Vietnam import rules to fight fakes, not legitimate imports
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Vietnamese government measures that are likely to make it more complicated to import alcohol, cosmetics, mobile phones and autos do not violate World Trade Organization rules and are aimed at stopping a flood of fakes, a senior official said.
The measures, which take effect this month, have drawn heavy criticism from foreign business groups and embassies which have labeled them potentially WTO-violating non-tariff barriers designed to slow imports and help narrow the trade deficit.
"They don't violate WTO rules. They have no intention to restrict imports from the EU or any of Vietnam's trade partners nor to reduce the trade volume," Tran Tuan Anh, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade, said on the sidelines of the mid-term consultative group meeting.
From June 1 a Ministry of Industry and Trade notice requires mobile phone, alcohol and cosmetics importers to obtain a letter of authorization notarized by a Vietnamese diplomatic mission in the country of origin. Then the products can be imported but only via one of three Vietnamese sea ports.
A separate decision makes it more complex to import cars.
Anh said the measures did not aim to narrow the trade deficit, but rather were put in place to protect the market from fake goods.
"One purpose of this new decision is to resolutely fight against fake and counterfeit goods, which are rampant in Vietnam," he said.
"Counterfeit goods have been very damaging and we are having trouble controlling it. This measure is to facilitate the quality control of import goods."
In May the trade deficit, which has undermined confidence in an economy struggling to find balance, hit US$1.7 billion, its widest point in a single month since December 2009.
