The customs sector should strive to establish itself as one of the advanced agencies regionally and globally, said Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan at a ceremony marking the sector’s 70 th founding anniversary on July 14.

She underlined that the sector will encounter a number of challenges as Vietnam accelerates its regional and international integration with a number of trade agreements expected to be signed in the time ahead.

As the guard of the economy, customs agencies are in charge of managing goods import and export activities along with preventing smuggling, counterfeit commodities and trade frauds, the Vice President noted, asking them to continue improving their personnel capacity, applying up-to-date technologies and streamlining procedures.

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung demanded the General Department of Vietnam Customs simplify and align the sector’s procedures and management methods with international standards, setting 2020 as the completion deadline.

He urged the sector to focus on enhancing e-customs, risk management, the national single window mechanism and tax transparency.

Director General of the department Nguyen Ngoc Tuc reported that the sector has been implementing the Vietnam Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System/Vietnam Customs Information System (VNACCS/VCIS), helping facilitate trading activities.

It has also fulfilled the mission of serving as the standing body of the National Steering Committee for the ASEAN single window and the national single window mechanisms, he added.

At the ceremony in Hanoi, the General Department of Vietnam Customs was presented with the Independence Order (first class), a noble State title, for its outstanding achievements.-VNA