Re-organise the inspection and control market activities

Director General of Market Management Tran Huu Linh

Before, during and after the Tet holiday 2021, consumption increases, while the production and trading of counterfeit and fake goods, and goods infringing intellectual property took place, especially consumer goods. How do you evaluate this situation?

Smuggling tends to increase, especially before, during and after the Tet holiday 2021. In order to deal with competent forces, smugglers often change methods, tricks and have connections with overseas suspects, from production to distribution and use of high-tech vehicles. In the stage of circulation, the transport of goods without invoices and documents is common. In some cases detected and handled by market management forces, drivers also presented sales invoices that are 20 to 30 times cheaper than the price of the same product on the market.

Besides that, acts of trade fraud have taken place with tricks of turning around invoices and vouchers, buying and selling invoices to legalise smuggled goods; forging certificates of origin (C/O) for imported or exported goods; and imported goods not meeting quality standards.

On the domestic market, counterfeits and fake goods were available from grocery stores, traditional markets, even shopping malls in urban areas, aimed at avoiding competent authorities.

Market management conduct inspection for 10 business locations in Son Long trade center, Ninh Hiep market center, Gia Lam, Hanoi in December 31, 2020. Photo: Q.Hùng

Facing the problem of counterfeit and fake goods, what difficulties have the market management forces encountered, sir?

Although the consumer demand has increased, the quantity and quality of products and goods had not met the requirements and tastes of consumers. On the other hand, goods in markets of China, Thailand, Laos, Japan were very diversified in types and competitively priced, which find ways to enter the Vietnamese market through smuggling.

Smuggled goods, counterfeit goods, and goods infringing intellectual property were often gathered by suspects in areas bordering big cities such as Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Vinh Phuc, Binh Duong and Long An so the inspections need a lot of manpower and take a lot of time and money for verifying information.

In addition, the machinery and vehicles of market management forces were still limited, while the suspects use modern vehicles to transport contraband goods.

Monitoring market developments, urging, inspecting, supervising or advising to propose solutions to handle outstanding and complex cases in the market was still passive due to the capacity and expertise of market management officials in some units. There was an official who did not follow the regulations in task performance, leading to errors in the inspection and handling of administrative violations.

In order to improve efficiency in the fight against counterfeit goods, fake goods, and goods infringing intellectual property, what professional measures will the management force implement, sir?

It was forecasted that smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit activities would still develop with many methods and tricks. Therefore, in order to contribute to ensuring a stable market, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of organisations and individuals in production and business, and consumers' interests, the national market management force set out key tasks as following:

Firstly, focus on grasping developments of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods under management fields and localities in order to promptly detect and identify outstanding problems and emerging violated goods.

Secondly, proactively co-ordinate to develop and implement plans to strengthen the inspection and control of the market, and resolutely handle violating organisations and individuals.

Thirdly, strengthen internal inspection to promptly correct mistakes in professional activities in the process of market inspection and strictly handle violations of organisations and individuals in the market management force; timely individuals and units with achievements.

Fourthly, continuing to promote communication and mobilise organizations and individuals that engage in trading activities in the market to participate in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods; signed a commitment not to trade in counterfeit goods, smuggled goods or poor quality goods.

Finally, to strengthen and effectively implement coordinated regulations on the prevention of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods signed with forces, authorities, organisations, and commodity associations. Continuing to sign more new coordination regulations with relevant forces, authorities and organisations, facilitating the coordination for task performance.