Anti-counterfeiting: A battle of wits

Faced with this situation, when chairing a recent thematic meeting to evaluate the work of combating smuggling, trade fraud and goods of unknown origin in recent times, and at the same time providing strategic directions for the next phase, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pointed out that this is an inevitable consequence of lax supervision in many localities.

A series of cases of fake functional foods and fake drugs discovered in a short period of time have shocked society.

Authorities are inspecting goods at an import business.

The figures provided by the National Steering Committee for Combating Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeit Goods (National Steering Committee 389) further demonstrate the urgency of the issue. In the first four months of 2025 alone, more than 34,000 violations were detected and handled, including more than 8,200 cases involving prohibited goods, 25,100 cases of trade and tax fraud, and more than 1,100 cases involving intellectual property rights violations. The total amount of money collected into the state budget from these cases amounted to nearly VND4,900 billion... Consumers are forced to live in fear of the situation of floating, non-transparent goods on the market.

Looking more broadly, the Prime Minister emphasized that counterfeit and fake goods violations in the field of functional foods and pharmaceuticals not only threaten people's health but also erode trust in market management and the legal system. The Prime Minister pointed out in the above meeting: "Why is there no lack of legal basis, there are enough competent agencies but dozens of tons of counterfeit goods still slip through the net? Whose responsibility is it?"

In fact, many solutions have been implemented such as strengthening inspection and market control, detecting and handling tens of thousands of cases; promoting digital transformation to trace origins; initiating a draft law to establish specialized intellectual property courts... which have brought positive results. However, for a field with increasingly complex and serious developments, the core issue is still the enforcement capacity and personal responsibility of each enforcement officer in the functional force.

A trade policy expert commented that fighting counterfeit goods is no longer an internal issue, but a vital requirement for Vietnam's position in the global value chain.

Vietnam's efforts to strengthen market inspection, supervision and transparency not only serve the goal of protecting consumers but also protect the country's reputation and position. However, it seems that traditional measures are not enough to deter in the digital environment and cross-border trade. The fight against counterfeit goods is now not only a legal issue but also a mental problem, requiring a comprehensive restructuring, from perfecting the legal system, building a coordination mechanism between functional units, to strengthening technological infrastructure and cultivating public ethics.

In the context of Vietnam striving to become a new production and trade center of the region, protecting intellectual property rights, controlling the origin of goods and improving the efficiency of market management are not only external requirements, but also strategic steps to strengthen competitiveness, the key to protecting the long-term interests of the national economy .

( According to nhandan.vn )

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/su-kien-binh-luan/202505/chong-hang-gia-cuoc-chien-can-nao-1043548/