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International Workshop on Dissemination, Promotion, and Implementation of the GMS-CBTA

On the morning of September 7, 2026, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Construction, in coordination with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), organized an international workshop to disseminate, promote, and implement the Greater Mekong Subregion Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement (GMS-CBTA). The workshop was part of a series of events aimed at disseminating and promoting to state management agencies and the business community the core contents and commitments of the GMS-CBTA, as well as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the "Early Harvest" Implementation of the GMS-CBTA regarding the use of GMS Permits for transport operations within the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Attending the workshop were leaders of the Vietnam Department of Road, Head of the Trade Facilitation Board (ADB), representatives from the Department of Customs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Departments of Construction from several northern provinces and cities, along with 15 transport enterprises operating within the framework of the GMS-CBTA Agreement.

All delegates attending the Workshop

General Information on the GMS-CBTA Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Early Harvest Implementation of the GMS-CBTA

Within the framework of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) cooperation, the GMS-CBTA Agreement was signed by three countries in 1999 and adopted by all six GMS member countries in 2015. Since many provisions in the GMS-CBTA Agreement were no longer appropriate after more than 10 years, ADB and the GMS countries agreed to negotiate and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the "Early Harvest" Implementation of the GMS-CBTA Agreement. This MoU was fully signed by all six countries at the 6th Meeting of the Joint Committee for the Implementation of the GMS-CBTA Agreement, held in Hanoi on March 15, 2018.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) consists of 10 Articles, focusing primarily on provisions regarding the temporary admission of vehicles based on Article 18 (Temporary Admission of Motor Vehicles), Annex 8 (Temporary Admission of Motor Vehicles), and Annex 14 (Container Customs Regime) of the GMS-CBTA Agreement. Other contents relate to traffic rights and the facilitation of border-crossing procedures. Accordingly, the Parties will issue 500 permits under Protocol 3 of the GMS-CBTA Agreement and mutually recognize and accept these permits among the Parties starting from the effective date of this MoU; and execute the GMS-CBTA regimes on the temporary admission of motor vehicles, allowing temporary admission of motor vehicles without requiring the payment of import duties and fees or customs guarantees.

The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is to facilitate the cross-border movement of people and goods among the Greater Mekong Subregion countries. Each member state may issue up to 500 multiple-entry GMS Road Transport Permits and Temporary Admission Documents (TAD) to its domestic transport operations. The TAD is considered the vehicle's "passport" and must be signed or stamped and dated by customs officials of the Host Country at the border upon entry and exit. The MoU does not limit the number of times a vehicle can enter or exit, but on each trip, the vehicle may not remain in the Host Country for more than 30 days.

The routes and border crossing pairs permitted for the use of GMS Permits are specified in Protocol 1 of the GMS-CBTA Agreement and the supplementary Memoranda of Understanding on route additions.

Implementation Status of the GMS-CBTA Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding on 'Early Harvest' Implementation up to August 2026

At the workshop, the ADB representative updated the implementation status of the Agreement and the MoU as of August 2026. Accordingly, the Memorandum of Understanding on "Early Harvest" Implementation was reactivated on April 1, 2024, and remains in effect until December 31, 2026. To date, China has issued its full quota of 500 permits, followed by Thailand (184 permits), Vietnam (171 permits), Cambodia (47 permits), and Laos (32 permits). Myanmar has not yet issued any permits. Approximately 1,500 transport trips have been made since the MoU came into effect, predominantly by Chinese transport enterprises, with around 20–25 active companies. Transport companies from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam have also begun participating in these operations.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Agreement and the MoU following their implementation period, ADB assessed that while they have brought certain advantages to transport enterprises, several difficulties still remain to be overcome.

Regarding the benefits that businesses can enjoy when using the GMS Permit: The use of a single permit and TAD booklet for all 5 GMS countries means that transport operators only need to apply for issuance and renewal once in their country of business registration; Harmonized basic rules help simplify procedures for enterprises; Rights and obligations for businesses using GMS permits are clear, avoiding divergent national interpretations thanks to a shared legal framework consisting of the Agreement and the MoU; Any arising issues can be reported to the CBTA Joint Committee for discussion and resolution; Promotes capacity building and improves service efficiency through business networking.

However, alongside the benefits achieved, a number of difficulties have been reported by businesses: The degradation of certain road routes; Several border checkpoints have not yet been opened to vehicle traffic as specified in Protocol 1 on Routes and the supplementary MoUs on route extensions; Inland port fees and transit fees in some countries remain high; A lack of clarity regarding transit procedures and market access rights for foreign transport operators in certain countries; Discrepancies in vehicle dimension and weight limit regulations across countries, including discriminatory rules between domestic and foreign operators; The absence of multiple-entry visas for drivers; Inconsistent border visa fees across different checkpoints...

According to ADB, cross-border transport operations under the GMS-CBTA Agreement are still new, and all stakeholders—including officials from regulatory agencies, transport enterprises, and customs agents—are still in the process of adapting and learning. To address some of the aforementioned difficulties, ADB has provided several recommendations regarding: Ensuring the accuracy of information in national registries, GMS Road Transport Permits, and TAD booklets; Selecting qualified customs agents; Preparing clearance documentation strictly according to guidelines; Thoroughly understanding passport and visa requirements; Familiarizing themselves with information regarding permitted routes and operational destinations.

Responsibilities of the Customs Authority in Implementing the Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding

The Customs Authority is responsible for processing procedures for transport vehicles and goods crossing borders using GMS Permits in compliance with applicable regulations. After thoroughly verifying all documentation for the vehicles and cargo, border customs officials will stamp and date the TAD booklet upon the vehicle's entry into or exit from their national territory.

Regarding Vietnam Customs, upon the entry into force of the Agreement and the MoU, Vietnam Customs issued guidelines to all border customs units regarding procedures for entry/exit vehicles using GMS Permits. The list of vehicles issued GMS Permits by member countries is also regularly updated for border customs units to ensure fast and smooth processing. Recent trial runs of transport vehicles using GMS Permits through the Lao Cai and Huu Nghi border gates (in 2025) indicated that difficulties stemmed primarily from enterprises' lack of clear understanding regarding procedures and entry conditions for drivers, resulting in extended transit times or an inability to complete the journey. Currently, the Department of Customs has recorded no difficulties or obstacles in processing entry/exit procedures for transport vehicles using GMS Permits.

Planned Activities for the Upcoming Period

ADB will continue to organize International Workshops on the Dissemination, Promotion, and Implementation of the GMS-CBTA Agreement in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City to provide and update information for relevant agencies and transport enterprises in the Central and Southern regions. The Memorandum of Understanding on the "Early Harvest" Implementation of the GMS-CBTA Agreement is expected to be extended until December 31, 2029, at the GMS-CBTA Joint Committee Meeting taking place in December 2026. The expansion of routes permitted for GMS Permit usage is currently being discussed by member countries for adoption as early as possible.