The help also includes the grouping's assistance to Vietnam to implementits tax commitments and conduct trade data analysis.
Currently, Vietnam follows the ASEAN HarmonisedTariff Nomenclature (AHTN), which is reviewed every five years in line withamendments to the Harmonised System (HS).
According to the Ministry of Finance, a list of Vietnamese imports and exports is being compiled in accordance with the AHTN to updatetechnology and trade and classify goods to match market demand.
Therefore, it is important for Vietnam to apply theHS and the AHTN consistently and accurately to facilitate customs clearance.
The ministry said officials in the tax sector need toknow the latest information on the new tariff system.
In late January, ARISE Vietnam coordinated with thefinance ministry to organise a training course on Vietnam’s tariff transitionfrom AHTN 2017 to the 2022 edition.
Thanks to these efforts, Vietnam is preparing forthe changes in tariffs and completing its tax reduction roadmap set in theEVFTA.
Under Article 17.14 of the EVFTA, availablestatistics on preference utilisation will be exchanged each year on July 1,creating a foundation for the two sides to evaluate the efficiency of theimplementation of the deal.
Truong Thanh Ha, from the Department ofInternational Cooperation under the Ministry of Finance, said the analysis andassessment of EVFTA impacts during the implementation helps Vietnam improve itssupervision and fulfill its commitments.
Through ARISE + Vietnam, the EU has launched atraining course on trade data analysis to facilitate the implementation of freetrade agreements for more than 30 officials from the Ministry of Finance, theMinistry of Industry and Trade, and the General Department of Customs.
The course is designed to improve the capacity ofVietnamese officials and researchers in trade data analysis and the evaluationof EVFTA implementation as well as its impacts.
Peter Bernhardt, the Team Leader of ARISE Vietnam project,said economic research studies evaluating EVFTA impacts are of specialsignificance to Vietnam as they help the country adjust its policies to ease negativeimpact and maximise the pact.
ARISE + Vietnam is a project funded by the EU to integrateVietnam’s economy into the global production chain through targeted support toboth public and private sectors. It will support the VietnameseGovernment to reap the benefits of new bilateral and regional tradecommitments, with a focus on the implementation of the EVFTA.
This is part of the ASEAN Regional IntegrationSupport by the EU – ARISE Regional Programme– to provide trade related technicalassistance to the region.
The project is implemented by DAI Global in aconsortium with the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham), the VietnamChamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), and GOPA Group under the supervisionof the EU Delegation to Vietnam./.