Nguyen Thanh Phong, director of the Food Hygiene and Safety Department under the Health Ministry, talks with Chinhphu.vn about the agency's preparations for pilot implementation of a new mechanism for imported packaged goods.
Q: The VFA will pilot the introduction of a national one-door customs process next month. How are you making preparations?
The Health Minister has authorised the VFA as the first agency to undertake the importation of package goods under the mechanism.
The VFA is working with the Viettel Telecoms Corporation to build software on procedures to verify documents of imported goods to 14 agencies responsible for checking them. All the procedures will be implemented electronically.
In addition, the Ministry of Health is also working with the Ministry of Finance's Department of Customs to pilot a process that meets safety standards and provides certificate after quick testing.
Q: W hat benefits does the one-door customs offer importers?
With the current mechanism, to complete customs clearance, businesses are required to submit their documents to customs authorities and relevant agencies.
However, under the new mechanism, businesses will only have to submit clearance forms to a national one-door portal. Upon receiving an on-line declaration, customs agencies will verify them from the database.
The benefit of simplified procedure is that it reduces the customs clearance time and State inspections, including verifying documents and taking samples, will be reduced from 20 days to at least 10 days.
Businesses will also be able to send queries through the internet to management agencies if their documents are delayed. Thus, they can save costs and time.
Q: How will the goods be examined to quality under new mechanism?
In accordance with the Vietnamese regulations on imported goods, all imported packaged goods should be approved for human consumption in their country of origin.
At the same time, the importers must take responsibility for the quality of the products.
A total of 14 agencies will be responsible for any tests. They include the Ministry of Science and Technology, Vinacontrol Group Corporation, Nha Trang Pasteur Institute, National Institute for Food Control, Tay Nguyen Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, HCM City Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Pasteur Institute of HCM City - and preventive health centres of Quang Tri, Tay Ninh provinces and Da Nang City.
If the goods fail to pass quality tests, they will be temporarily withdrawn from market.-VNA
Q: The VFA will pilot the introduction of a national one-door customs process next month. How are you making preparations?
The Health Minister has authorised the VFA as the first agency to undertake the importation of package goods under the mechanism.
The VFA is working with the Viettel Telecoms Corporation to build software on procedures to verify documents of imported goods to 14 agencies responsible for checking them. All the procedures will be implemented electronically.
In addition, the Ministry of Health is also working with the Ministry of Finance's Department of Customs to pilot a process that meets safety standards and provides certificate after quick testing.
Q: W hat benefits does the one-door customs offer importers?
With the current mechanism, to complete customs clearance, businesses are required to submit their documents to customs authorities and relevant agencies.
However, under the new mechanism, businesses will only have to submit clearance forms to a national one-door portal. Upon receiving an on-line declaration, customs agencies will verify them from the database.
The benefit of simplified procedure is that it reduces the customs clearance time and State inspections, including verifying documents and taking samples, will be reduced from 20 days to at least 10 days.
Businesses will also be able to send queries through the internet to management agencies if their documents are delayed. Thus, they can save costs and time.
Q: How will the goods be examined to quality under new mechanism?
In accordance with the Vietnamese regulations on imported goods, all imported packaged goods should be approved for human consumption in their country of origin.
At the same time, the importers must take responsibility for the quality of the products.
A total of 14 agencies will be responsible for any tests. They include the Ministry of Science and Technology, Vinacontrol Group Corporation, Nha Trang Pasteur Institute, National Institute for Food Control, Tay Nguyen Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, HCM City Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Pasteur Institute of HCM City - and preventive health centres of Quang Tri, Tay Ninh provinces and Da Nang City.
If the goods fail to pass quality tests, they will be temporarily withdrawn from market.-VNA
