The 29th Meeting of the General Directors of Customs of ASEAN countries recently took place online, which demonstrates the strong will and solidarity of ASEAN customs to resolve challenges and towards sustainable development to firmly affirm the role of customs in contributing to create the favourable condition for trade and goods circulation in the region.

Under the leadership of Myanmar Customs, a series of issues relating to international economic integration in the region related to the customs sector such as: List of tariff harmonization in ASEAN; the issue of customs valuation; ASEAN transit system; business priority program of ASEAN; mutual recognition agreement; Post-clearance checks; community security and social protection; ASEAN OSS mechanism; Capacity building initiatives… were discussed by the participants. Customs representatives of 10 ASEAN countries 100% unanimously agreed to pass a joint statement emphasizing the solidarity, determination together to overcome challenges towards sustainable development and affirmed that customs made a positive contribution on trade facilitation, market opening and goods circulation in the ASEAN region even in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic with a negative impact.

Regarding to regional integration in the customs sector, the member countries have so far reviewed the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff List (AHTN) and developed AHTN version 2022 for implementation in January, 2022, at the same time called on the parties to make efforts to implement on schedule to ensure consistency, transparency and simplify the classification of goods in the region. The conference participants also unanimously approved the ASEAN Customs Valuation (ACVG) 2019 guidance document and intends to provide necessary support to member countries to introduce the principles of WTO in terms of customs valuation in both legal and practical terms.
In the context of the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, ASEAN members continue to pilot the way towards the official implementation of the ASEAN Customs Transit System in 2020, in order to facilitate the transport of goods in transit. Up to now, ASEAN Customs has also successfully launched the Priority Business Program and Mutual Recognition Agreement; continue to cooperate and coordinate in the enforcement of protection of intellectual property rights; continue to collaborate on providing more effective monitoring procedures to control plastic waste imports; cooperation in human resource development and capacity building to promote customs modernization as well as narrow gaps between customs authorities in the ASEAN region; The exchange of electronic C/O documents of Form D through the ASEAN Single Window has been exchanged and ASEAN Customs also wish to exchange information on ASEAN customs declarations in the ready member countries right in 2020.

At the above meeting, the ASEAN Customs Directors also held consultations with related parties to strengthen cooperation between ASEAN customs with the other Customs and strengthen ASEAN customs partnership with the business cooperation.

Source: https://congthuong.vn