Proactively and promptly prevent smuggling of counterfeit goods and goods that infringe intellectual property

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How do you assess the risk of smuggling counterfeit goods, counterfeit IP goods and goods infringing IP rights, in the current period?

It is forecasted that the situation of smuggling counterfeit goods, counterfeit intellectual property goods, goods infringing intellectual property rights and counterfeiting origin in 2024 will continue to have unpredictable changes and developments. Because international trade activities are affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Middle East situation, international shipping of goods via sea is complicated, leading to increased shipping costs.

Items with a high risk of violating counterfeit and counterfeit intellectual property rights are consumer goods; electronics, electronic components, electrical and household electronics; functional foods, granulated sugar, modern medicine; cigarettes, new generation cigarettes, alcohol, iron and steel, scrap, etc.

Notably, the status of trading in banned goods, counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, and poor quality goods is currently publicized on e-commerce websites.

This has had a negative impact on the business environment, affecting domestic production industries, causing harm to the economy, causing loss of state budget revenue and adversely affecting social order and safety.

From the above situation, to proactively control the situation, promptly detect, fight and prevent acts of smuggling counterfeit goods, IP counterfeit goods, and IP rights infringement; counterfeiting of origin, illegal transshipment, etc, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department has advised the leadership of the General Department of Customs to promulgate a plan to control smuggling of counterfeit goods, goods with counterfeit intellectual property rights and goods infringing intellectual property rights in 2024.

What are the important requirements set out in this Plan, sir?

The leaders of the General Department of Customs requested relevant units to proactively grasp the situation and improve analysis and assessment capacity on the customs system; Information sources inside and outside the Sector to identify key points.

In particular, focus resources on detecting and handling effectively and in accordance with the provisions of law violations related to the field of counterfeit goods and counterfeit goods on intellectual property; counterfeiting of origin, etc in import, export and transit of goods.

Verify and clarify violations in the above areas to handle according to the provisions of administrative and criminal laws, ensuring objectivity, the right person, the right nature and level of violations on the basis of regulations of the law to protect organizations and individuals conducting genuine commercial business activities, prevent loss of state tax revenue, and contribute to maintaining political stability, social order and safety.

Timely detect new methods and tricks that subjects use, taking advantage of science, technology, legal loopholes, etc to smuggle counterfeit goods, IP counterfeit goods and IP infringing and counterfeiting of origin, thereby providing effective treatment solutions.

In particular, the leaders of the General Department of Customs requested the entire sector's anti-smuggling force; Local customs departments promote the role and responsibilities of leaders in directing the development of specific plans to implement, etc.

Through the work of fighting, discovering loopholes in mechanisms and policies to advise leaders at all levels to promptly supplement and amend to protect domestic production and protect Vietnamese brands.

During the implementation of the Plan, it is necessary to absolutely comply with the provisions of law, while ensuring trade facilitation and not hindering import-export and immigration activities of organizations and individuals.

Can you share more specifically the key tasks to effectively fight and prevent smuggling of counterfeit and IP-violating goods?

In order to effectively implement the set goals and requirements, the General Department of Customs requires relevant units to focus on well performing key tasks such as:

Firstly, proactively apply customs control measures to identify key areas, subjects, behaviors, and types to effectively control, detect, prevent, and handle such acts. smuggling counterfeit goods, counterfeit intellectual property goods, goods infringing intellectual property rights for all types of export and import of goods. In particular, we focus on key products and areas; key areas; key type; key subjects, etc.

Second, local customs departments regularly update and collect information and documents through sources inside and outside the sector (through the customs information system; Police, Border Guard, Market Surveillance, management units and issuers of certificates of origin, foreign sources) to develop a control plan to combat smuggling of counterfeit goods, counterfeit goods related to intellectual property and goods that infringe intellectual property rights with an appropriate focus to the actual situation of each locality, ensuring accuracy, promoting the role and responsibilities of the leaders. Concentrate resources to fight effectively and in accordance with the law.

Third, organize investigation, verification, and handle quickly, objectively, and in accordance with the law; promptly discover new methods and tricks to propose effective prevention and handling measures.

Thank you Sir!