A workshop opened in Hanoi on October 12 to accelerate the early implementation of a new customs system, ATA Carnet, in Vietnam to help expand the country’s export markets.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Confederation of Asian-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

The ATA Carnet, also known as the “passport for goods” or “passport to international trade,” is an international customs document issued by a network of authorised chambers of commerce and similar business organisations. It allows the holder to temporarily (up to one year) import goods without payment of normally applicable duties and taxes, including value-added taxes.

ICC’s Asian Director, Lee Ju Song, said that while Vietnam is in the process of global economic integration, the application of the ATA Carnet system is very important and will make customs procedures much easier for Vietnamese exporters plus helping to expand their overseas markets.

Vietnamese enterprises still know very little about the ATA Carnet, VCCI Vice President Pham Gia Tuc said, adding so this meeting is an excellent opportunity to introduce the ATA system and the experiences of other providers to local businesses.

As part of the national effort to reform the country’s administration to create an internationally standardised business environment that is more conducive, the VCCI signed an agreement with the Taiwanese External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) on the issuance and guarantee of ATA Carnet on specialised equipment and items on display at exhibitions, trade fairs and other events./.