Vietnam: Implemented Law on Protection of Consumers’ Rights (No. 19/2023/QH15) including consumer protection authority governance

On 1 July 2024, the Law on Consumer Protection, which includes provisions for the governance of the consumer protection authority, entered into force. This law outlines the roles, responsibilities, and powers of the consumer protection authority. Chapter IV of the document details the roles and responsibilities of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, socio-political organisations, and social organisations in protecting consumer rights. Articles 48 to 53 delineate the duties of these organisations, which include disseminating consumer protection laws, supervising law enforcement, and participating in legal and advisory capacities to support consumers. These organisations are also tasked with mediating disputes, testing products, and initiating civil lawsuits to uphold consumer rights. This emphasises a collaborative approach to ensuring consumer protection. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) is responsible for uniform state management across different levels and sectors. The aforementioned body is responsible for the promulgation and enforcement of consumer rights policies, the education and support of consumers, the oversight of product quality through surveys and testing, the management of a national consumer protection database, the coordination with other ministries, and the engagement in international consumer protection efforts. The implementation of consumer rights protection activities in their respective fields is the responsibility of the Ministries and ministerial agencies under the management of MOIT. Finally, the responsibilities of the Provincial People’s Committees are listed.