Gov't Urges to Defend Domestic Goods

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has required concerned agencies to carry out a project to protect Vietnam-made products against unhealthy competition from imported ones in the domestic market.

 

According to a directive issued recently by the PM, the Ministry of Trade (MoT) is tasked to work with other ministries to evaluate and respond to anti-dumping allegations in accordance with the WTO guidelines.

 

The relevant agencies are asked to streamline existing regulations pertaining to tariffs and subsidies before the country’s anticipated accession to the WTO by the end of this year.

 

The Southeast Asian country issued an ordinance on anti-dumping in October 2004 to protect the interest of domestic producers and enterprises in response to unhealthy competition and an increasing dominance of imported goods in the marketplace.

 

Vietnamese producers have faced 25 unfair competition lawsuits in the global market, of which, four were related to dumping and four others are being appealed, said the MoT.

 

With the rapid growth of exports, Vietnam has had to deal with an increasing number of such lawsuits. From 1994 to 2001, legal action was only taken twice, but in 2004 there were seven lawsuits against Vietnamese products, and in 2005 there were three.

 

Though there have been no dumping investigations against imported goods in Vietnam, several complaints have been filed against foreign companies in the country. However, limited legal recourses has hindered authorities in seeing such cases brought to trial, added the ministry.

 

The PM also requested that all new regulations must be compatible with regulations set by the WTO and other trade agreements Vietnam has signed.
VNS, VietnamNet