requirements for specialized inspection. This program was deployed at Sai Gon Port Customs Branch of zone 1, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch and Post Office Customs Branch for specialized inspections.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs implemented the inspection of quality, sanitary and food safety of the Customs Assessment Department. Accordingly, the Department piloted to receive some commodities which the Department’s can verify (fertilizers, plastic toys); Equipping with outside verification points for specialized inspection at Northern border provinces (Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai). Upgrading equipment, facilities, number of specialized inspection officials in provinces with large flow of imported and exported goods subject to inspection on quality, sanitary and food safety.

By Ngoc Linh/Ngoc Loan

Source: http://customsnews.vn/

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • • / 0 Comments

SMUGGLING TRANSFORMED THROUGH GOODS IN TRANSIT – PART 2: DETAINING IMMEDIATELY AT BORDER GATES

VCN – In the recent times, suspecting some shipments in transit through Cai Mep port and Cai Lai port, Ho Chi Minh City, the Customs agencies including Southern Anti-smuggling Control Team (under the General Department of Vietnam Customs), the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Customs Department  inspected and detained tens of containers at the border gates.

smuggling transformed through goods in transit part 2 detaining immediately at border gates

Smuggled goods detected in the shipments in transit at Cai Mep port, Vung Tau. Photo: T.H

Major on banned items

The Customs authorities mostly inspect the shipments detected and detained at the border gates because shipping companies either denied the goods or did not operate at the business address. The banned goods are mainly electronic and refrigerated products subject to banned import and conditional transit.

On 5/5, at the Cat Lai port, Ho Chi Minh City, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Control Team (Team 3) under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department has coordinated with the Sai Gon port zone 1 Customs Branch and the competent authorities to search two containers of transshipment and found out many smuggled goods and banned goods. According to the Team 3, the above two containers were transshipped from Japan to Vietnam then to Cambodia. When the shipments arrived at Cat Lai, the Team 3 has detected suspicious signs and monitor, supervise and search. Accordingly, detecting 2 containers of nearly 100 used motorcycles, used many office equipments and used amplifiers subject to the list of banned imports.

Earlier, at Cai Mep port (Ba Ria – Vung Tau), the Team 3 under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department and Cai Mep border gate Customs Branch also suspected many shipments in transit, so that they searched and detected tens of containers of used electronic, refrigerated products and used motorcycles subject to banned import and conditional transit. In some cases, the smugglers also hide cars in the shipment in transit. Typically, in June 2016, searching a shipment in transit from Korea to Vietnam to be exported to Cambodia, the Saigon Port Zone 1 Customs Branch collaborated with the Team 3 under the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department to discovered 2 used cars inside and tens of use car engines. This shipment was transported by Foodbank company limited (located in 140/12 Le Duc Tho, Ward 6, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City and included a container of 100% new fabric. According to the Customs Branch, these goods of the wrong declaration must have a license issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade to be transited in accordance with law, but enterprise did not have this license, they disguised these goods as fabric.

Not only smuggled goods and banned goods disguised as goods transit through the sea, smugglers also take advantage of air routes to transit high-value shipments. Recently, by the end of April 2017 the, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch has discovered a lot of medical equipment which was a used CT scanners which declared 100 % new exported products in the Customs declaration made by Bee Logistics Corporation in order to evade the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s licensing. This shipment consisted of 10 bales weighed 5.7 tons, worth over 3.2 billion vnd in the method of taking advantage of transit to export to Cambodia.

Full of tricks

In addition to the above tricks, some smugglers also took advantage of transit type subject to an exemption from physical inspection to transfer the type and re-export to Vietnam for consumption. Actually, the Customs found out some cases that initial receivers declared on the manifest were enterprises in Vietnam, but when the Customs or other competent authorities discovered signs of violations of Customs law and then inspected the goods, the enterprises did not come to the procedures, and then adjust receivers at Cambodia and other countries and implement the procedures for goods in transit.

Another fraudulent trick for goods in transit goods is that for shipments subject to conditional imports or banned goods, after they are transported out of Vietnam’s territory, enterprises will seek to bring them back Vietnam in many different methods such as subdivision shipment to transport to Vietnam through the trail, tracks, and two sub-gates; Or the enterprises which opened the declaration will abuse channel classification of inspection exemptions to re-import to Vietnam.

A case in point is that recently on 3 May 2017, the Bee Logistics Corporation (enterprise opened Customs declaration) completed Customs procedures for shipment of traditional medicines consisting 41 bales (nearly 500,000 pills) weighed nearly 1 ton, worth nearly 5 billion vnd in transit to transport to Cambodia through Moc Bai international border gate (Tay Ninh) and fulfilled the Customs procedures in accordance with regulations to transit this shipment through Vietnam border to Cambodia. Determining that this was a trick of enterprise to cheat competent authorities to illegally transport the above goods to Vietnam through cross-border trade, the Customs Branch conducted operational methods such as informing and collaborating with Police Department on Anti-Smuggling (C74) under the Ministry of Public Security to closely monitor the transport routes and discover that the shipment was illegally re-exported to Vietnam on the morning of 9 May, 2017 through trails at Moc Bai international border gate (Tay Ninh). The case is in process of further investigation.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Branch, the unit implemented over 2,800 declarations on average on a transform of transit type. The goods are mainly transited through 3 main border gates: Moc Bai (Tay Ninh) with over 2,000 declarations, Xa Mat (Tay Ninh) with nearly 400 declarations and Hoa Lu (Binh Phuoc) with over 350 declarations.

By Le Thu/ Huyen Trang

Source: http://customsnews.vn/

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • • / 0 Comments

SMUGGLING TRANSFORMED THROUGH GOODS IN TRANSIT: PART 1: RECKLESSLY BREAK SEALS AND TRANSPORT GOODS TO THE INLAND

VCN – Instead of transporting goods in the form of transit to export border gates to carry out the export procedures as prescribed, some enterprises have deliberately broken customs seals and transporting goods to the inland for consumption and tax evasion.

smuggling transformed through goods in transit part 1 recklessly break seals and transport goods to the inland

Used motorcycles and electronics hidden in the shipment in transit are discovered by the Customs Agency at Cat Lai port on 5 May 2017. Photo: T.H.

Many cases destroyed on the scene

From the end of 2016 to now, the Southern Customs Agencies have coordinated with competent authorities to detect and seize many goods in transit cases of deliberately breaking Customs seals to transport goods to the domestic market. By the end of 2016, the Customs Department of Ho Chi Minh City discovered many shipments of transit, which have cleared procedures from the border gate but not transported to export border gate.

A typical example was the case that the Trieu Hien Trade and Transport Service Co., Ltd (557B, Highway 13, Hiep Binh Phuoc Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City) opened the Customs declaration at the Tan Son Nhat airport Customs Branch to transit a shipment of 180 iPhones and iPhone 7 Plus to Cambodia through Moc Bai – Tay Ninh border gate. At Moc Bai border gate, the Customs suspected the shipment so that they conducted a physical inspection and discovered only one iPhone 7 and one iPhone 7 Plus phone and 16 more boxes of toothpaste, 2 boxes of shampoo. Thus, 178 iPhones and iPhones 7 have not been transited to Cambodia but have been illegally transported to Vietnam.

Regarding this case, the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department under General Department of Customs has prosecuted the criminal case and transferred the case’s file to the Investigation Police Agency under the Ho Chi Minh City Policy for further investigation and judgment.

According to the Customs control team of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, abusing the exemption from physical inspection for goods in transit, some enterprises shall declare that goods are ordinary goods in transit but in fact, they are goods subject to licensing of competent authorities. Some enterprises abuse regulations on self-management and self-transportation of goods in transit through land border gates to transport to domestic market for consumption and tax evasion. Some shipments have just transported out of the port, enterprises have sought to withdraw the goods. Even enterprises after withdrawing the goods did not transport goods to the border.

Typically, the transportation declaration number 500050661061 of Binh Chanh International Import-Export Trade and Service Co., Ltd, the items declared as new 100% kitchen appliances, air conditioners, water heaters, water purifiers have been approved by the Saigon Port Zone 1 Customs Branch to transport to the border gate. However, enterprises did not transport the shipment to the Hoa Lu – Binh Phuoc border gate according to the declared route for export, but transport to the land for illegal consumption. Noteworthy, when verifying this enterprise’s business registration address, the Customs Control Team discovered that this was a bogus enterprise.

Not only the above case, earlier on 5 August 2016, from the signs of suspicion, the Customs Control Team under the Ho Chi Minh Customs Department tracked the transit shipment of transport declaration number 500050552120 by the T.A Logistics Co., Ltd, goods declared as cartons transported from Tan Cang – Hiep Phuoc to Moc Bai border gate- Tay Ninh. The Customs Control Team in collaboration with the Police Department of crimes related to economy and position under the Ho Chi Minh City Public Security discovered a truck transporting the container of goods in transit to the warehouse in Can Duoc – Long An. Through a quick query, the driver confessed that earlier, he transported the container of the transportation declaration No. 500050552120 to this warehouse and loaded the goods here, then inserted a carton layer into the container to transport to Moc Bai border gate for export to Cambodia.

Perpetrators changed directions

After consecutively detecting many cases of abusing of the transit goods through Cat Lai port for smuggling, the General Department of Vietnam Customs instructed the HCM City Customs Department to enhance the monitoring, inspection and coordination with the local Customs units to strictly control this route. However, after that, some perpetrators have changed direction to take advantage of transited goods through Cai Mep-Vung Tau port.

On 8 February 2017, the Moc Bai Border Gate Customs Branch (Tay Ninh Customs Department), the Southern Smuggling Control Team (Department of Anti-Smuggling Investigation – General Department of Vietnam Customs) and Cai Mep port Customs Branch (Ba Ria – Vung Tau Customs Department) collaborated to conduct a physical inspection of a shipment in transit and discovered the smuggled goods worth about 8 billion. These goods belonged to the independent transport declaration of XITLO Logistics Co., Ltd (headquartered at Ward 7, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City), registered by Mr. Le Minh Phuong at the Cai Mep Port Customs Branch(Ba Ria-Vung Tau Customs Department) on 14 Janaury, 2017.

The shipment was transported to the Moc Bai border gate for export to Cambodia so that it was taken to the Customs supervision area of the Moc Bai Border Customs Branch on 17 January 2017, but no one came to make procedures for exports. Through the supervision, the Customs detected that the sea lead seals were broken and Customs seals had signs of forgery. Inspecting the shipment, the Customs discovered 1,257 bottles of perfume, 58 bottles of foreign wine, 607 iPhones, 100 Apple watches, 86 tablets of which origin was unknown.

Earlier, at the end of January 2017, the Investigation Police Department for Investigation of Economic and Corruption Crime (Ministry of Public Security) in collaborated with Binh Duong Public Security and Department of Anti-Smuggling and Investigation (General Department of Vietnam Customs) destroyed a smuggling route abusing the transhipment to transport smuggled goods into Vietnam.

This shipment was imported from Singapore through Cai Mep, transited in Vietnam and exported to Cambodia. However, when passing through Binh Duong area, the container was transported directly to the warehouse of a private enterprise (Binh Duong Avenue, Thuan An Township, Binh Duong Province) to cut the lead and get the goods and then loaded plastic buckets into the container. Conducting an on-site inspection, the competent agency discovered more than 1,000 foreign barrels, nearly 600 foreign milk packages and hundreds of sets ò pokers. The shipment’s owner was T.T. Trading Co., Ltd addressed in Ho Chi Minh City. All goods had no invoices with a total value of nearly 10 billion VND.

By Le Thu/ Huyen Trang

Source: http://customsnews.vn/

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • • • • / 0 Comments

NO OVERLAPPING SPECIALIZED INSPECTIONS FOR THE SAME COMMODITY

VCN- The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Vuong Dinh Hue has assigned the relevant ministries to coordinate with competent agencies to review and unify the list of goods subject to specialized inspections towards non-overlapping.

no overlapping specialized inspections for the same commodity
Specialized inspections account for 70% of the Customs clearance time.

Specifically, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Vuong Dinh Hue has assigned the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, according to their assigned functions and tasks, to coordinate with relevant agencies to unify the list goods subject to specialized inspections towards non-overlapping for the same commodity which must be inspected by various agencies.

The Deputy Prime Minister also assigned the relevant specialized management ministries to expeditiously promulgate a list of exported and imported goods subject to specialized inspections at the stage of Customs clearance in accordance with Government’s Resolution No. 19/2017 / NQ-CP of 6th February 2017.

Also, these ministries shall coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice to review and clarify the legal grounds and requirements of each type of specialized inspections. In the case where different name of types of records have similar contents, the amendment and adjustment shall be made towards unifying the use of records to create favourable conditions for enterprises.

The Deputy Prime Minister has asked relevant ministries and agencies to report to the Prime Minister on the results of the above activities in June 2017.

Earlier, in order to unify the appropriate specialized inspections towards reducing the types of papers and certificates, but still ensure strict control and adequate criteria and requirements on quality and safety, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Vuong Dinh Hue has assigned the Ministry of Finance to review imported and exported commodities subject to many procedures at the same time and many related inspection documents.

According to the Ministry of Finance, there are many legal documents on specialized inspections but there are overlaps in the management and specialized inspections.

A commodity is subject to many forms of management

The review has shown that many imported items must also be subject to many forms of management and inspections by many ministries. For example, yogurt and cheese products must be subject to the specialized management and inspections of two ministries, for quarantine and food safety. Or plant varieties, bricks, stones and glass which must be checked for quality and certificates of conformity for medical equipment, drugs, raw materials for medicine production … have just applied for import license and quality inspection.

Even, fertilizer must be subject to 3 types of management / inspection, including automatic import license, quality control and technical certification.

In addition, there are cases where one item is subject to many forms of management of the same specialized management ministry. For example, silkworms are subject to quarantine, quality control and food safety by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The medicines and raw materials for the manufacture of medicines and medical equipment have just applied for import permits and have to check the quality of the Ministry of Health. Boilers are subject to test standards, import conditions, and quality / safety checks. This item is also subject to the same form of management / inspection of two specialized management ministries, in which the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs jointly inspect quality and the Ministry of Industry and Trade inspects energy efficiency.

The Ministry of Finance said that the application of many different regimes and management modes to an exported or imported item not only makes it difficult for enterprises to reduce competitiveness but it also loses business opportunities of the business; increases the administrative procedures, extends the clearance time, increases the payroll of the management agency, wastes the State budget, sometimes causing difficulties for the State management agencies in the Customs clearance process.

The management is inconsistent

The cause of the overlapping specialized inspections which was indicated by the Ministry of Finance was that relevant ministries did not agree on the management. The list of goods subject to specialized inspections is too wide, not specifying goods’ names, without HS codes. Many documents have been promulgated for a long time, no longer fitting with reality but they have not been abolished.

The regime of management and inspections for imported and exported goods of relevant ministries are inconsistent (in terms of procedures, methods of implementation), leading to various types of documents issued by specialized management ministries. It is not clear which documents are permitted, certificate of conditions for imported and exported goods, automatic license, standard conformity certification and chemical declaration.

According to the Government’s Resolution No. 19/2017 / NQ-CP, in the first quarter of 2017, the ministries must promulgate a list of imports and exports subject to specialized inspection at the stage of Customs clearance, simplifying procedures and shortening inspection time; reviewing and amending the regulations on the acceptance of technical regulation conformity for imported goods towards abolition or simplification of procedures. There is no cases of receiveing regulation conformity announcement for products and goods which do not have national standards.

However, the Ministry of Finance said that there had been no ministries issuing a list of goods towards shortening goods subject to specialized inspections at the stage of Customs clearance.

By Chinhphu.vn/ Hoang Anh

Source: http://customsnews.vn/

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • / 0 Comments

CUSTOMS DUTY POLICY IN VIETNAM ARE FLEXIBLE

VCN – As a suggestion of Eurocham about Vietnam Government need to be more flexible in the regulation of Customs duty, General Department of Customs said that the policies of Vietnam Customs duty are very flexible and facilitate to import enterprises as well as suitable with international practices.

customs duty policy in vietnam are flexible
Customs officers at Hai Phong Customs Department instruct business to do Customs procedure. Photo: H.Nụ

Furthermore, Eurocham expected that Vietnam Government should continue to improve the implementation of Customs regulations. In that, it should be more flexible in Customs’ regulations, limiting collecting arrears of closed tax periods for the most serious cases.

Discussing on this issue, Mr. Vu Van Hai, Deputy Director of Legal Department, General Department of Customs, said that in 2016, the National Assembly promulgated Law No. 106/2016 / QH13, Export-Import Law No. 107/2016 / QH13. On that basis, the Government has issued Decree No. 100/2016 / ND-CP dated 1 July 2016 and Decree 134/2016 / NĐ-CP dated 1/9/2016.

For example, some taxable goods are subject to tax-exempt objects such as imported goods for export production, goods that have value or amount to be paid below the minimum level; Machinery, equipment, raw materials, supplies, components, parts and accessories imported for printing and minting money; Temporarily imported and re-export goods or temporarily exported and re-import within a certain period of time. Mr. Vu Van Hai emphasized that Vietnam’s Customs duty policies are now flexible, facilitating to import enterprises and comply with international practices.

Also, Mr. Vu Van Hai stated that for collecting arrears (tax assessment) is specified in Article 39 of Law on Tax Administration. Therefore, it is recommended that if Eurocham and the business community have related problems, they can research and comply with regulations.

By Đảo Lê/Thanh Thuy

Source: http://customsnews.vn/

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • / 1 Comment

POST-BREXIT CUSTOMS CHECKS MIGHT NOT BE ON ACTUAL BORDER

Revenue official says all trade transactions with Britain facing customs declarations

post brexit customs checks might not be on actual border
Liam Irwin of the Revenue Commissioners said that within 10-15 km of the Border there could be “trade facilitation posts” to allow for customs declarations on incoming goods. Photograph: Aidan Crawley

Customs checks after Brexit may not be on the actual Border but “somewhere in proximity” to it, a senior Revenue official has said.

Liam Irwin, of the Revenue Commissioners, told TDs and Senators that most of the customs checks could be done electronically, though some goods travelling between Ireland and Britain would have to be physically checked.

Mr Irwin was speaking to the Oireachtas Finance Committee as part of a delegation of senior officials, led by John Callinan, Ireland’s most senior official dealing with Brexit.

Mr Irwin said that after Brexit, it was likely that the UK would be a “third country” and this meant that “all trading transactions will be subject to customs declarations.”

He said the Revenue expected that the number of customs declarations will increase “tenfold”.

“Customs controls – yes. At the Border? Possibly not, but somewhere in proximity to the Border,” Mr Irwin said.

In response to questioning from Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty, Mr Irwin repeatedly denied that the Revenue had identified locations on the Border for “customs posts”.

Special status

However, he said that within 10-15 km of the Border there could be “trade facilitation posts” to allow for customs declarations on incoming goods.

Mr Callinan said officials had not sought a special status for the North as there was no clear meaning as to what this was.

He said Ireland and the EU had pledged to seek “flexible and imaginative solutions” to the problems of the Border and that keeping the North within the single market or within the EU was “not in Dublin’s gift”.

Sinn Féin Senator Rose Conway Walsh said the Dáil had voted for special status for the North and civil servants should take account of this in their contacts with the EU and the British.

“I am concerned that the political direction of the Civil Service is at odds with the democratic wishes of the Dáil,” Ms Conway Walsh said.

Mr Callinan pointed out that the Civil Service took political direction from the Government, not from the Dáil.

Source: irishtimes.com

Source: http://customsnews.vn/

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • • • • • / 0 Comments

HUNDREDS OF CARS AND MOTORCYCLES ARE ADDED TO THE REGISTRATION FEE CALCULATION TABLE

VCN- On 24th May 2017, the Ministry of Finance issued Decision No. 942 / QD-BTC amending and supplementing the list of registration fee calculation, issued with Circular No. 304/2016/TT- BTC.

hundreds of cars and motorcycles are added to the registration fee calculation table
The MCLAREN 650S SPIDER has the highest registration fee of 22.02 billion vnd.

In the imported vehicles which have been added, the MCLAREN 650S SPIDER has the highest registration fee of 22.02 billion vnd, followed by BENTLEY FLYING SPUR with 19.5 billion vnd; and MCLAREN 570S with 12.57 billion vnd.Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance has supplemented the registration fee calculation price of 135 types of imported cars of 9 seats or less; 19 types of cars of 9 seats or less assembled domestically; 2 types of imported electric cars; 2 types of 4 wheel vehicles with engines built and assembled domestically; 29 types of imported two-wheel motorcycles; and 127 types of two-wheeled motorcycles produced and assembled domestically.

Some imported new cars have been added in this price list such as Audi Q7 3.6 QUATTRO with 2.734 billion vnd; AUDI A7 SPORTBACK 3.0 TFSI QUATTRO with 3.427 billion vnd; BMW X6 xDRIVE 35i M SPORT with 3.446 billion vnd; CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY COUPE 2LT Z51 with 5.06 billion vnd; FORD F150 LARIAT with 3.65 billion vnd; JAGUAR XJL AUTOBIOGRAPHY with 11.086 billion vnd; LAND ROVER DISCOVERY HSE LUXURY with 4.68 billion vnd, and LEXUS RX350 F SPORT AWD with 4.15 billion vnd.

In addition, the Ministry of Finance has amended the registration fee rates for 27 types of imported cars of 9 seats or less, 3 types of cars of 9 seats or less assembled domestically; 3 types of imported two-wheel motorcycles; 7 types of two-wheeled motorbikes produced or assembled domestically.

This price list is amended and supplemented because the emergence of automobiles and motorbikes has not been yet regulated in the price list issued by the Ministry of Finance.

In addition, other contents are still implemented in accordance with Circular 304. In fact, the actual price of transfer of cars and motorbikes in the market is lower than the price for calculation of registration fee issued by the Ministry of Finance, so the registration fee calculation price is the price in accordance with the price list issued by the Ministry of Finance.

In the case where at the time of submitting registration fee declarations, the actual transfer price of automobiles and motorbikes on the market shall be 20% or higher than the current price list currently applied in registration fee calculation prices as specified in the price list issued by the Ministry of Finance, the tax office shall base on the registration fee of automobiles and motorcycles already available at the price table and at Point a, Clause 3, Article 3 of the Minister of Finance’s Circular No. 301/2016 / TT-BTC of 15th November 2016 to determine the registration fee calculation price as prescribed.

In the case where automobiles and motorbikes have not been yet prescribed in the price index promulgated by the Ministry of Finance, the Tax Department shall notify the local Tax Branches about the prices for registration fee calculation applicable uniformly in the localities.

This decision has been formally adopted by 24th May 2017.

By Hong Van/ Hoang Anh

Source: http://customsnews.vn/

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • • / 0 Comments

HAPAG-LLOYD MERGES WITH UNITED ARAB SHIPPING COMPANY

German liner shipping company Hapag-Lloyd and its UAE-based counterpart United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) merged today, Hapag-Lloyd said in a statement.

