Ministry of Industry and Trade stops receiving requests for consumer negotiation support

(Chinhphu.vn) - From July 1, 2025, in case of a dispute between a consumer and a business organization or individual that requires negotiation support from a state agency, the consumer shall send a request to the local industry and trade authority (Department of Industry and Trade) where the consumer lives for advice and support in resolving the dispute.

From July 1, 2025, consumers will send requests to the local industry and trade authority (Department of Industry and Trade) where the consumer lives for advice and support - Illustrative photo

According to the National Competition Commission ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ), in order to guide consumers to understand and comply with legal regulations, on June 12, 2025, the Government issued Decree No. 146 regulating decentralization and delegation in the field of industry and trade, in which, a number of tasks and powers in the field of consumer rights protection of the Ministry of Industry and Trade have been decentralized to the People's Committees at the provincial level, effective from July 1, 2025.

Clause 1, Article 46 of Decree No. 146 stipulates the tasks and powers of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in receiving and resolving consumer negotiation support requests as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 56, Article 57, Article 58 of the Law on Consumer Rights Protection 2023, implemented by the Provincial People's Committee.

Thus, from July 1, 2025, to facilitate consumers, in case of disputes between consumers and business organizations or individuals requiring support from state agencies for negotiation, consumers shall send requests to the specialized agency of industry and trade in the locality (Department of Industry and Trade) where the consumer lives for advice and support in resolving the dispute.

In addition, according to the provisions of the Law on Consumer Protection, consumers can send requests for negotiation support to social organizations participating in consumer protection (such as the Vietnam Consumer Protection Association, local Consumer Protection Associations). In case a dispute arises between a consumer and a business organization or individual that is resolved by negotiation, the consumer can send a request for negotiation directly to the business organization or individual.

Pursuant to Article 56 of the Law on Consumer Protection 2023, consumers shall send negotiation requests and related information and documents (if any) to business organizations and individuals at their headquarters, branches, representative offices, business locations, websites or through other communication methods that have been made public or are being applied by business organizations and individuals. Business organizations and individuals shall be responsible for receiving and conducting negotiations with consumers within 7 working days from the date of receipt of the request.

In case a business organization or individual does not respond to a consumer's request for negotiation or refuses to negotiate without a valid reason, the consumer shall send a request for negotiation support to the state management agency or social organization participating in protecting consumer rights (as stated above) when his/her legitimate rights and interests are violated. The state management agency for protecting consumer rights and social organization participating in protecting consumer rights shall be responsible for forwarding the consumer's request to the business organization or individual requested for negotiation.

Business organizations and individuals are responsible for negotiating with consumers within 7 working days from the date of receiving the request and notifying in writing the negotiation results to the state management agency on consumer rights protection and social organizations participating in consumer rights protection as prescribed.

In case of refusing a consumer's request for negotiation, within 7 working days from the date of receipt of the request for negotiation, the business organization or individual must respond in writing and state the reason.

The National Competition Commission also noted that the request for state management agencies and social organizations participating in protecting consumer rights to support negotiations is made after consumers have sent a request for negotiation but business organizations and individuals do not respond within 7 working days from the date of receipt of the request or refuse to negotiate without a valid reason.

Cases where requests for negotiation support are not accepted and resolved are stipulated in Article 58 of the Law on Consumer Protection. Specifically, consumers are minors, people who have lost civil act capacity or have limited civil act capacity or have difficulty in cognition and behavior control without a legal representative.

The person requesting negotiation support is not a consumer (as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 3 of the Law on Consumer Protection 2023) or a legal representative of the consumer. In addition, the consumer does not provide sufficient information and documents to accurately identify the relevant organization or individual or evidence related to the transaction.

The content of the request for negotiation support is not within the authority of the state management agency on consumer rights protection or the purpose, scope, and field of operation of the social organization participating in consumer rights protection.

On the other hand, the request for negotiation support has been resolved by competent state agencies and social organizations participating in protecting consumer rights.

In case the negotiation results are unsuccessful, consumers can refer to and follow other settlement methods prescribed in Article 54 of the Law on Consumer Protection such as mediation, arbitration, and court.

Anh Tho

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/bo-cong-thuong-dung-tiep-nhan-yeu-cau-ho-tro-thuong-luong-cua-nguoi-tieu-dung-102250817152447655.htm