Vietnam to develop legal framework for cross-border e-commerce customs operations

HANOI - Vietnam's Ministry of Finance (MOF) is to develop a legal framework for cross-border e-commerce in customs operations, with the Ministry releasing a draft decree.

Lawyers Baker McKenzie say the move is considered a positive Government initiative designed to facilitate, and ultimately expedite, the flow of e-commerce goods into Vietnam.

An alternative for e-commerce transactions in customs clearance procedures , the Draft Decree, as introduced by the MOF, acts as an alternative for exporters and importers in conducting customs clearance of goods purchased and sold on e-commerce platforms via an E-commerce Activity Management System, BM says.

Entities including:

SS Traders, organisations providing services on e-commerce marketplaces;

SS Owners of online shopping websites;

SS Transportation enterprises;

SS Customs agents;

SS Enterprises doing business in bonded warehouses / owners of ecommerce goods stored in bonded warehouses; and

SS Individuals, organisations importing and exporting goods through ecommerce platforms

are entitled to utilise the system to facilitate their customs clearance procedure for e-commerce goods.

BM says the Management System serves as an information exchange hub, connecting users with the General Department of Customs, credit institutions, National Single Window and other related systems in order to exchange and process information for the management of exported and imported goods transacted via e-commerce platforms.

To utilise the Management System, users are required to:

(1) register an account to connect with the Management System via http://www.customs.gov.vn; and

(ii) equip their platform with standardised technical infrastructure for ecommerce trading to secure access and allow for information exchange with the Management System.

www.bakermckenzie.com (ATI).