On 8 June 2020 Vietnam ratified the European Union – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the European Union – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). The EVFTA will provide expansive preferential markets access for goods traded between Vietnam and the European Union (EU). The EVFTA will enter into effect on 1 August 2020. In order to export from Vietnam to the EU, exporters must have a REX number in order to complete shipments valued at…
On May 12, 2020, the Philippines component of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Investment Agreement (IA) between Hong Kong, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) entered into force. The FTA and IA entered into force between Hong Kong and Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in 2019. According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), under the FTA, the Philippines will progressively eliminate and reduce customs duties on goods…
On 12 February 2020, the European Parliament approved the EU-Vietnam trade and investment agreements. The EU-Vietnam trade agreement is now set to enter into force in 2020, upon conclusion of the ratification procedure by Vietnam. The trade agreement will eliminate virtually all tariffs on goods traded between the two sides and will guarantee – through its strong, legally binding and enforceable commitments on sustainable development – the respect of labour rights, environmental protection and the…
On January 13, 2020, the US Department of the Treasury announced that it had delivered to Congress the semiannual Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States. In this Report, Treasury reviewed and assessed the policies of 20 major US trading partners. Treasury also assessed developments over the last several months with China and its currency practices. The announcement said: The Report concluded that while the currency practices…
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has released a draft decree promulgating the management of exported and imported goods in cross-border e-commerce (“Draft Decree”). This is considered a positive Government initiative designed to facilitate, and ultimately expedite, the flow of e-commerce goods into Vietnam. An alternative for e-commerce transactions in customs clearance procedures The Draft Decree, as introduced by the MOF, acts as an alternative for exporters and importers in conducting customs clearance of goods purchased…
The entry into force of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) brings with it preferential import tariff rates applicable to CPTPP originating goods. Import tariffs can amount to a substantial increase on the end cost of goods. For businesses operating in a competitive market, preferential tariff rates may afford them a comparative advantage by reducing costs. Under the CPTPP, tariff rate reductions occur automatically after the Agreement has entered into force in a member country’s territory. Accordingly, exporters of most CPTPP originating goods can enjoy preferential tariff rates immediately.
On April 18, 2019, Vietnam Customs reported that on April 16, 2019, under the presidency of Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai, the General Department of Customs held the first meeting on the revised contents of the draft Circular amending and supplementing Circular 39/2015/TT-BTC on customs value of imported and exported goods. The report stated:
On April 18, 2019, Vietnam Customs reported that on April 16, 2019, under the presidency of Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai, the General Department of Customs held the first meeting on the revised contents of the draft Circular amending and supplementing Circular 39/2015/TT-BTC on customs value of imported and exported goods. The report stated:
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) officially entered into force for Vietnam on 14 January 2019. From a customs perspective, there are a number of noteworthy issues as follows:
On January 19, 2019, Global Affairs Canada reported that the inaugural Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission meeting was successfully concluded. The CPTPP Commission, consisting of representatives from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam (the countries for which the CPTPP has entered into force), met in Tokyo, Japan and concluded their session by issuing a Ministerial statement. The Commission meeting allowed CPTPP countries to chart a course for next steps as well as agree on a framework for the accession of new members. The Ministerial Statement follows: