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Export and Import Procedures in Asean Best Practices
Export and Import Procedures in Asean Best Practices
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Introduction
ALBERTO VETTORETTI
Managing Partner www.dezshira.com
www.aseanbriefing.com
The member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have not only
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abolished almost all import and export duties on items traded between them but have also
signed several Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) both bilaterally as well as regionally via their
membership of the bloc. This combination of a single ASEAN market and the several bilateral www.india-briefing.com
and regional FTAs, including with Hong Kong, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and
New Zealand, are radically altering the global supply chain and manufacturing landscape,
www.indonesiabriefing.com
allowing the free flow of goods between all ASEAN member states and FTA partner countries.
Once the tariff reduction schedules of these FTAs are completed, ASEAN will offer close to www.vietnam-briefing.com
zero import-export tariffs for much of emerging Asia, including the giant markets of China and
India, possessing some 500 million middle class consumers between them. ASEAN therefore
represents a massive trade bloc possessing FTAs of global strategic importance, offering a
Reference
great opportunity for exporters and importers to trade regionally as well as internationally
ASEAN Briefing and related titles are
without tariff barriers. Businesses, with operations in ASEAN, can use the FTAs to gain easy produced by Asia Briefing Ltd., a wholly
access to new export markets for their products while also importing input material at low owned subsidiary of Dezan Shira Group.
costs, and simplified export and import procedures.
Content is provided by
Dezan Shira & Associates. No liability
In this issue of ASEAN Briefing magazine, we focus on these emerging opportunities and may be accepted for any of the contents
highlight the region’s export and import procedures for the benefit of trading businesses. We of this publication. Readers are strongly
advised to seek professional advice
begin by outlining the export procedures in each ASEAN member state. Next, we focus on
when actively looking to implement
import procedures in each ASEAN country. Finally, we discuss the importance of meeting the suggestions made within this publication.
region’s Rules of Origin (RoO) criteria for exporters and importers looking to take advantage
of the individual ASEAN member states’ FTAs as well as the bloc’s regional FTAs. For queries regarding the content of
this magazine, please contact:
editor@asiabriefing.com
With kind regards,
All materials and contents
© 2018 Asia Briefing Ltd.
Alberto Vettoretti
Credits
Publisher / Alberto Vettoretti
Asia Briefing Ltd. Unit 507, 5/F, Chinachem Golden Plaza, Senior Editor / Saponti Baroowa
www.asiabriefing.com 77 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East Kowloon, Hong Kong. Contributor / Vasundhara Rastogi
Design / Belén Rodríguez
2
This Issue’s Topic
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3
Export Procedures
in ASEAN
By Dezan Shira & Associates
Cambodia Indonesia
Exporters first need to register with Cambodia’s Expor ters are required to register with
Department of Business Registration, under Indonesia’s trade department and obtain a
the Ministry of Commerce. Cambodia uses the customs identification number (Nomor Identitas
Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) Kepabeanan, NIK), a personal identification
created under the United Nations Conference number given by the Directorate General of
on Trade and Development (UNC TAD). To Customs and Excise. In addition, exporting
register with ASYCUDA, exporters require a companies must already have a taxpayer
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). To acquire identification number (NPWP) and one of the
a TIN, exporters must register with the General following business licenses: Trade license (SIUP)
Department of Taxation, under the Ministry of from the Ministry of Trade; Manufacturing license
Economy and Finance. Finally, exporters must from the Ministry of Industry, or other licenses
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Issue 13 · December 2018 · Asean Briefing
issued by the relevant authority; PMA license from the Ministry of International Trade and
issued by the Investment Coordinating Board Industry (MITI).
(BKPM); or Exporter identification number (APE).
When exporting goods out of Malaysia, traders must
Businesses exporting out of Indonesia must provide Customs Export or Import Declaration;
provide Bill of Lading, Air way bill or other Commercial Invoice; Bill of Lading; Packing List; and
transport documents such as postal receipt, cargo Certificate of Origin.
receipt; Commercial Invoice; Customs Export
Declaration; Packing List; Export declaration of
goods (PEB); Insurance Certificate; Export Permit;
Myanmar
and Certificate of Origin.
To export goods from Myanmar, a company must
register itself with the Directorate of Investment
Laos and Company Administration (DICA). Fortunately
for overseas companies, the DICA recently created
All exporters must first register with the Ministry of a digital single clearance window for registration
Industry and Commerce’s Department of Enterprise called the One Stop Service (OSS). Companies
Registration and Management. Not all exported can register themselves with the DICA for up
products require a license. To determine the criteria to five years. Once registered with the DICA, a
for license requirements, Laos uses three categories company must then register itself with Myanmar’s
based on the product for export. These are: Department of Trade (under the Ministry of
Commerce). Registrations with the Department
• Products which do not require a license; of Trade are limited to three year periods and cost
• Products requiring a license under the automatic Kyat 50,000 (US$36.50) per year. All exporters are
route; and also required to join the Myanmar Federation of
• Products requiring a license under the non- Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
automatic route.
