THE CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT

The Customs Department's responsibility is indeed wide-ranging. This encompasses collecting tariffs and various duties, preventing and suppressing of illegal trade, promoting exports through tariff measures, making recommendations on and implementing tariffs measures, preparing import-export statistics as well as other related information, and cooperating with foreign agencies to exchange information and prevent various crimes.

The Department's Policy

  1. Develop an efficient system on tax collection, and grant export promotion preferences to attain international standards
  2. Improve crime suppression and prevention efforts
  3. Employ information technology system for customs purposes
  4. Enhance the Department's personnel capability to participate in international negotiations together with implementing commitments made thereunder
  5. Improve customs procedures, rules and regulation so as not to hinder trade
  6. Enhance analytical capability of Department's officials so that the Department can make appropriate recommendations and policy measures

Outstanding Achievements

  1. Tariffs collection : Efforts in this area include the introduction of Harmonized System, modification on import-export invoices, and the profound overhaul of the tariffs structure which resulted in the reduction of applied rates previously set at 39 rates down to 6 rates.
  2. Crimes prevention and suppression: The Department's record in its arrests has been very impressive.
  3. Export promotion: The most important instruments are tariff measures notably Section 19 concerning duty drawbacks as well as allowing the private sector to establish bonded warehouses, etc. Other areas of export promotion activities include customs clearance facilitation measures and the improvement in customs services.

Organizational Development

To adapt to economic, social, political, and technological evolvements in the world economy, the Customs Department will have to restructure and revitalize its organization. This was planned by streamlining its structure, emphasizing efficient services, enabling the structure to be receptive to modern technology, reviewing its present divisional functions, improving customs house in line with other economic development, and centralizing export promotion activities for more efficiency. Future Plans include:
  1. Improve tariffs collection system for higher efficiency
  2. Promote the use of tariffs measures to achieve economic neutrality and foster competition
  3. Promote industrial and trade development in the country by
  4. Modify customs procedures and tariffs structure in accordance with AFTA scheme
  5. Adjust tariffs structure and customs valuation method to reflect those agreed under the GATT agreements
  6. Ensure that the customs system is conducive to exports as well as provincial development
  7. Support scientific researches and technological development through tariffs measures
  8. Encourage fuel conservation efforts through tariffs preferences