Gov’t approves policies to revise four trade-related laws

The Government has recently approved two policy groups for a draft law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Commerce, the Law on Competition, the Law on Foreign Trade Management, and the Law on Protection of Consumers’ Rights, at the proposal of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, according to the recently issued Resolution 141/NQ-CP. 

The first policy group focuses on decentralisation, delegation of powers, administrative reform, and investment and business conditions provided in the laws on commerce, foreign trade management, competition, and protection of consumers’ rights. It is oriented towards abolishing business conditions applicable to commercial assessment services specified in the Law on Commerce, as well as seal registration procedures in commercial assessment activities; amending or abolishing a number of provisions of the Law on Foreign Trade Management in order to reform administrative procedures and facilitate trade; and amending and supplementing a number of provisions on administrative procedures in the enforcement of the competition law to ensure clear and transparent processes.

The second policy group centres on resolving difficulties and bottlenecks arising from current laws. It is aimed at addressing obstacles in the Law on Commerce, focusing on two groups of issues: resolving difficulties and bottlenecks related to the provisions on “counterfeit goods” in the Law on Commerce; and abolishing, amending or adding a number of provisions in the Law on Commerce to ensure legal consistency and promote transparency in the business environment. It also seeks to resolve difficulties and bottlenecks arising in implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management and the Law on Competition.

These policy groups will be further improved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade based on comments from Cabinet members, in strict compliance with the Party’s guidelines and policies and the State’s laws. The ministry will then organise the drafting of the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the four laws and submit it to the Government before July 10.

- (VLLF)