Contribute to price management from combating smuggling and trade fraud

	Smuggling complicated on all routes and areas
	Improving the legal corridor in anti-smuggling work

The work of preventing and combating smuggling and trade fraud has always been actively implemented by the Customs sector and has achieved many results. Photo: TB

Promptly fight against smuggling and trade fraud

The directive of the Ministry of Finance clearly states that in 2024, it is forecast that the world market situation will continue to have many unpredictable fluctuations due to the impact of political conflicts and the increasing tendency of countries to protect support the domestic market, increasing national reserves will affect the supply and demand of goods, causing complicated price movements.

According to the forecast of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in October 2023, global inflation will continue to decrease to 5.8% in 2024. Thus, the inflation trend is decreasing but still at a high level, especially when some major economies are forecast to continue to maintain tight monetary policies. Therefore, experts all believe that Vietnam's economy continues to suffer "double negative impacts" from unfavorable external factors and internal limitations and inadequacies; Opportunities, advantages, difficulties, and challenges are intertwined, but the difficulties and challenges are greater, especially implementing solutions in macroeconomic management, both controlling inflation and promoting growth, etc.

In 2024, the Government determines the goal of continuing to prioritize promoting economic growth, maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and ensuring major balances of the economy with target growth rates. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth is 6-6.5%, the growth rate of consumer price index (CPI) is 4-4.5% on average. Therefore, to achieve these goals, one of the issues repeatedly requested by Government leaders is to ensure good control of inflation.

According to experts, Vietnam has many factors affecting the implementation of the inflation target in 2024. In particular, price control and market stabilization are closely monitored and coordinated by ministries and branches. Along with that is openness and transparency in operating prices of electricity, gasoline, other important goods and services that affect people's production, business and consumption. In particular, the authorities have increased inspection, examination, and strict handling of unreasonable price increases, hoarding, market manipulation, and counterfeit goods; have synchronous and timely solutions to fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and origin fraud, so as not to affect national trade, and appropriately protect domestic production and consumption.

According to a representative of the Price Management Department (Ministry of Finance), the close coordination between the Ministry of Finance and ministries and branches through the operating mechanism of the Price Management Steering Committee in recent times is a very important factor in the success of price management and administration in particular and overall macroeconomic management in general. Building a price operating scenario close to reality is one of the important bases for orienting and implementing appropriate fiscal policies, coordinating with monetary, trade and other macroeconomic policies effectively, towards the goal of recovering growth in the new normal period, adapting safely and flexibly.

Strictly handle cases of speculation and market manipulation

However, economic expert Vu Vinh Phu frankly pointed out the shortcomings and problems caused by the price difference between the purchase price at manufacturers, farmers, and cooperatives and the price sold out to the market for consumers. He said that the main reason is that the goods go through many intermediaries, there is no reserve warehouse, so they are forced to the prices. Furthermore, the expert Vu Vinh Phu also said that the boundary between genuine traders and "fraudulent traders" is still very thin when the work of fighting smuggling and trade fraud still faces difficulties.

Therefore, one of the tasks and solutions assigned to the General Department of Customs by the Directive of the Ministry of Finance is to concentrate forces on doing a good job of customs clearance and release of goods, avoiding congestion at border gates during Tet; Closely coordinate with Border Guard and Coast Guard forces in patrolling and controlling land and sea borders, strengthening the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods; Strengthen inspection and strict control of land border gate areas, seaports, river ports, international civil airports, international post offices and other locations under customs control; Develop and implement thematic plans to fight against smuggling of key commodities.

The directive also requires customs departments to strengthen risk management, inspection, supervision, and customs control, promptly detect, prevent, arrest, and handle violations; Lead and coordinate with relevant units to promote activities to prevent smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods at key routes and areas under the unit's management.

Also on this issue, economic expert Vu Vinh Phu suggested that the authorities should do a good job in combating smuggling and trade fraud as well as preventing the production and trading of counterfeit goods and tax evasion to in order to protect honest businesses, handling them strictly, enough to deter violating organizations and individuals. Experts from the Department of Finance and Monetary Affairs (Ministry of Planning and Investment) also emphasized the need to strengthen inspection, examination, prevention and resolutely handle unreasonable price increases, especially important raw materials and essential consumer goods; inspect, control and prevent commercial fraud, speculation and market manipulation.

In order to control inflation and stabilize the macroeconomy in 2024, the Price Management Department said it will strengthen inspection and supervision of measures to declare prices, post prices, and publicize information on prices, inspect the compliance of law on price; Strictly handle cases of speculation, hoarding and unreasonable price increases. Along with that, we will promote activities to prevent and combat smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods.