Documents in dossier under reduced inspection method; cases of exemption from State inspection on food safety and the State inspection agency for import food are contents that the General Department of Vietnam Customs (VCN) has instructed local Customs Departments in implementing the Government’s Decree 15/2018/ND-CP on food safety.
Accordingly, instructions by the GDVC are based on proposals by relevant ministries and sectors.
Regarding documents subject to be submitted in dossiers under reduced inspection method, the GDVC said that Decree 15/2018/ND-CP does not specify that documents subject to be submitted or presented to the Customs Authority are the original or copy. Enterprises shall submit the copy certified by the enterprise to carry out Customs procedures.
For the inspection under the reduced inspection method, prescribed in Article 19 of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, in order to implement document inspection of 5% in accordance with provisions, the GDVC is requesting Customs departments to develop a database and study the method of document inspection for enterprises subject to reduced inspection method.
Thus, in order to develop data, the GDVC has requested Customs departments to comply with the guidance at Point 5 of Official Letter 1511/TCHQ-GSQL (Customs Branch only request Customs declarant the first submission of documents specified at Point a, b Clause 1 Article 18 (copies certified by enterprise) when enterprises are carrying out import procedures at Customs Branches. The Customs branch where carrying out Customs procedures for import goods shall set up a data base to monitor, check and not request Customs declarant to submit these documents for the next import, and at the same time scan 1 copy to send to the GDVC for summarizing and developing database for Customs classification on inspection).
For cases subject to be exempted from State inspection on food safety, the GDVC has instructed that these cases shall be implemented in accordance with provisions in Clause 2 and 3, Article 13 of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP specified as follows:
Products in hand luggage of inbound passengers that are sent before or after the passengers arrive to serve their personal needs or their travel purpose in norm of Import Duty exemption in accordance with tax law; gifts within duty-free allowances.
Imported products for individuals and organizations eligible for diplomatic privileges and immunities shall be exempted from the State inspection on food safety.
For State inspection agencies for imported goods, currently, the State inspection agencies that are appointed to inspect for imported food under the management of Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, stipulated in accordance with Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, remains compared to the Decree 38/2012/ND-CP.
Thus, local Customs Departments shall continue to implement in accordance with point 3 Official Letter 1511/TCHQ-GSQL (The Customs authority shall base on the results of certifying of food that meet or not meet requirements on imports required by specialized ministries in accordance with Decree 38/2012/ND-CP to decide for Customs clearance). If ministries and sectors change the appointment for State inspection agencies for imported goods, the GDVC will notify to Customs departments.
Source: VCN