Number of preferential C/Os granted in 2024 increased by 18%

According to the Import-Export Department, the number of preferential C/Os granted from 2020 to present has increased by an average of about 20% per year. It is expected to increase by 18% in 2024 compared to last year.

This is the figure given at the Symposium on Origin of Goods in 2024 organized by the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) on the morning of December 28 in Lang Son.

Attending the conference were Mr. Nguyen Anh Son - Director of the Import-Export Department; Mr. Tran Thanh Hai - Deputy Director of the Import-Export Department; Ms. Trinh Thi Thu Hien - Deputy Director of the Import-Export Department; and representatives of departments and offices under the Ministry of Industry and Trade including: the Import-Export Department and the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy. On the local side, there were Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dai - Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Lang Son province and representatives of related units.

Delegates attending the Symposium on Origin of Goods in 2024

C/O "passport" for export goods

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Mr. Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the Import-Export Department, said that in the process of international economic integration, with Vietnam participating in many free trade agreements, the issuance of Certificates of Origin (C/O) plays an increasingly important role.

C/O is a "passport" that helps Vietnamese export goods enjoy preferential tariffs in foreign markets, and is also a tool to prevent origin fraud, preventing third parties from taking advantage of the name of Vietnamese goods to gain illegal benefits.

According to statistics from the Import-Export Department, the number of preferential C/Os granted in the period from 2020 to present has increased by an average of about 20% per year, and in 2024 it is expected to increase by 18% compared to 2023.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) spoke at the conference.

In recent times, the Import-Export Department and C/O-issuing agencies and organizations have done a good job in implementing the field of goods origin such as: Expanding the process of granting C/O in electronic form and transmitting electronic C/O data to ASEAN countries and Korea according to international commitments and agreements; cooperating in verifying origin with importing countries; applying C/O fees; reviewing the work of granting C/O at C/O-issuing agencies and organizations in the spirit of Directive No. 06/CT-BCT dated June 11, 2024 of the Minister of Industry and Trade on strengthening state work on the origin of exported goods in the current period; consulting with relevant agencies and units to prepare for the development of a new decree to replace Decree No. 31/2018/ND-CP detailing the Law on Foreign Trade Management on the origin of goods.

The conference on origin of goods is held annually to summarize and evaluate the activities of granting preferential C/O of the agencies and organizations granting C/O of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and authorized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in order to propose solutions to improve the quality and efficiency of granting preferential C/O nationwide. Not only that, the conference is also an opportunity for C/O issuing officials to exchange, learn, improve their professional skills and update commitments on Rules of Origin in new Agreements.

Regular updates on rules of origin are needed.

The conference consisted of two sessions. At the plenary session, representatives of the Import-Export Department and the Department of E-Commerce and Digital Economy (Ministry of Industry and Trade) presented on the rules of origin of goods in the Vietnam - Israel FTA; the current status of operations and plans to upgrade the eCoSys System; and the process of granting C/O in emergency cases.

At the discussion session, representatives of the regional Import-Export Management Departments exchanged and discussed problems and issues arising in the work of granting C/O and recommended and proposed a number of solutions to improve implementation efficiency in the coming time.

Overview of the Symposium on Origin of Goods in 2024 organized by the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) on the morning of December 28 in Lang Son

In her concluding remarks at the conference, Ms. Trinh Thi Thu Hien, Deputy Director of the Import-Export Department, also requested that officials at agencies and organizations issuing C/Os regularly update regulations on rules of origin, implement standard procedures for issuing and verifying origin, and help disseminate knowledge and understanding to businesses and the community as well as continue to train other officials at their agencies and organizations issuing C/Os.

At the same time, C/O level officials also need to pay attention to anti-corruption work, practice thrift, and note what party members are not allowed to do in order to continuously enhance the prestige and responsibility of Vietnam's C/O level agencies and organizations; properly implement the agency's internal rules and regulations, continue to promote the achieved results, overcome shortcomings, and successfully complete assigned tasks.

Previously, on the afternoon of December 27, in Lang Son, the Ministry of Industry and Trade coordinated with the People's Committee of Lang Son province to organize a conference on State management of goods origin in 2024.

The Import-Export Department said that in the state management of import and export, the origin of goods is an important and specific issue, not only related to the preferential tax benefits from international economic integration commitments that countries give to Vietnam but also vice versa, Vietnam gives preferential treatment to countries.

In the coming time, the implementation of FTAs ​​will enter a phase of implementing stronger commitments, requiring closer connection and coordination from ministries, departments, branches and state management agencies to take advantage of opportunities brought about by FTAs.

At the same time, coordination and information sharing among relevant ministries, branches and agencies are extremely important in the work of inspecting and verifying the origin of goods in order to detect and handle situations of fraud of goods origin in practice. From there, it is possible to propose measures to manage risks of origin to prevent increasingly diverse and sophisticated acts of fraud of origin in the future.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/so-luong-co-uu-dai-duoc-cap-nam-2024-tang-18-366717.html