As informed, the merger between the duo was completed today in Hamburg.

“This is an important strategic milestone and a big step forward for Hapag-Lloyd,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, Chief Executive Officer of Hapag-Lloyd.

“We now not only have a very strong market position in Latin America and the Atlantic, but also in the Middle East, where we will become one of the leading carriers. Our priority now is a smooth and fast integration of UASC and Hapag-Lloyd.” 

According to the international law firm Watson Farley & Williams (WFW), who acted as advisor in the deal, the merger is worth a total of USD 14 billion.

The business combination agreement (BCA) was signed in Hamburg in July 2016. Since then roughly a dozen competition authorities across the world had to grant their approval. In addition, changes in the corporate legal structure were made and the consent of several banks was obtained, the German carrier said.

Now the key focus will be the combination of 118 Hapag-Lloyd services with the 45 services making up UASC’s network.

“This process will start in roughly eight weeks and will take until the end of the third quarter, once the new employees from UASC have been trained to use the Hapag-Lloyd systems. After that UASC’s present transport volume will be handled on Hapag-Lloyd’s IT platform. The combined entity will thereby carry an estimated annual transport volume in excess of 10 million TEU,” Hapag-Lloyd added.

With the closure of the merger, UASC’s 58 vessels will be integrated into the fleet of Hapag-Lloyd. As a result, Hapag-Lloyd will assume the fifth spot in terms of capacity with 230 vessels and a shared fleet capacity of approximately 1.6 million TEU. The combined fleet will have average ship age of 7.2 years.

The shipowner said that it would remain a publicly traded company registered in Germany with its headquarters in Hamburg.

The average size of the vessels in Hapag-Lloyd’s new fleet will be some 6,840 TEU/vessel, approximately 30 percent larger than the average of the top 15 in the industry (5,280 TEU/vessel).

Hapag-Lloyd revealed that it plans to achieve annual synergies of USD 435 million as a result of the merger. A significant portion of these savings should be realized in the course of 2018, while the full amount is expected to first be reached in 2019.

“In addition to the synergies we expect that it will not be necessary to make sizeable investments in newbuildings over the next few years. Hapag-Lloyd will establish a new regional headquarters for the Region Middle East. This will add a fifth Region to the existing Regions North America, Latin America, Asia and Europe,” the company further noted.

Taking into account the fact that Hapag-Lloyd has considerable experience when it comes to acquisitions-CP Ships in 2005 and CSAV in 2014, Rolf Habben Jansen voiced his optimism that the company will be able to complete the integration of UASC by the end of this year.

The two majority shareholders of UASC, Qatar Investment Authority, through its subsidiary Qatar Holding LLC, and the Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (PIF), will become new key shareholders of Hapag-Lloyd.

The other UASC shareholders are the Kuwait Investment Authority on behalf of the state of Kuwait, the Iraqi Fund for External Development (IFED), the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which will be reflected with a combined 3.6% of the shares of Hapag-Lloyd as free float shares.

The ownership structure of Hapag-Lloyd AG before the forthcoming cash capital increase, planned after the merger, is as follows (figures rounded): CSAV (22.6%), HGV (14.8%), Kühne Maritime (14.6%), Qatar Holding (14.4%), PIF (10.1%) and TUI (8.9%). The free float will amount to roughly 14.6%.

“Within six months after the closing, a cash capital increase by way of a rights issue is planned for Hapag-Lloyd AG in order to strengthen the company. This will be secured via a backstop commitment in the amount of USD 400 million that some of the controlling shareholders have agreed to,” the statement further reads.

Shareholders will be asked to approve a corresponding appropriate authorized capital at the Annual General Meeting of Hapag-Lloyd, to be held on May 29 in Hamburg, the company added.

