INCREASING THE FINE LEVEL OF TRADE IN COUNTERFEIT UP TO VND400 MILLION FROM OCTOBER 15, 2020

Pursuant to Decree No. 98/2020/ND-CP issued by the Government on August 26, 2020 and coming into effect on October 15, 2020:

– Accordingly, the administrative violations against regulations on commerce, production and trade in counterfeit and prohibited goods and protection of consumer rights prescribed herein include:

(i) Violations against regulations on business operations requiring business licenses, except those prescribed in decrees prescribing penalties for administrative violations in other state management sectors;

(ii) Provision of services classified as banned business lines; production and trade in counterfeit and prohibited goods;

(iii) Trade in contraband goods, domestically sold goods against which emergency measures are implemented, expired goods or goods of unknown origin and involving in other violations;

(iv) Violations against regulations on tobacco trade;

(v) Violations against regulations on trade in alcoholic beverages;

(vi) Hoarding and excessive accumulation;

(vii) Violations against regulations on trade promotion;

(viii) Violations against regulations on import and export of goods and their related services;

(ix) Violations against regulations on protection of consumer rights;

(x) Violations against regulations on e-commerce;

(xi) Violations against regulations on establishment and commercial activities of foreign traders and foreigners in Vietnam;

(xii) Other violations in commercial sector.

– The maximum fine for a violation in the field of commerce or protection of consumer rights is VND 100 million if it is imposed on an individual or VND 200.000.000 if it is imposed on an organization. The maximum fine for a violation in the field of production and trade in counterfeit and prohibited goods VND 200 million if it is imposed on an individual or VND 400 million if it is imposed on an organization;

– For acts of producing counterfeit goods, the maximum fine level is VND100 million for individuals. Similarly, the maximum fine of VND200 million if producing falsification products is food, cosmetics, medical equipment;

– Violations against regulations on trade in alcoholic beverages, a fine ranging from VND500,000 to VND1,000,000 shall be imposed for selling or providing alcoholic beverages to persons under 18; Using an automatic vending machine to sell alcoholic beverages; Employing persons under 18 to produce or trade in alcoholic beverages a fine ranging from VND3,000,000 to VND5,000,000.

Best regards,