Conference summarizing the work in 2024 and the work plan for 2025 of the Trade Defense Department

On January 6, 2025, the Trade Defense Department (TDA) held a conference summarizing the work in 2024 and the work plan for 2025. Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan attended and directed the conference. The conference was also attended by representatives of leaders of units under the Government Office, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Trade Union of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, representatives of leaders of industry associations and all cadres, civil servants, public employees and workers of the Department.

In 2024, the TDA proactively deployed, completed on schedule and ensured the quality of professional tasks according to assigned functions.

Regarding the work of drafting legal documents, the Department has advised, proposed and drafted a decree to replace Decree No. 10/2018/ND-CP dated January 15, 2018 of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Foreign Trade Management on trade defense measures. Up to now, the Department of Trade Remedies has completed the draft dossier in accordance with the correct order, procedures and in compliance with the provisions of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents; reported to the Ministry's leaders to submit to the Government earlier than the assigned deadline.

Regarding the work of investigating and applying trade defense measures, in 2024, the Department of Trade Remedies will continue to investigate and review 10 cases initiated in 2023; initiate investigations of 06 new cases, initiate reviews of 03 end-of-term reviews; initiate 01 annual review, receive and process 07 new investigation and review requests. Of the 55[1] cases of investigation applying trade remedies to imported goods into Vietnam, there are currently 31 trade remedies in effect. Trade remedies applied to the right subjects, at the right level, within a reasonable period of time according to legal regulations have ensured a fair competitive environment between domestically produced goods and imported goods.

Regarding the response to foreign trade remedies cases, in 2024, Vietnamese export goods will face 32 newly initiated foreign trade remedies cases arising from 12 markets. This figure is more than double that of 2023. The United States remains the country with the most investigations, with 11 cases, accounting for about 1/3 of the cases in 2024. In addition to newly arising cases, the Department of Trade Remedies will also continue to support businesses in handling a number of trade remediation cases initiated in 2023 that have not yet completed investigations, and cases of review and application of trade remediation measures. Investigations have not only increased in number, but have also become more complex as many countries investigate unprecedented new content, along with that, the investigated products are increasingly diverse, from products with large export turnover such as solar panels (4.2 billion USD), shrimp (800 million USD), anti-corrosion steel (242 million USD) to products with lower export turnover such as fiber molded trays (50 million USD), paper plates (9 million USD)... The handling of foreign trade remedy cases has achieved many positive results, helping exporting enterprises not to be subject to trade remedy taxes or to be subject to taxes at low/lower levels than those of the countries under investigation, contributing to maintaining and expanding export markets. To support businesses in proactively responding to trade defense cases, the Trade Defense Department regularly updates the early warning list of export items at risk of being investigated for trade defense so that authorities, associations, and businesses can coordinate to monitor and raise awareness among the business community.

Along with trade defense investigations and supporting businesses in handling foreign trade defense cases, the Trade Defense Department has been advising and coordinating with the lead unit to develop plans and participate in negotiating trade defense content in free trade agreements with a number of partners and achieved a number of results: FTA between Vietnam and the EFTA bloc; Upgrading the ATIGA Agreement; ASEAN-China FTA, ASEAN-Canada FTA, ASEAN-India FTA; Vietnam - United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement".

Regarding the work of requesting countries to recognize Vietnam as a market economy, in 2024, Costa Rica added recognition of Vietnam as a market economy. To date, 73 countries and territories have recognized Vietnam as a market economy. Regarding the request for the United States to recognize Vietnam as a market economy, during the 270 days of participating in the process according to US law, the Department of Trade Remedies coordinated with lawyers to provide more than 20,000 pages of information and documents to demonstrate Vietnam's strong progress on all six criteria set by the US Department of Commerce when considering recognition of a country as a market economy. In addition, the Department of Trade Remedies also coordinated with relevant units to mobilize 41 organizations, individuals, and US business and trade associations to express strong support for the recognized Vietnam as a country with a market economy. Although the conclusion issued by the US Department of Commerce has not recognized Vietnam as a country with a market economy, it has hi has seen many positive changes in the Vietnamese economy in recent times.

Regarding administrative procedure reform, the Department of Trade Remedies has deployed an online database system in trade remedy investigation cases since July 2024. In 6 months of official operation, more than 2,600 documents have been uploaded to the system by relevant parties. The system has helped parties involved in the investigation case to more conveniently provide documents for the investigation as well as access these documents.

Regarding the propaganda and dissemination of trade remedies, in 2024, the Department of Trade Remedies published 380 news articles, issued publications, the Trade Remedies Electronic Newsletter and weekly early warnings, and video clips promoting the field of trade remedies, attracting 40,000 followers and more than 78,000 visits. The Trade Remedies Authority also successfully organized the first Trade Remedies Forum last October and coordinated with localities, associations, and industries to organize dozens of conferences, seminars, and talks from basic to in-depth on trade remediation across the country.

Also at the Conference, Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan gave a speech directing the orientation of trade remediation work in the coming time. In the context of 2025 being considered a year of rapid progress and breakthrough into the era of the Vietnamese nation's rise, the Trade Remedies Authority needs to focus on implementing key tasks such as: (i) Researching, thoroughly grasping and seriously implementing policies, resolutions, and directives to create a fair and equal competitive environment for businesses and economic sectors; (ii) Researching, reviewing and perfecting domestic policies and legal regulations on trade remediation, including considering amending the Law on Foreign Trade Management or developing the Law on Trade Remedies; (iii) State management agencies and manufacturing industries need to have a long-term strategy to focus on improving the capacity for trade defense; (iv) Take advantage of trade defense tools permitted by the WTO to protect the legitimate rights and interests of domestic manufacturing industries against unfair and fierce competition from imported goods from abroad; (v) Proactively coordinate with relevant ministries and branches to support domestic exporting enterprises in foreign trade defense cases; (vi) Promote early warning work to take necessary measures to limit damage from foreign trade defense cases on Vietnamese export goods; (vii) Strengthen the unified and consistent coordination mechanism to handle trade defense cases between central and local ministries and branches; between domestic and foreign agencies, between state management agencies and associations; (viii) Strengthening the propaganda, training, dissemination of legal knowledge and practical handling of PVTM in Vietnam and the world for officials of state management agencies, industry associations, business community and lawyers; (ix) Comprehensively promoting the work of Party building, well preparing for the organization of the Party Congress for the term 2025-2030 and focusing on, paying attention to, and promoting the role of mass organizations such as the Trade Union and the Youth Union in political, ideological, ethical education and Party building.

The achievements of the PVTM Department as a collective and individuals in the past time have been highly appreciated and recognized by the Government and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In addition to the professional achievements of the Department, the innovations, creativity and contributions to society of the PVTM Department's Youth Union have been recognized by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and awarded a Certificate of Merit by the First Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Youth Union.