Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh: Need to proactively fight against smuggling at the end of the year

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh concludes at the conference. Photo: T.Bình

Origin fraud affects Vietnam's exports

Concluding the conference, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh noted that in the past few months, the fight against smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeiting had achieved positive results. However, there were some limitations and shortcomings that needed to be overcome, especially the situation where several officers and employees engaged in anti-smuggling work have been handled.

Regarding tasks in the last months of the year, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that at this time when the Covid-19 pandemic had been basically controlled and our country transitions to a new normal status, production and business, import and export activities would increase again, plus preparation for the Lunar New Year in 2022, so the demand on goods for production and consumption increases, but it is accompanied by great risk of smuggling and trade fraud.

Therefore, ministries, sectors and localities should actively develop and organize the implementation of combat plans in a timely manner to detect and strictly handle violations.

Besides tasks and solutions mentioned by the National Steering Committee 389 and delegates at the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh noted that ministries, sectors and localities need to strengthen the effective implementation of a number of key tasks. That was thoroughly and effectively implement directives, resolutions and provisions of the law relating to anti-smuggling.

On the other hand, with insufficient and incomplete mechanisms, policies and regulations in the field of anti-smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, ministries and sectors needed to urgently study and propose competent authorities to amend and supplement in order to contribute to improving the effectiveness of the combat.

Along with that, it is necessary to continue to strengthen inspection and control against contraband, counterfeit goods and poor-quality goods, especially goods that affect people's health.

In the peak period, ministries, sectors and localities need to develop specific plans to combat smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, focusing on groups of goods with a high risk of violations such as petroleum, minerals, sugar, tobacco.

Another important task requested by the Director of the 389 National Steering Committee is to focus on combating smuggling and trade fraud in the e-commerce environment. To effectively carry out this task, it is necessary to promote the application of science and technology.

In addition, ministries, sectors and localities need to focus on communication and dissemination for people and businesses not to assist acts of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said that, at present, Vietnam had signed and implemented many free trade agreements (FTAs), so the fight against origin fraud played a very important role, otherwise it would greatly affect the export of Vietnamese goods.

Scene of the conference. Photo: T.Bình

Firmly grasp the situation and control management area

Along with the directions of Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, in order to perform the tasks in the fourth quarter of 2021, the National Steering Committee 389 requested Steering Committees 389 of ministries, sectors and localities to focus on a number of key tasks such as: firmly grasping the situation, clearly identifying methods and tricks of the suspects of smuggling, trade fraud, production and trading of counterfeit goods; proposing many solutions to further improve the effectiveness of crime prevention.

Strengthening control of border and sea routes, especially trails and paths in order to promptly detect, prevent and handle acts of smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and poor quality goods that were brought into the domestic market for consumption.

Continuing to prevent and fight to smuggle of medical equipment and supplies related to the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic, essential items to serve people's lives, especially items for Lunar New Year of 2022.

In addition, it is necessary to strengthen inspection, examination, control and handling of violations in the domestic market; pay special attention to counterfeit, fake goods, poor quality goods, goods infringing intellectual property rights that are displayed and sold openly on e-commerce websites (online buying and selling), and retail stores.

Continuing to strengthen and improve the efficiency of coordination between competent forces: Border Guard, Police, Customs, Market Surveillance, Ministry of Information and Communications in detection and handling violations of trade fraud, counterfeit and fake goods.