Specialized inspection is a customs clearance procedure in Vietnam that is implemented by related ministries on import and export of goods. From October 21-23, the USAID Trade Facilitation Program and the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) organized a Specialized Inspection Legal Review workshop in Kien Giang province, which was attended by 59 officials (29 women and 30 men) from GDVC, provincial customs departments, and seven government Ministries. The workshop focused on reviewing specialized inspection policies and management of import-export goods, identifying overlapping policies, and reviewing the list of goods under specialized inspections (approximately 10,000 items).

Feedback gathered from the workshop will contribute to the new Specialized Inspections reforms. Workshop results will also be incorporated into a GDVC report on best practices at the next National Trade Facilitation Committee meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and sent to relevant ministries to help them issue new regulations or revise relevant legal documents to further simplify special inspection procedures.

So What?  Through this support, USAID aims to help Vietnam streamline import-export procedures, reduce clearance times, and facilitate international trade for businesses in Vietnam, thereby improving Vietnam’s competitiveness and contributing to its Journey to Self-Reliance.