Software to trace the origin of goods and detect counterfeit goods is coming soon

The Ministry of Public Security is working with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and VNPT to build a system on goods origin, expected to be tested at the end of this year, according to Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Long.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Long speaks at the conference on June 23. Photo: VGP

At the national online conference to review the first 6 months and conclude the peak period against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods on June 23, Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Long said that one of the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister to the Ministry within the framework of Project 06 is to coordinate in building a data platform on the origin of goods.

"Currently, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and VNPT are building this system, expected to put it into trial operation at the end of this year," said Mr. Long.

According to him, the system will initially be applied to a number of groups of goods. Once operational, the platform will help people trace the origin of products, contributing to preventing trade fraud, counterfeit goods, and smuggled goods, while also providing data for policy making.

The peak month of goods inspection nationwide was launched from May 15 to June 15 under the direction of the Prime Minister, chaired by the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ). During this time, the market management force inspected 3,891 cases, handling more than 3,100 violations. Of which, the amount of administrative fines exceeded 32 billion VND, confiscated violating goods worth nearly 31 billion VND, and the total amount paid to the budget was nearly 36 billion VND. 26 cases with signs of criminality were transferred to the investigation agency, an increase of 50% over the same period last year.

According to Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement is becoming increasingly fierce. "Since the beginning of the year, on average, the forces have handled several hundred cases each day, so the number is not small. However, the situation of violations of regulations is getting bigger and bigger," said Mr. Dien.

Explaining the reasons for the increase in smuggling and trade fraud, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said that this activity brings great benefits to business people, along with the emergence of e-commerce, which is a very good environment for operation.

In addition, according to Mr. Dien, the market management force was transferred to localities since February, but many localities have not directed this force in a timely manner. There are also many loopholes in the law, mechanisms and policies, which need to be further reviewed for improvement. Not to mention, some authorities have not performed their duties well, and some officials have even assisted and legalized these violations.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien speaks at the conference on June 23. Photo: VGP

In the first half of the year, the functional forces of the Ministry of National Defense also coordinated with other forces to arrest 1,412 cases, of which 293 were related to drugs, 639 were related to illegal transportation of goods, and 210 were related to other acts.

Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Hong Thai said that counterfeit, poor quality goods that violate intellectual property rights are not purely smuggled or transported from abroad. In fact, many of them are produced domestically, especially foods and functional foods with "very blatant forms, especially affecting people's health".

Similarly, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said that in the first half of the year, the entire health sector inspected over 170,000 establishments regarding food safety, discovered over 9,000 establishments violating (accounting for 5.2%), and imposed fines of over VND20 billion. The Ministry directed the collection of over 16,000 samples of drugs, cosmetics, and food for inspection. In particular, it discovered 2 establishments selling drugs in Hanoi of unknown origin and quality assurance.

According to the report of the Ministry of Public Security, the entire force has prosecuted 124 cases with 297 defendants. The Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency alone prosecuted 7 cases with more than 100 defendants, seizing counterfeit goods worth more than 12,000 billion VND. Local police handled nearly 1,000 administrative cases, collecting fines of over 15 billion VND.

Two prominent corporate ecosystems that have committed major violations are Z Holding and Big Holding. Z Holding was determined to have sold nearly VND7,000 billion worth of counterfeit goods, while Big Holding sold about VND4,000 billion. To deceive the authorities, the subjects falsified test results or colluded with testing units to provide fake results, and colluded with state agencies to facilitate the issuance of GMP certificates to manufacturing plants.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Long recommended that relevant ministries, branches and agencies improve their state management capacity in assigned fields, promptly review and perfect mechanisms and policies in a practical direction, creating favorable conditions but not loosening management.

Sharing the same view, Deputy Minister of National Defense Nguyen Hong Thai said that regularly reviewing and proposing amendments to legal documents is necessary to ensure transparency for production and business, while still controlling the quality of goods and protecting people's health.

The representative of the Ministry of Health affirmed that it will closely coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to increase management of advertising activities in the electronic environment.

"When violations are discovered, the authorities need to handle the advertising unit and the organization or individual who hired the false advertisement," the representative of the Ministry of Health proposed. In addition, this agency also said that they have sent a document requesting artists, celebrities, government officials and scientists not to participate in promoting violating products.

The Ministry also proposed considering raising the level of administrative penalties, similar to Decree 168 in the field of traffic safety, to increase deterrence against violations.

HA (according to VnE)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/sap-co-phan-mem-truy-xuat-nguon-goc-hang-hoa-phat-hien-hang-gia-414822.html