Can customs declarants preview goods and take samples of goods before making customs declaration?
The rights of customs declarants are specified in Clause 1, Article 18 Customs Law 2014 as follows:
Rights and obligations of customs declarants
1. Customs declarations have the right to:
a) Be provided by customs authorities with information related to customs declaration of goods and means of transport, guidance on customs procedures, and dissemination of customs laws;
b) Request the customs authority to pre-determine the code, origin, and customs value of the goods when providing complete and accurate information to the customs authority;
c) Preview the goods and take samples of goods under the supervision of customs officials before customs declaration to ensure accurate customs declaration;
d) Request the customs authority to physically re-inspect the inspected goods, if disagreeing with the customs authority's decision in case the goods have not been cleared;
d) Use customs documents to clear goods, transport goods, and carry out related procedures with other agencies according to the provisions of law;
e) Complaints and denunciations of illegal acts of customs authorities and customs officials;
g) Claim compensation for damage caused by customs authorities and customs officers according to the provisions of law on the State's compensation liability.
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Thus, according to regulations, customs declarations have the right to preview goods and take samples of goods under the supervision of customs officials before declaring customs to ensure accurate customs declaration.