At the 16th Whitebook launch, EuroCham outlined 5 Must-Win Battles for Vietnam, shaped by insights from our 19 Sector Committees and 1,400 members.
Priority #5: Simplifying Customs Clearance & Procedures
Vietnam’s economy thrives on import and export, with 87.2% of GDP coming from exports in 2023 (World Bank). However, multiple challenges in the country’s customs make it difficult to bring goods and machines in and out of the country and clear them:
- Varied procedures in preferential tariff declarations;
- Customs authorities’ reliance on internal valuation database resulting in errors, disputes, and penalties;
- Inconsistent HS (Harmonised System) code application with limited transparency and inadequate transition period; and
- Outdated paper-based EUR.1 certification under EVFTA leading to operational disruptions for both importers and exporters.
Indeed, 24% of surveyed European businesses operating in Vietnam highlight Customs Inefficiency & Trade Barriers as one of the most significant obstacles hampering their performance (EuroCham’s Business Confidence Index Q1 2025).
To maximise EVFTA benefits and support Vietnam’s goal of becoming a global trans-shipment hub, EuroCham suggests Vietnam to:
- Modernise and streamline procedures: distinguish administrative errors from legal violations; accelerate digitalisation via securing e-C/O & certification system; and publish clear legal references for HS codes.
- Enhance flexibility and transparency: ensure smooth cargo movement within and across customs zones; provide WTO-aligned customs valuation rationale.
- Preserve and improve on-the-spot import/export mechanism: maintain Article 35.1 of Decree 8, including point c; only replace current mechanism when a new and equally beneficial mechanism is available; and institutionalise the model at Law level.
