Hanoi (VNA) – In the time ahead, the Trade Remedies Authorities of Vietnam (TRAV) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) needs to work harder to tackle difficulties, thoroughly review legal regulations, effectively carry out administrative procedures on trade defence and, particularly, step up the assessment of trade defeཧnceဣ case impact.

The request was made by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan at the TRAV’s meeting held on July 11 to look back on the performance in the first half of 2023 and launch tasks for H2. TRAV Director Trinh Anh Tuan reported that during H1, the authority continued implementing three administrative procedures at Level 4, the highest level of online public service supply, under the MoIT’s Decision No 1573/QD-BCT dated June 15, 2021. They consist of the declaration procedure for the import of goods subject to trade remedy probes, and the procedure for exempting goods from trade remedies. They also include the procedure for adding the volume of goods exempted from trade remedies, and the making and submission of advice about the negotiation on and enforcement of free trade agreements (FTAs) and about the participation in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) framework. Meanwhile, the TRAV also received and handled four proposals for trade remedy investigations. On February 13, the authority proposed the MoIT issue Decision No 235/QD-BCT to impose an official anti-dumping measure on table and chair products imported from China and Malaysia. It also continued reviewing new and existing exporters. In response to investigations abroad, during H1, the TRAV coordinated with units of relevant ministries and sectors to issue early warnings for commodities at risk of being involved in trade defence and anti-circumvention investigations in other countries, and helping producers and exporters cope with certain trade defence cases, Tuan said. It participated in the provision and explanation of the Vietnamese Government’s policies for foreign authorities, the settlement of disputes at WTO, and in international cooperation activities to improve the capacity of responding to trade defence investigations. Besides, the TRAV continued assisting businesses to deal with the cases initiated in previous years, and some cases had preliminary or final conclusions released in H1, he added. The above-mentioned activities have generated some encouraging results, the TRAV Director went on, elaborating that Vietnam managed to prove its exporters did not evade the trade remedies currently levied on a third country in the US’s anti-circumvention investigation into stainless steel round wires, while Australia also ended an anti-dumping probe into ammonium nitrate. Deputy Minister Tan spoke highly of the TRAV’s improvements, noting that though trade defence cases increased and requirements for implementing international commitments became higher, trade defence work has been gaining highly encouraging results. For the coming time, he asked the TRAV to work more closely with other MoIT units and other ministries and sectors like customs, finance, and associations during the performance of its duties. It needs to upgrade infrastructure and increase personnel to fulfil the tasks on trade defence amid Vietnam’s increasing economic integration into the world and realisation of commitments under FTAs, the official added./.