Vietnam expands anti-smuggling fight to grassroots levels

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Prime Ministerial Decision No. 48/QD-TTg, dated January 9, 2026, amending and supplementing Decision No. 389/QD-TTg (dated March 19, 2014) regarding the establishment of the National Steering Committee against smuggling, commercial fraud, and counterfeit goods.

Decision No. 48 amends Article 1 of the original Decision 389, formally restructuring the National Steering Committee against smuggling, commercial fraud, and counterfeit goods (referred to as the National Steering Committee).

The leadership of the National Steering Committee is organized as follows: the Head of the Committee is a Deputy Prime Minister (designated by the Prime Minister); its Standing Deputy Head is the Minister of Finance; and its Deputy Heads include the Minister of Industry and Trade, the Deputy Minister of National Defense, and the Deputy Minister of Public Security.

The new Decision also amends Article 2 regarding the functions, tasks, and powers of the Committee. Under the new regulations, the National Steering Committee is an inter-disciplinary coordination organization. Its primary function is to assist the Prime Minister in researching, directing, and resolving critical inter-disciplinary matters related to the prevention of smuggling, commercial fraud, and counterfeit goods nationwide.

Key responsibilities include advising and proposing directions and solutions to address major inter-sectoral issues, as well as developing and issuing work programs and plans for anti-smuggling efforts in each period.

Furthermore, the Committee will assist the Prime Minister in coordinating efforts between ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, and relevant organizations. It is also tasked with directing scientific research and promoting international cooperation in the field of anti-smuggling and trade fraud prevention.

A notable highlight of the new Decision is the requirement to consolidate the Steering Committee system at the local level. Specifically, it mandates the establishment of Steering Committees against smuggling, commercial fraud, and counterfeit goods at the level of communes, wards, and special zones.