Smuggling and counterfeiting: New working group fights resolutely!

Smuggling and counterfeiting: New working group fights resolutely!

On May 27, 2025, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Vietnam launched a new working group to combat smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit products. This measure aims to effectively address the growing problems related to illegal movement of goods and intellectual property infringement. The working group is led by Trinh Thi Thuy, deputy minister, and Nghiem Ha Hai serves as deputy leader.

The working group includes a total of 16 other members, including heads and representatives of various departments of the ministry. Its main tasks are to coordinate the direction, inspection and request to relevant authorities to combat smuggling and commercial fraud. This also includes dealing with counterfeit goods and protecting intellectual property.

Duties and responsibilities

The members of the working group will work part-time and are responsible for their own tasks. They will submit weekly reports to the Department of Basic Culture, Family and Library by Thursday at 4 p.m. In addition, the working group is accountable to the minister and will be dissolved once its tasks have been completed. Important steps include documenting violations and providing information about cultural and artistic activities that can be used to facilitate counterfeiting.

Smuggling and piracy represent serious problems that affect not only the national economy but also international trade relations. Munich Business School explains that smuggling involves the illegal transport of goods across national borders, where there are often significant price differences between the country of origin and destination. Combined with product piracy, which is the illegal imitation of products, a comprehensive picture of illegal trading activities emerges.

Global impact of product piracy

The global damage caused by product piracy is estimated to be between $250 and $650 billion annually, not including Internet products. The phenomenon therefore has not only economic but also cultural implications, as protected brands and designs are potentially devalued. Protecting companies from product piracy requires a comprehensive legal framework and measures that must be implemented at both national and international levels.

In summary, the Vietnamese government's initiative to form a working group in cooperation with existing international regulations represents a promising step towards combating smuggling and counterfeit products. Given the impact of these issues, a coordinated approach is essential to ensure the integrity of trade and the protection of intellectual property.