Source: http://worldmaritimenews.com/

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • / 0 Comments

VESSEL CALLS FROM OAKLAND TO SOUTHEAST ASIA UP BY 50 PCT

The Port of Oakland has assumed a more prominent role in Southeast Asian trade, the port’s executive director Chris Lytle said, announcing that direct vessel calls from Oakland to Southeast Asia have risen by 50 percent this spring.

Port of Oakland

Namely, direct weekly vessel calls to Southeast Asia have risen from 10-to-15 since April 1. Further highlights that prompted the increase in the number of vessel calls include the first direct vessel service between Oakland and Jakarta, an increase from 2-to-4 weekly voyages linking Oakland with the Port of Laem Chabang near Bangkok; and an added weekly Singapore call enabling more cargo to be transported from nearby Cambodia to Oakland.

“Southeast Asia is a dynamic region with significant export potential and increasing demand for U.S. products,” Lytle said. “It’s imperative that we position ourselves to serve this market.”

Lytle further added that Oakland’s growing Southeast Asian presence coincides with changes to shipping line alliances. Eleven leading ocean carriers realigned in April, sharing vessel services to control costs. One outgrowth of their restructuring was heightened emphasis on Oakland-Southeast Asia trade.

Shipping lines have been drawn to Southeast Asia due to shifting trade patterns, Lytle said. The region has grown as a manufacturing center for U.S. markets, he pointed out.  Meanwhile its growing middle class populations have increased demand for U.S. products. The result is an uptick in two-way trade, which should translate to more business for ocean carriers.

”The Port of Oakland, and the state of California more broadly, play a critical role in the United States’ economic relationship with Southeast Asia,” said Alexander Feldman, President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council.

“California is the largest U.S. exporter to Southeast Asia, with almost USD 16 billion in exports just last year, supporting over 87,000 jobs.”

The two-way trade between the U.S. and Southeast Asia last year totaled USD 273 billion, Feldman said.

Source: http://worldmaritimenews.com

/ By Vietrans Admin / General • News/ • • • • • • / 0 Comments

EARNING NEARLY $US 50 BILLION, FDI ENTERPRISES ARE LEADING IN EXPORTS

VCN- $US 49.398 billion is the total value of export turnover of foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises, accounting for about 71% of the total export turnover of Vietnam. This is the value of export turnover until 15th May 2017, according to the latest information from the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

earning nearly us 50 billion fdi enterprises are leading in exports
Opeartions at Sam Sung Group, Bac Ninh. Photo: Thai Binh.

Notably, compared to the same period last year, the proportion of turnover of FDI enterprises increased by 1% point (about 70% in the same period).

With a growth rate of 19%, FDI enterprises has a higher growth rate than the national average of 17.6%.

The strong growth of FDI enterprises is understandable because these enterprises are leading in the major export sectors of Vietnam such as telephones, computers and electronic products.

On the other hand, in the AEO Enterprises Program in the field of Customs (for large and prestigious exporters), 35 out of 60 enterprises are FDI enterprises.

Or in many big localities with large exports such as Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Binh Duong and Dong Nai, the value of turnover mostly depends on FDI enterprises.

For example, in the case of Thai Nguyen, before the appearance of Samsung, this province is almost unnamed on the map of “exports” of Vietnam.

But now, Thai Nguyen has reached the second largest export province in 63 provinces and cities (after Ho Chi Minh City) in value of export turnover.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hao, the Head of the Division of Import-Export Management and International Economic Integration (the Thai Nguyen Department of Industry and Trade) said that the main export products in Thai Nguyen were telephones and tablets of Samsung Group.

According to Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hao, the spectacular breakthrough in export activities of Thai Nguyen in recent years is thanks to the efficiency in investment activities of Samsung Group.

“Local traditional export sectors have also improved, but they can not make the breakthrough without the presence of the Samsung Group”, the Head of the Division of Import-Export Management and International Economic Integration said.

By Thai Binh/ Hoang Anh

Source: http://customsnews.vn/