Remarkable policies coming into forces from the end of March 2019

1. Customs priority be given within 30 days

Circular No.07/2019/TT-BTC amends Circular No.72/2015/TT-BTC on giving priority to enterprises in terms of customs procedures, customs inspection and supervision of imports and exports.

According to the Circular, the General Department of Vietnam Customs shall carry out an inspection and consider granting the application for customs priority within 30 days from the day on which the satisfactory application is received.

For complicated cases that require opinions from relevant ministries, the inspection period may be expanded but shall not exceed 30 days.

The inspection includes document inspection and site inspection.

The Circular also provides for extension of customs priority duration (previously not specified).

More details can be found in Circular No.07/2019/TT-BTC which comes into force from March 28, 2019.

Note: The effective date of Circular No.07/2019/TT-BTC is adjusted in Decision No.296/QD-BTC dated February 27, 2019. 

To be specific, Circular No.07/2019/TT-BTC officially takes effect from March 28, 2019 instead of January 28, 2019.

Decision No.296/QD-BTC comes into force from March 28, 2019 and is inseparable from Circular No.07. 

2. Regulations on power to mobilize vehicles for natural disaster response

Circular No.03/2019/TT-BGTVT on road traffic-related natural disaster control and recovery is issued by the Ministry of Transport on January 11, 2019.

According to the Circular, the power to mobilize standby vehicles and supplies for natural disaster response shall be regulated as follows:

-  Heads of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of the Ministry of Transport and Directorate for Roads of Vietnam have the power to mobilize standby vehicles, supplies and equipment under management to:

+ serve natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue on national highways;

+ provide assistance to local authorities under the guidance of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control;

- Directors of Departments of Road Management have the power to mobilize standby supplies, vehicles and equipment under management to serve natural disaster response, search and rescue on national highways under their management as authorized;

- Directors of Departments of Transport have the power to mobilize standby supplies, vehicles and equipment under management to serve natural disaster response, search and rescue on local roads.

Circular No.03/2019/TT-BGTVT comes into force from March 28, 2019 and will replace Circular No.30/2010/TT-BGTVT dated October 10, 2010.

3. Changes to requirements for length of roads on patrol

This is a remarkable content of Circular No.04/2019/TT-BGTVT on highway patrol and road infrastructure patrol for protection of road infrastructure which comes into force from March 28, 2019.

According to the Circular, the length of roads on patrol shall be determined according to the size and nature of the road work and the vehicle used by the highway patrolman but shall not exceed:

- 25 km/person for Level I and II roads in case of motorbike use;

- 30 km/person for Level III roads in case of motorbike use;

- 35 km/person for Level IV, V and VI mountainous roads and 45 km/person for Level IV, V and VI delta or midland roads in case of motorbike use;

- If the car is used for highway patrol, the length of roads on patrol increased shall not exceed 1.5 times the length of roads patrolled by the patrolman using the motorbike.

The aforesaid regulations annul regulation on the minimum length of roads patrolled specified in Circular No.47/2012/TT-BGTVT dated November 12, 2012.

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