U.S. Government supports VN in trade facilitation
VGP – The U.S. Government commits to boosting fair and equal trade with Viet Nam, heading to a more favorable business environment and reducing administrative procedures, said U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Daniel Kritenbrink at the launching ceremony of the USAID Trade Facilitation Program on July 10 in Ha Noi.
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Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue, head of the National Steering Committee for ASEAN Single Window (ASW), National Single Window (NSW) and Trade facilitation, U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Daniel Kritenbrink and leaders of some Vietnamese ministries and agencies attends the launching ceremony of the USAID Trade Facilitation Program in Ha Noi on July 10, 2019 - Photo: VGP |
Earlier on September 26, 2018, the PM signed Decision No. 1254/QĐ-TTg approving the action plan to promote the National Singe-Window (NSW) mechanism and the ASEAN Single-Window (ASW) mechanism, reform of specialized inspection of exports and imports and trade facilitation during 2018-2020.
Along with negotiations, approvals and organizations of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), Viet Nam has actively negotiated, inked and launched a number of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) at multi-lateral and bilateral levels, said Deputy PM Hue, adding that the nation commits to creating differences, enhancing transparency, consistency and predictability for procedures and public services of the Government for cross-border commodity trading.
The Vietnamese Government has resolutely directed and realized a number of specific measures to improve business and investment environment, enhance the national competitiveness capacity and create a transparent, favorable and fair business environment for the business community. On the spirit, the Government set up the National Committee on NSW, ASW and trade facilitation.
Currently, the nation’s NSW has connected with 13 ministries and agencies with 173 administrative procedures. As many as 2.2 million documents of more than 29,800 enterprises have been handled on the NSW Portal.
The USAID Trade Facilitation Program is practical for Viet Nam, meeting expectations of the Vietnamese Government in launching the TFA and new FTAs, said Hue, adding that the Government attaches importance to the relationship with the U.S., expecting to continue developing the comprehensive partnership with the U.S. on the basis of mutual benefits, making contributions to maintaining stability and cooperation in the region and the world.
The success of economic, trade and investment cooperation is regarded an impetus for promoting the comprehensive partnership between the two nations, he said.
On behalf of the Vietnamese Government and the PM, Deputy PM Hue expressed thanks to the U.S. Government and people’s support for Viet Nam, asserting that Viet Nam attaches importance to the comprehensive partnership with the U.S. and highly appraises cooperative priorities and technical sponsor activities of the U.S. Government through the USAID for Viet Nam’s sustainable development, contributing to expanding and deepening the bilateral economic, trade and investment ties and heading to the 25th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties by 2020.
He proposed the Ministry of Finance, ministries, agencies and localities closely coordinate with the USAID and the private sector to launch the project effectively.
For his side, U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Daniel Kritenbrink highlighted the two-way trade value over the recent 25 years, reaching US$58.9 billion in 2018.
USAID Trade Facilitation Program
The five-year, US$21.7 million USAID Trade Facilitation Program aims to support the Government of Viet Nam to adopt and implement a risk management approach to customs and specialized inspection agencies, which will strengthen the implementation of the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement of which both Viet Nam and the U.S. are members.
The USAID Trade Facilitation Program will work with the General Department of Viet Nam Customs, under the Ministry of Finance, to strengthen the role and capacity of Viet Nam's National Trade Facilitation Committee and their associated working groups to improve the efficiency of specialized inspections and customs-to-business partnerships.
The USAID Trade Facilitation Program will be implemented until 2023 and will support the standardization of policies and procedures for export and import, strengthen national and provincial coordination, and build the capacity of provincial customs officers.
This will help Viet Nam develop a more attractive and predictable trade and investment climate for domestic small and medium-sized enterprises as well as international traders and investors.
By Thuy Dung