To export goods from Myanmar, a company
Exporters can secure these licenses from the must provide an export declaration form called
Department of Imports and Exports (DIMEX). CUSDEC—2 as well as the CUSDEC—4 Customs
Products under the automatic route are licensed Valuation Form. Exporters also require to submit
for the purpose of collecting statistical information Export License; Invoice; Bill of lading; Packing list;
whereas products under the non-automatic route Sales contract; Shipping instructions; Letter of credit
require permission from DIMEX to be exported. or general Remittance or Exemption Certificate;
Sample of goods; Fumigation certificate (when
Businesses exporting out of Laos must provide required); Phytosanitary certificate (when required),
Bill of Lading; Commercial Invoice; Packing and Recommendation from concerned ministry
list; Road transit document; Export Customs (when required).
declaration; Copy of tax registration; and Copy
of business license.
Philippines
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Asean Briefing · Issue 13 · December 2018
coffee exporters must register with the Export system. In order to register for the system,
Marketing Bureau. Exporters operating out of a the exporter must already possess a ‘digital
special economic zone (SEZ) must register with the certificate’. Once a digital certificate is in place,
Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) while the exporter may proceed to register for the
companies exporting out of free port zones must e-Customs system.
register with the specific free port. Once registered,
exporters will receive a Unique Registration
Two separate checks need to be made before
Number, necessary for all export activity.
goods are exported: firstly, to identify if goods
require an export permit, and secondly, to
Businesses exporting out of the Philippines ascertain if goods are considered ‘red line'(as
must provide Packing List; Invoice; Bill of Lading; opposed to green line). In terms of red line
Export License; Customs Export Declaration; and g o o d s, e x t r a d o c u m e n t a t i o n i s re q u i re d
Certificate of Origin. before the shipment can leave Thailand. These
include Invoice; Export License (if required);
other relevant documents (e.g. Food and
Singapore Drug Administration approval, destination
information, etc.). Green line goods are clear
All goods exported from Singapore must be
to proceed.
declared, though they are not subject to GST and
duty. A certificate of origin can be acquired for
any exported good created in Singapore through
Vietnam
the online TradeNet platform. To begin the export
process, the exporter must obtain a Unique
In order to be able to conduct export business
Entity Number (UEN) by registering with the
in Vietnam, a foreign investor must register
Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority
with the Depar tment of Planning and
(ACRA), or another relevant UEN issuance agency,
I n v e s t m e n t ( D P I ) . A d d i t i o n a l l y, f o r e i g n
which will allow the exporter to activate its
i nve s to r s w h o w i s h to e n g a g e i n e x p o r t
Customs Account. To acquire a customs export
activities in Vietnam are required to obtain an
permit, exporters may register themselves as a
Investment Certificate. Companies that wish
declaring agent or appoint a declaring agent
to expand their current business operations
to act on their behalf. Permit applications are
in order to engage in export activities must
submitted online through the TradeNet system.
follow the procedures fo r a d j u s t i n g t h e i r
Investment Cer tificates. Cer tain goods
If stated in the permit conditions or if the cargo being require the trading company to obtain
exported is a dutiable good, certain documents expor t permits from the government.
must be presented to checkpoint officers at the
point of cargo lodgement. In such instances,
both containerized cargo and conventional cargo Companies that export goods must submit
require the approved customs export permit and a dossier of documents to the customs
supporting documents including the invoice, authorities. The dossier must include at least the
packing list, and the bill of lading or airway bill, in company’s business registration certificate and
addition to having the permit number at hand. export business code registration certificate.
Additional documents that may be requested
by authorities depending on the exports in
Thailand question include Bill of lading; Certificate of
origin; Commercial invoice; Customs export
The procedures for exporting goods from Thailand declaration form; Packing list; and Technical
have been centralized into the online e-Customs standard/health certificate.
6
Import Procedures
in ASEAN
By Dezan Shira & Associates
7
Asean Briefing · Issue 13 · December 2018
Businesses impor ting into Indonesia must When importing goods into Malaysia, traders must
provide Commercial invoice, signed by the provide Customs Export or Import Declaration;
manufacturer or supplier as true and correct; Bill Commercial Invoice; Bill of Lading; Packing List; and
of lading, in three endorsed originals and four Certificate of Origin.
non-negotiable copies; Certificate of insurance;
Packing list; Import permit; and Customs import
declaration.
Myanmar
Importers can secure these licenses from the To import goods into Myanmar, a company
Department of Imports and Exports (DIMEX). must provide an import declaration form called
Pro d u c t s u n d e r t h e a u to m a t i c ro u te a re CUSDEC—1 Import Declaration Form as well
licensed for the purpose of collecting statistical as the CUSDEC—4 Customs Valuation Form.
information whereas products under the non- In addition, importers require Import Licence;
automatic route require permission from DIMEX Invoice; Bill of lading, air consignment note, or
to be exported. truck note; Cargo release order; Terminal handling
report; Packing list; Technical standard and health
Businesses importing into Laos must provide certificate (when required); and Recommendation
Commercial Invoice; Carriers report; Packing list; from concerned ministry (when required).
Copy of business license; Copy of tax registration;
Import customs declaration; and Copy of exporter
license or registration.
