Vietnam steps up international customs cooperation

The 245th/246th Sessions of the Permanent Technical Committee (PTC) has been held recently at the World Customs Organization (WCO) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting gathered over three hundred delegates from WCO members, international organizations, the private sector and academia to discuss, guide and endorse work on a variety of topics.

This is the first meeting under Vietnam’s current PTC chairmanship, chaired by Nguyen Thi Vinh Hoa, Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium and Representative of Vietnam Customs to the WCO.

Participants at the event discussed key activities of the committee for the 2022-2025 period and a series of topics such as smart customs, single-window connectivity, the green customs initiative, and the promotion of customs’ role in disaster relief.

Actively engaging in the session, Hoang Dinh Trung from Vietnam Customs provided valuable insights and shared practical experience in time release studies (TRS), reviewing customs terminology, and discussing the role of the sector in disaster relief efforts.
Other PTC members applauded Vietnam's experience and encouraged active information sharing among members to optimise commitments to cooperation and sustainable development.
Concluding the meeting, Hoai underscored the importance of maintaining connections and collaboration among customs agencies, using digital technology and data ecosystems to facilitate trade and ensure supply chain security.

She affirmed the vision of the WCO and member countries in pursuing sustainable development goals through digital customs, smart customs, green customs, and adaptive responses to global challenges.