Eight measures provided by Customs to actively combat origin fraud

	Inspect production capacity of enterprises to prevent forge of goods origin
	Point out signs of origin fraud, consumer deception and tax evasion of Asanzo

Customs officers of North Thang Long Industrial Park Customs Branch inspect imported and exported goods. Photo: N.L

According to the Ministry of Finance (under the General Department of Vietnam Customs), to take the initiative in combating origin fraud and illicit transshipment, the Customs reported to the Prime Minister on this issue and proposed solutions to each ministry and sector; issued Decision 1662/QĐ-BTCinAugust on the plan for implementation of the Prime Minister’s Decision 824/QĐ-TTg dated July 4 approving the project on “Strengthening state management on prevention of trade remedies evasion and origin fraud”.

The Customs focuses on 8 key measures as followed:

First, amend and supplement the Ministry of Finance's Circular No. 38/2018/ TT-BTC dated April 20, 2018, on inspection and determination of the origin of export and import goods in Circular No.62/2019/TT-BTC dated September 5, 2019.

Second, amend and supplement sanctions on origin, labeling of goods in Decree No.127/2013/ ND-CP and Decree No. 45/2016/ND-CP dated May 26, 2016, providing for sanctioning administrative violations and enforcing administrative decisions in customs, including additional sanctions for acts of origin fraud, counterfeiting goods labels and illicit transshipment.

Third, arrange and train officers processing procedures to strengthen the inspection and detection of cases of origin fraud and forgery, illicit transshipment forhandling according to regulations.

Fourth, apply risk management measures such as collecting and analyzing information in the country and abroad to identify goods and businesses athigh risk oforigin fraud and forgery,labeling of goods, infringement of intellectual property rights to inspect and determine violations. Review and identify transactions, import and export companies with sharp increase in import and export turnover compared to their capacity and productionscale to collect and analyze information for inspection, investigation and determination of violations.

Fifth, implement the plan of inspection, investigation, verification.Specifically, the Customs willmake plans and implement schemes to inspect and verify each commodity line and object such as investigation and verification for imported plywood and wood flooring products; bicycles, electric bicycles.Strengthen inspection and post-clearance audit for goods origin to promptly detect violations.

Sixth, strengthen the publicity of regulations on goods origin, combating origin fraud and forgery and illicit transshipment through the organization of seminars on goods origin to improve high capacity of inspection and detection of frauds for customs officers. Coordinate with media agencies to publicizemeasures combating origin fraud and forgery, labeling, illicit transshipmentof goods; inform cases detected and handled by customs authorities.

Seventh, coordinate with ministries and sectors to exchange and connect the C/O issuancebetween the Ministry of Industry and Trade and VCCI with the customs authorities to check to prevent origin fraud and forgery for each consignment. Collaborate with associations to assess the production and export capacity of each commodity line, identify import and export goods with a sharp increase in turnover and businesses athigh risk of origin fraud and forgery and illicit transshipment to apply appropriate measures. The General Department of Vietnam Customs also proposed the ministries andsectors to complete the legal basis such as proposing the Ministry of Science and Technology to amend Decree No. 43/2017/ND-CP on goods labeling; proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to review, amend and supplement legal documents on origin of goods and issue a Circular specifying the origin criteria for domestically circulated goods, which specifies criteria for goods produced and assembled for domestic consumption at least equal to the origin criteria of exported goods.

Eighth, strengthen international cooperation in the fight against origin fraud and forgery and illicit transshipment through the exchange and connection with international customs authorities and investigation agencies to prevent origin fraud,forgery and illicit transshipment; protect rights and interests of legitimate enterprises and consumers. Coordinate with The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to investigate and identify origin fraud for some items such as solar panels, painted steel, black tiger shrimp and whiteleg shrimp, bicycles, electric bicycles and photovoltaic cells.