Philippines
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Issue 13 · December 2018 · Asean Briefing
Businesses importing into the Philippines must ascertain if goods are considered ‘red line'(as
provide Packing list; Invoice; Bill of lading; Import opposed to green line). In terms of red line
Permit; Customs Import Declaration; and Certificate g o o d s, e x t r a d o c u m e n t a t i o n i s re q u i re d
of Origin. before the shipment can be imported into
Thailand. These include Bill of Lading or Air
Waybill; Invoice; Packing List; Import License (if
Singapore required); Certificates of origin; and other relevant
documents (e.g. list of ingredients, technical
To begin the import process, the importer
standards certificates, etc.)
must obtain a Unique Entity Number (UEN) by
registering with the Accounting and Corporate
Regulatory Authority (ACRA), or another relevant Vietnam
UEN issuance agency, which will allow the
exporter to activate its Customs Account. In In order to be able to conduct import business
order to pay duties, GST, and other fees, importers in Vietnam, a foreign investor must register with
must have an Inter-Bank GIRO (IBG) account with the Department of Planning and Investment
Singapore Customs. (DPI). Additionally, foreign investors who wish
to engage in import activities in Vietnam are
To acquire a customs import permit, importers required to obtain an Investment Certificate.
may register themselves as a declaring Companies that wish to expand their current
agent or appoint a declaring agent to act business operations in order to engage in
o n t h e i r b e h a l f. Pe r m i t a p p l i c a t i o n s a r e import activities must follow the procedures for
s u b m i t t e d o n l i n e t h r o u g h t h e Tr a d e N e t adjusting their Investment Certificates. Certain
s y s t e m . W h e n a p p l y i n g fo r t h e c u s t o m s goods require the trading company to obtain
permit for containerized cargo, the relevant import permits from the government.
container number and shipper seal number
must be declared. Various documents must Companies that import goods must submit
be submitted to checkpoint officers when a dossier of documents to the customs
cargo is being cleared at an entry point. For authorities. The dossier must include at least the
both conventional cargo and containerized company’s business registration certificate and
cargo, a printed copy of the approved customs import business code registration certificate.
permit and supporting documents such as the Additional documents that may be requested
invoice, the packing list, and the Bill of Lading by authorities depending on the imports in
or Air Waybill are required for submission. question include Bill of lading; Cargo release
order; Commercial invoice; Customs import
declaration form; Inspection report; Packing
Thailand list; Technical standard/health certificate; and
Terminal handling receipts.
The procedures for impor ting goods into
Thailand have been centralized into the online
e-Customs system. In order to register for the
system, the importer must already possess a
‘digital certificate’. Once a digital certificate is in
place, the importer may proceed to register for
the e-Customs system.
9
Taking Advantage
of ASEAN’s FTAs
By Dezan Shira & Associates
Besides the bilateral Free Trade Agreements individual ASEAN member states’ FTAs as well
(FTAs) that they have individually signed with as the bloc’s regional FTAs, must first ensure
other countries, each ASEAN member state that their products qualify as an originating
is a signatory to the ASEAN Free Trade Area good under the terms of the relevant FTA’s
(AFTA) between themselves as well as the Rules of Origin (RoO) criteria. To qualify as
several FTAs that the regional trade bloc has originating goods and become eligible for
signed with some of the major economies preferential tariff treatment available under
in the Asia-Pacific region. These include the the FTAs, the exported or imported items must
ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA (AANZFTA), either be:
the ASEAN-China FTA (ACFTA), the ASEAN-India
FTA (AIFTA), the ASEAN-Korea FTA (AKFTA), • Wholly-obtained or produced entirely in an FTA
the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic member country; or
Par tnership (A JCEP), and the ASEAN-Hong • M u s t h a v e u n d e r g o n e a ‘s u b s t a n t i a l
Kong, China FTA (AHKFTA). transformation’ in an FTA member country.
These FTAs offer a great oppor tunit y for For the goods that are par tially produced
exporters and importers to trade regionally as within an FTA member country, substantial
well as internationally without tariff barriers. transformation guarantees that a meaningful
Businesses, with operations in ASEAN, can use manufacturing process has taken place in
the FTAs to gain easy access to new export the free trade area for the good to qualify as
markets for their products while also importing originating. It is important to note that the origin
input material at low costs, and simplified of these goods is dependent on the country
export and import procedures. Exporters and where the last substantial transformation is
importers looking to take advantage of the performed.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
For a free consultation on how you can optimize ASEAN’s FTAs for your exports and
imports, please email asia@dezshira.com or visit our website www.dezshira.com
EXPLORE MORE
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Issue 13 · December 2018 · Asean Briefing
Certificate of Origin
Essentially, for different FTAs, different RoO systems belonging to a FTA member country must obtain
and requirements exist in terms of the methods a relevant certificate of origin (CO) for each
used to determine the origin of the good. In all shipment; verifying the origin of the product to
cases, regardless of the substantive criteria used take advantage of the tariff concessions available
for meeting the origin requirement, exporters under the FTA and gain greater market access.
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11
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