Vietnam and UK sign Memorandum of Understanding on consumer protection

Consumers shop at a supermarket in Hanoi.

On the afternoon of March 25, in Hanoi, the National Competition Commission (Ministry of Industry and Trade) and the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation on consumer protection.

This cooperation is part of the UK-ASEAN Economic Integration Programme (EIP) which aims to enhance reform, economic growth and sustainable development.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang affirmed that this memorandum of understanding is not only an important milestone in the cooperative relationship between the National Competition Commission and the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but also demonstrates the strong commitment of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in strengthening the protection of consumer rights.

In the context of increasingly developing markets and deep international integration, consumer protection is not only the responsibility of each country but also a common goal, requiring close cooperation between countries.

In particular, with a strong commitment to creating a safe, transparent and sustainable consumer environment, Vietnam has continuously improved its legal framework, enhanced enforcement capacity and strengthened international cooperation in this field.

According to Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang, the UK is one of Vietnam's important trade partners and is also a country with a lot of experience in consumer protection, especially in the field of recalling defective products and managing consumer product safety.

In recent times, the two countries have made encouraging initial steps in cooperation through multilateral forums, especially within the framework of the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP).

Therefore, the signed Memorandum of Understanding will create a formal cooperation framework, helping the two sides to enhance information exchange, share experiences and coordinate practical activities to improve the effectiveness of law enforcement to protect consumers.

Within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding, the two sides will focus on important areas such as: Sharing experiences on recalling defective products, developing communication tools to raise consumer awareness, organizing workshops and in-depth training for law enforcement officers as well as coordinating in technical assistance projects...

“These contents not only help improve management and law enforcement capacity in Vietnam but also contribute to creating a transparent, fair and sustainable business environment, promoting a healthy business environment,” Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang affirmed.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade hopes that the UK Government will help Vietnam in the field of training, capacity building for law enforcement forces on consumer protection, sharing information, good experiences, and cooperation in the field of product safety and recall of defective products and goods, especially in the context of the Law on Consumer Protection which has just been amended and supplemented and will take effect from July 1, 2024.

The Deputy Minister believes that a transparent and fair business environment will play a fundamental role in promoting economic and trade growth, aiming to protect consumer rights. From there, consumers can access a diverse source of goods with guaranteed quality, while at the same time encouraging businesses to constantly innovate, create and improve their competitiveness.

In particular, in the context of digital transformation, green transformation and the explosion of e-commerce as it is today, building a healthy business environment will become an important key to promoting sustainable growth, contributing to long-term socio-economic development.

British Ambassador Iain Frew said: The UK is in the top 10 countries in the world for ease of doing business, international transparency and global innovation.

These are the conditions that help the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland maintain its position as the world's sixth largest economy.

Vietnam is a country with rapid economic growth in the world, one of the most diverse and highly integrated markets.

The signing of this memorandum of cooperation aims to enhance market transparency, promote a fair business environment and contribute to promoting and developing the economy in the Vietnamese market in particular and the ASEAN region in general.

Sharing his experience in recalling defective products, Ambassador Iain Frew said that best practices for ensuring product safety, especially with product recalls, must be evidence-based and consistent.

In cases where products contain hazardous elements, administrative procedures and recall mechanisms must be clear.

The roles of authorities at all levels also need to be clearly defined, especially the authority of these authorities in requiring businesses to comply.

Ambassador Iain Frew said that Vietnam has committed to ensuring safety and health in the digital economic environment, where consumers can trust e-commerce. Product safety is a pioneering factor, when consumers are protected when purchasing goods and services.

“The UK will support Vietnam in improving its business environment in areas such as consumer protection, product recall, administrative reform, digital transformation, etc. This program aims to support Vietnam in achieving its set priorities in the field of consumer protection,” Ambassador Iain Frew affirmed.

Immediately after the signing ceremony, the National Competition Commission and the British Embassy in Vietnam in collaboration with the Vietnam Consumer Protection Association and Industry and Trade Magazine organized a seminar with the theme "Strengthening the protection of Vietnamese consumers' rights in the process of international e-commerce integration". Thereby, the aim was to share the experience of consumer protection of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as well as discuss some directions for consumer protection activities in Vietnam.

According to vietnamplus.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/viet-nam-va-anh-ky-ket-ban-ghi-nho-hop-tac-ve-bao-ve-nguoi-tieu-dung-post399266.html