Delegates attend the press conference on Wednesday to announce Việt Nam’s successful connection to the ACMI. — Photo courtesy of VINABAI

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has successfully connected to the ASEAN Compulsory Motor Insurance (ACMI) system, the Vietnam National Agency implementing Protocol No 5 on the ASEAN Compulsory Motor Insurance programme (VINABAI) announced on Wednesday. 

Accordingly, motor vehicle owners from ASEAN member states transiting or travelling to Việt Nam must register for compulsory civil liability insurance of motor vehicle owners.

ACMI - the ASEAN compulsory motor insurance database system - is used as a data hub for member states participating in the system to issue insurance policies.

This system is officially used in 10 ASEAN countries, implementing Protocol No 5 on ASEAN's Compulsory Motor Insurance programme. This has paved the way for vehicles and goods transportation among ASEAN border gates.

In addition, ACMI will then be connected with the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) to create an electronic one-stop mechanism for goods in transit procedures, promoting the implementation of the  ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit (AFAFGIT).

Thanks to the successful connection to the ACMI system, Việt Nam is one of the leading countries in this activity, along with Thailand – the manager of the ACMI system, and Singapore – a developed country in ASEAN, the agency said. 

Motor vehicle users can access this ACMI system to register for a blue card – proof that a motor vehicle has been issued an insurance policy that meets the minimum insurance requirements according to the regulation of civil liability insurance of motor vehicle owners in transit or destination countries in ASEAN.

Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, Chairman of VINABAI, said: "Việt Nam’s successful connection to the ACMI system has a very special meaning."

"In addition to affirming that ASEAN motor vehicles transiting into Việt Nam need to register for compulsory motor insurance, this connection will help effectively promote the transportation of vehicles and goods among ASEAN member states.”

Tuấn added that the insurance documents - hard or electronic copy - will have to be carried in the vehicle for inspection at the border by competent authorities of the countries involved in the transit movement. The competent authorities entrusted to enforce the insurance requirements can inspect the certificates along the designated routes.

Two years ago, a memorandum of understanding on officially applying the ACMI system among 10 ASEAN countries was signed, aiming to realise the contents of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Goods in Transit (AFAFGIT) signed by the ASEAN finance ministers on April 8, 2001, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

AFAFGIT requires each member state to establish a national agency to issue insurance policies, namely blue cards, and assist in handling accidents (investigation, loss assessment, compensation settlement, and dispute resolution in accordance with the regulation) caused by a vehicle possessing a blue card in the territory of that member country.

This agency in Việt Nam is called the Vietnam National Agency implementing Protocol No 5 on the VINABAI. — VNS