The 33rd Conference of Directors General of ASEAN Customs , as Chairman of ASEAN Customs for the 2024-2025 term, is hosted by Vietnam Customs from June 4-6, 2024 in Phu Quoc city, Kien Giang province. .

Vietnam Customs wishes and hopes that with contributions within its scope and capabilities, it will work with other countries towards a common goal in the integration process of ASEAN Customs, contributing to building a Economic Community. ASEAN economy is prosperous and sustainable, realizing ASEAN's vision of "A region of development and prosperity for all people", "One ASEAN - One identity - One vision". This is the fourth time Vietnam Customs has hosted the ADGCM Conference...

The 32nd ADGCM Conference in Thailand (Photo: ASEAN Secretariat)

ASEAN Customs is an integral part of establishing the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), under which ASEAN is a single market and production base with equitable and fully integrated economic development. into the global economy.

As ASEAN Leaders took a historic step towards regional integration at the 9th ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia on 7 October 2003, the ASEAN Directors General of Customs Meeting (ADGCM) restructured its working structure to strengthen institutional arrangements for customs integration and modernization. The ADGCM Conference is the customs policy-making body in ASEAN, under which the ADGCM provides guidance and direction to customs working agencies. The ADGCM Conference is responsible for reporting to the ASEAN Finance Ministers' Meeting (AFMM)...

For Vietnam, when participating in the ASEAN Customs Agreement, in addition to the obligation to fully implement the commitments stated in the Agreement, Vietnam will have the right to enjoy certain benefits from approved signatories. The Agreement provides maximum administrative support (including information and intelligence exchange) to prevent, investigate and suppress customs-related violations; Vietnamese goods exported, transited, and transshipped through the territories of the signing parties will receive the greatest possible facilitation through the application of specific commitments of the Agreement such as simplifying procedures. customs and customs control regulations, application of information technology, advance decision, mutual recognition of the Priority Enterprise Program (AEO), coordinated border management...

At the annual conference, heads of ASEAN Customs agencies comment on the achievements and progress made on the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Customs Development (SPCD) in different stages and implementation of the ASEAN Single Window by the following working groups and agencies: ASEAN Customs Coordinating Committee; Working Group on Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation; Customs Enforcement and Compliance Working Group; Customs Capacity Building Working Group (CCBWG); and the ASEAN Single Window Steering Committee (ASWSC).

To enhance customs-to-customs cooperation, consultation sessions with ASEAN Dialogue Partners, specifically: China Customs, Japan Customs, Korea Customs, Australian Customs, Customs Organization (WCO), is part of the agenda of the ASEAN Customs Directors General Meeting and the Customs Coordination Committee. In a similar vein, ASEAN Customs recognizes the importance of customs partnerships with regional businesses and engagement with the private sector (ASEAN Business and Advisory Council, ASEAN Business Council United States-ASEAN, European Union (EU)-ASEAN Business Council and other cooperation mechanisms) are also held within the framework of the Conferences of the ASEAN Directors General of Customs and the Customs Coordination Committee. mandarin.

The following are the Customs strategic directions for the period 2016-2025 as reflected in the General Guidelines for Comprehensive Customs Operations for the 10-year period (2016-2025) and established in accordance with the ASEAN's commitments under the ASEAN Agreement on Customs (2012) and the Plan for Building the ASEAN Economic Community to 2025, specifically:

First, strengthen cooperation between ASEAN Customs authorities to combat transnational crime and illicit trade, for example through the sharing of best practices and exchange of information, compliance domestic laws and regulations.

Second, promote trade facilitation by streamlining and simplifying border procedures, for example through the full implementation of the ASEAN Single Window to facilitate the exchange of documents across borders. borders as well as promoting the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO);

Third, enhance cooperation in the field of customs valuation and classification through sharing knowledge and best practices among ASEAN customs officials;

Fourth, promote partnerships between Customs authorities and the business community;

Fifth, promote ASEAN connectivity through the implementation of the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) along the North-South and East-West Corridors;

Finally, promote more effective customs modernization by expanding capacity building and sharing knowledge related to modern customs structures to meet the rapidly changing international trade environment.