The National Assembly Standing Committee yesterday agreed to promulgate the Ordinance on Market Management after a final discussion of the bill.

Nguyễn Văn Giàu, Chairman of the NA Committee on Economic Affairs.

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said he expected that the procedure for the promulgation would be finalised this month or before the NA and People’s Council elections start on May 22.

He said the market management force must improve its performance to meet urgent needs for the country’s development.

It should be a strong barrier that prevents trade fraud as well as counterfeit or harmful products from entering the market in order to ensure customers’ rights and safety, Hung said.

The bill consists of eight chapters with 45 articles dealing with issues like the organisation and function of the market management force, policies for market watch officers and the mechanism for co-operation with other agencies.

The promulgation of the ordinance on market management is expected to address shortcomings that were revealed during market management activities over the last 60 years.

Nguyen Van Giau, Chairman of the NA Committee on Economic Affairs, said that the country had about 6,500 market watch officers from the central level – Market Management Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade – to the provincial and district levels.

The market management force faced a shortage of equipment and moderate working conditions while smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit and low-quality products became more frequent in the country, he said.

Chairman of the National Assembly Office Nguyen Hanh Phuc suggested that the bill should establish a mechanism to protect citizens who reported trade fraud or market-related violations to market watch officers.

On the other hand, if market watch officers inspect a business in response to an accusation or report, but no violations are found, it could badly affect that business’s reputation, he said.

Chairman of the National Assembly Council of Ethnic Affairs Ksor Phuoc said market management officers could conduct regular and unannounced inspections, but the bill should specify under what conditions a business may receive an unannounced inspection. That way, the agency could avoid an abuse of power.

Chairman of the NA Law Committee Phan Trung Ly said market management activities were directly linked to business activities, particularly those relating to the collection of business information and the seizure and transfer of involved goods.

Ly said that clearer regulations were needed to prevent market management activities from violating citizens’ business freedoms. 

VNS