Cambodia’s customs officials urge importers to pay “tax fees, not pay bribe”

13 November 2013
Aid and development / Bilateral development assistance / Chinese aid / Economic policy and administration / Economy and commerce / Government / Imports / Industries / Law and judiciary / Laws and regulations / Non-DAC members / Taxation / Trade / Trade policy and regulation
Crime Prevention and Suppression Department / General Department of Customs and Excise / Keo Sokheang / Preah Sihanouk provincial Customs and Excise Branch / Tax Exemption Zone Department

Cambodia’s customs officials on Wednesday called on all importers to pay”tax fees as stated by law, not pay bribe”to customs officers. The appeal came after some Chinese importers have complained that Cambodian customs officers have increased tariffs for their imported products, or not allowed their goods to enter Cambodia. Moreover, some logistic companies, Chinese enterprises and dealers said that some border corridors, which were previously open, were banned without any advanced notice so that their goods were stalled at border entrances and could not be imported into Cambodia, a local Chinese newspaper, the Commercial News, reported Wednesday. “We have not banned or raised any customs taxes at all for products imported from China or other countries — the tax rates are the same as stated by law,”Kum Nhem, deputy director-general of the General Department of Customs and Excise, told Xinhua over telephone Wednesday afternoon. … During a weekly Cabinet meeting on Oct. 25, Prime Minister Hun Sen lashed out at officials at the customs institution for corruption and gave them two months to correct themselves or he would take actions against them. …

 Asean-China-Center News Staff
http://www.asean-china-center.org/english/2013-11/14/c_132886796.htm