The Ministry of Industry and Trade is working alongside local authorities to resolve issues related to product origin.

In the context of import and export activities increasingly requiring strict adherence to rules of origin to take advantage of preferential treatment from free trade agreements (FTAs), the Ministry of Industry and Trade is strengthening its collaboration with localities, directly addressing difficulties and obstacles for businesses through decentralization, delegation of authority, and intensified training and in-depth guidance.

The Department of Industry and Trade of Bac Ninh province, in coordination with the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), organized a conference to implement the decentralization and delegation of authority in the field of issuing certificates of origin (C/O).

On December 12th, in Bac Ninh, the Provincial Department of Industry and Trade, in coordination with the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), organized a conference to implement the decentralization and delegation of authority in the field of issuing certificates of origin (C/O) and origin approval documents. The conference was attended by representatives from various departments, agencies, business associations, and numerous import-export businesses from within and outside the province, demonstrating the significant interest of the business community in the issue of product origin in the current period.

According to a representative from the Bac Ninh Department of Industry and Trade, the strong decentralization of authority by the Government and the Ministry of Industry and Trade in this field is not only about transferring administrative tasks, but also about providing more tools for localities to proactively support businesses better. Through this, businesses can access the procedures for issuing Certificates of Origin (C/O) and related documents right in their operating area, shortening processing time, reducing costs, and thereby enhancing their competitiveness in exports.

At the conference, the head of the Import-Export Department stated that since the Government's Decree No. 146/2025/ND-CP came into effect, many administrative procedures in the import-export sector managed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade have been decentralized to local authorities, including the issuance of Certificates of Origin (C/O) and approval documents for traders to self-certify origin. This policy aims to maximize convenience for businesses while strengthening the direct supervisory and guidance role of local authorities over import-export activities in their areas.

Alongside decentralization, the Ministry of Industry and Trade also focuses on training and capacity building for management staff and businesses. Previously, on December 11th in Hung Yen, over 200 import-export officials from businesses attended a training conference on rules of origin organized by the Department of Industry and Trade in coordination with the Import-Export Department. At this conference, experts from the Ministry of Industry and Trade disseminated the legal framework on the origin of goods, provided detailed guidance on rules of origin in the ATIGA Agreement and other FTAs, methods for determining regional value content, commodity code conversion, and the process for preparing applications for Certificates of Origin (C/O).

Notably, the conferences dedicated significant time to direct exchanges between businesses and experts, focusing on practical situations arising during the origin determination and documentation process. Issues related to human resource capacity, technical infrastructure, and the consistency of procedures and origin verification were identified, addressed, and specifically guided, thereby helping businesses reduce risks and be more proactive in utilizing tariff preferences from FTAs.

Through specific local support activities, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is gradually perfecting the support mechanism, putting the rules of origin policy into practice, creating an important foundation to promote sustainable exports in the context of increasingly deep integration.

Comment (0)