NCC honours customs officer Bhattarai on International Customs Day

KATHMANDU: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) honoured Gopal Prasad Bhattarai, section officer at the Department of Customs, on the occasion of 73rd International Customs Day for his outstanding service.

During a ceremony held at Chamber Bhawan in Jamal, Kathmandu, on Wednesday, NCC President Kamlesh Kumar Agrawal presented Bhattarai with a certificate and Finance Secretary Ram Prasad Ghimire draped a shawl over him. Bhattarai was recognised for his exemplary service in the Department.

President Agrawal stated that Bhattarai was honoured following a recommendation from the Department. He mentioned that the NCC has been recognising employees who provide excellent service in customs administration annually on Customs Day.

During the event, Agrawal emphasised the need to facilitate trade through customs administration reforms and stressed the importance of controlling smuggling at borders. He suggested abolishing reference values in customs and adopting transaction values as per the valuation methods prescribed by the World Customs Organization.

The NCC President also called for establishing a 10-digit Harmonized System (HS) code after reviewing all types of HS codes to ensure tax liability clarity and streamline processes from registering declaration forms to passing goods inspections at customs offices. He highlighted the need to reduce existing customs rates in line with commitments made to the World Trade Organization (WTO), BIMSTEC, and South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

NCC Immediate Past President Rajendra Malla highlighted the need for a technology-friendly customs administration to control illegal trade through the borders.

NCC Senior Vice President Deepak Kumar Malhotra pointed out issues with customs valuations being higher than actual values and suggested that revenue collection could be increased by abolishing reference values and recognising transaction values.

Speaking at the event, Finance Secretary Ghimire emphasised the necessity of cooperation between the government and private sector to improve the economy. He outlined government efforts to implement policies addressing economic challenges and stated that various ordinances have been introduced to mitigate complications in the economic sector and boost the morale of the private sector.