The National Competition Commission said it has proactively contacted and promoted bilateral cooperation with competition and consumer protection agencies of many countries.
Ensuring fairness, transparency and competition
In the context of globalization, free trade and economic integration with the strong development of enterprises, the role of competition agencies is becoming more and more important in ensuring fairness, transparency and competition.
Implementing international cooperation in the field of competition and consumer protection, the National Competition Commission (Ministry of Industry and Trade) said that the unit has proactively contacted and promoted cooperation with competition and consumer protection agencies of many countries through the following activities: Signing a Memorandum of Understanding on competition and consumer protection with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Korean Fair Trade Commission; coordinating with the US Federal Trade Commission and the OECD/KPC Policy Center of Korea to organize 2 seminars on competition in Vietnam; conducting procedures to approve documents to implement 2 technical assistance projects on competition and consumer protection funded by the German Government. At the same time, sending staff to participate in seminars and capacity building training courses organized by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, etc.
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| Mr. Le Trieu Dung - Chairman of the National Competition Commission of Vietnam - spoke at the Vietnam - Kazakhstan Trade and Investment Cooperation Seminar, on the occasion of the 11th Session of the Vietnam - Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Photo: Nguyen Minh |
Notably, in 2024, the National Competition Commission actively participated in cooperation activities in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum and international organizations on competition and consumer protection.
Accordingly, within the framework of APEC cooperation, the National Competition Commission is the representative agency of Vietnam in the APEC Competition Law and Policy Group (CPLG APEC). “As a member of the CPLG APEC, the unit has actively participated in and contributed to APEC competition-related activities in 2024 such as: Sending representatives to attend the annual meeting of the CPLG APEC, participating in training courses within the framework of the Group's cooperation and especially taking on the role of Chair of the CPLG APEC Conference in 2024 in February 2024 in Peru” - the leader of the Competition Commission said.
Strengthening cooperation mechanisms within multilateral frameworks
In addition, the unit also focuses on cooperation with international organizations on competition and consumer protection. The National Competition Commission sent officials to attend many important international events on competition and consumer protection such as: Annual Conference and High-Level Meeting of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) in Poland, Ministerial Conference and meetings of the OECD Committee on Consumer Policy in France, the 23rd Global Competition Forum and the 9th Asia-Pacific Competition Authority Leaders' Conference in France and the ICN 2024 Merger Workshop in Taiwan, China.
In particular, the negotiation and implementation of free trade agreements that Vietnam participates in are also of interest. Currently, the National Competition Commission has been participating in developing plans and negotiating the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Competition (AFAC); the competition chapter in the agreements including: ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (ACAFTA); ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA); Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA); Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).
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| Mr. Le Trieu Dung - Chairman of the Vietnam National Competition Commission and Mr. Cameron McKean - General Director of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission with the memorandum of cooperation signed in March 2024. Photo: VCA |
According to the National Competition Commission, given the complex nature of competition proceedings, strengthening cooperation mechanisms within multilateral frameworks such as free trade agreements is very important for Vietnam's competition authorities. Specifically, it is necessary to take advantage of the provisions on cooperation and information exchange in FTAs to enhance access to important information on cross-border competition cases. The exchange of information must be consistent with domestic competition laws and international commitments to which Vietnam is a member; establishing a coordination mechanism between Vietnam's competition authority and competition authorities in FTA member countries.
The leader of the National Competition Commission emphasized that strengthening international cooperation in the field of competition and consumer protection not only supports the Commission in effectively implementing activities within its functions and tasks but also contributes to affirming Vietnam's position and voice in the region and the world in the field of competition and consumer rights protection.
The Vietnam Competition Law (amended) was promulgated in 2018 and took effect in 2019; along with that, the National Competition Commission was established on April 1, 2023 with the function of conducting competition proceedings, controlling economic concentration, deciding on exemptions for prohibited competition restriction agreements, resolving complaints about decisions on handling competition cases in accordance with the provisions of law; advising the Minister of Industry and Trade in performing state management of competition and protecting consumer rights. Regarding international cooperation, the National Competition Commission conducts cooperation activities with foreign competition agencies in the competition proceedings to promptly detect, investigate and handle acts showing signs of violating the provisions of the law on competition; the scope of international cooperation in the competition proceedings includes consultation, exchange of information, documents or other appropriate international cooperation activities in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese law and international treaties to which Vietnam is a member. |
Source: https://congthuong.vn/day-manh-hop-tac-song-phuong-trong-canh-tranh-va-bao-ve-nguoi-tieu-dung-371619.html
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