The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) late last week informed the Ministry of Finance's General Department of Customs to accept a new C/O (certificate of origin) form E in accordance with the ASEAN-China Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation.

The MoIT also sent this announcement to its departments relating to C/O form E for goods. Accordingly, from August 20 to August 31, 2019, depending on the request of enterprises, state agencies can provide the old C/O form E according to current regulations or new C/O form E.

The ministry said according to the agreement in the letters of August 16 and August 20, 2019 between China and ASEAN member countries, China will grant new C/O form E from August 20, 2019 and the two sides simultaneously accept both new C/O form E and old C/O form E from August 20 to August 31, 2019.

The issuance of new C/O form E from August 20, 2019 is in accordance with agreements in the ASEAN-China Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation, the MoIT said in the notice sent to the General Department of Customs. The new form is prescribed in Appendix II attached to Circular 12/2019/TT-BCT that will come into effect from September 12, 2019.

Nguyen Hoang Tuan, Director of the Lang Son Customs Department told Hai quan (Customs) newspaper that there are no imports stuck at Tan Thanh and Huu Nghi border gates due to the new C/O form E.

Tuan said since August 20, when China implemented the new C/O form E, the Lang Son Customs Department directed customs offices to guide enterprises implementing customs procedures according to existing regulations and also reported this change to the General Department of Customs.

Then, on August 23, the General Department of Customs sent a document to the MoIT to ask the ministry to make clear this change and also have directions for the problem. The general department has also proposed the State to accept both new and old C/O form E at this moment.

Meanwhile, to minimise difficulties of businesses waiting for solutions from the State offices, the customs office has told enterprises to pay full tax for receiving customs clearance and then get a refund later when regulations relating to C/O form E come into effect, Tuan said. If not, the enterprises can bring goods into warehouses to wait for the State management agencies to develop specific solutions for getting customs clearance.

Tran Bang Toan, Director of Customs office at the Huu Nghi border gate, said some imports paid full tax to get customs clearance and will get a refund later.

Hoang Duy Hiep, a representative of Bach Viet Lang Son Co Ltd, said the company chose to pay full tax and get a refund later, so since August 21, every day enterprises got customs clearance for 1-2 batches of imports to Viet Nam via the Huu Nghi International Border Gate.

Meanwhile, Do Thanh Tuyen, a representative of HAB Company specialising in the import of aluminium products, said his company is waiting on guidance to implement customs procedures after the MoIT accepts the new C/O form E. — VNS