HCM City: Strongly implement solutions to control counterfeit goods from Vietnam

Imported goods from China which did not show origin were seized at Cat Lai port by Customs authority. Photo: T.H

According to Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, after receiving the directives of the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the HCMC People's Committee on strengthening inspection, supervision and control of goods forged Vietnam origin, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department requested the Customs Branch to strengthen the exchange and sharing of information to serve analysis and identify the key shipments that need monitoring and strict control. To apply risk management and channel classification for cargo inspection in clearance process and post-clearance audit for the case of suspecting goods forged origin, labelled "Made in Vietnam".

At the same time, the units need supportive measures and to coordinate in investigation, verification, inspection and control of imported goods shipment counterfeiting Vietnamese origin and strengthen the work of internal inspection and control for the implementation of customs procedures, customs inspection and supervision in accordance with the regulations of the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

In addition, the units have to monitor and grasp unusual fluctuations in export activities to some markets to take measures for conducting physical inspection, post-clearance audit, investigation and verification and dealing with fraudulent acts of origin, affecting the reputation of Vietnamese brands and other violations in the customs field. In particular, they should be paying attention to consumer goods such as electronics, civil electrical equipment, footwear, clothes and cosmetics produced and imported from abroad but on the brand label showed "Made in Vietnam”, with the barcode and address of the production enterprise in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department also requested units strengthen the inspection and supervision of granting certificates of origin of Vietnam for export goods and pay attention to some products that have high risk in counterfeiting Vietnamese origin.

Promoting the post-clearance audit to detect and promptly handle enterprises which take advantage of Vietnamese origin for committing commercial fraud is also a must. Accordingly, upon detection of imported goods labeled "Made in Vietnam", they must request to investigate and verify. If there is a basis to identify that imported goods have a counterfeit origin, it would be strictly handled in accordance with law. Resolutely resolving the organisations and individuals strictly which lack a sense of responsibility, ignoring or abetting the import of foreign goods to Vietnam in order to forge origin, labelling "Made in Vietnam" or regularly let the smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across borders take place on the routes and management localities.

At the same time, the branches should strengthen the identification of the origin and labels of imported goods in strict compliance with the guidelines and regulations of the Government, the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs about labeling and determine the origin of export and import goods, the process of determining origin.

Particularly for goods imported from foreign countries capable of counterfeiting Vietnamese origin, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department directed that when examining dossiers and conducting physical inspection (if any), customs officials must perform detail inspection of goods names, HS codes, origin of goods and goods labels must be compatible with goods names, HS codes and origin of goods in import goods dossiers, certificates of origin.

Besides that, the units must take the initiative in deploying professional measures of customs enforcementin order to control and detect violations related to goods counterfeit origin and counterfeit goods in the process of implementing customs procedures in the management area.

To deploy coordinative measures with police forces, border defence force, market management in order to share information related to cargo shipment counterfeiting origin and labels in the management area for having prevention measures.

In recent years, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has checked and discovered some cases of importing goods counterfeiting Vietnameseorigin right at the border gate. Of that, most of them were imported goods from China but on the labels did not show origin, or were labelled "Made in Vietnam".