Tasks and powers of the Vietnam Competition Commission

Tasks and powers of the Vietnam Competition Commission (Internet image)

Position and functions; Tasks and powers of the Vietnam Competition Commission are specified in Decree 03/2023/ND-CP.

Position and functions of the Vietnam Competition Commission

Viet Nam Competition Commission Organize is an agency of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam in charge of initiating competition proceedings, controlling economic concentrations, issuing decisions to grant exemption from prohibition of anti-competitive agreements, dealing with complaints against decisions on competition cases in accordance with regulations of law; providing advice for and assisting the Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam in performing state management of competition, protection of consumer rights and multi-level marketing operations.

Transaction name in English: Viet Nam Competition Commission; abbreviated name: VCC.

VCC has juridical person status and its own seal bearing the national emblem, and is entitled to open account(s) at the State Treasury. Funding for covering VCC’s operating expenses shall be derived from state budget.

VCC is headquartered in Hanoi City.

Tasks and powers of the Vietnam Competition Commission

VCC shall have the following tasks and powers:

(1) Regarding competition proceedings

- Detect, verify and evaluate information and evidences of signs of violations against regulations of law on competition;

- Receive, verify and evaluate information and evidences of signs of violations against regulations of law on competition provided by other organizations and individuals; receive, consider and handle competition case files;

- Conduct investigations into competition cases in accordance with regulations of law;

- Resolve competition cases in accordance with regulations of law;

- Receive, handle and deal with complaints against decisions on competition cases in accordance with regulations of law;

- Engage in administrative procedures in respect of decisions on complaint cases issued by the chairperson of VCC or council in charge of settlement of anti-competitive cases in accordance with the administrative procedure code;

- Request relevant competent authorities and persons to cooperate and provide assistance during investigation and resolution of competition cases; request relevant authorities, organizations and individuals to provide information and documents concerning competition cases;

- Request competent authorities to implement preventive measures for ensuring the enforcement of administrative penalties during investigation and resolution of competition cases in accordance with regulations of law on penalties for administrative violations;

- Cooperate with foreign competition authorities during the process of competition proceedings in accordance with regulations of law;

- Cooperate with competent authorities during investigation and handling of violations against regulations of law on competition which show signs of crime;

- Receive and consider applications for leniency, and issue decisions on immunity from fines or reduction of fines under the leniency policy in accordance with regulations of law on competition;

- Impose administrative penalties within its competence or request competent authorities to impose certain additional penalties and remedial measures for violations against regulations of law on competition;

- Perform other tasks in competition proceedings in accordance with regulations of law on competition.

(2) Control economic concentration activities in accordance with regulations of law on competition; receive and handle economic concentration notification dossiers, carry out appraisal and issue decisions on economic concentration in accordance with regulations of law.

(3) Receive, handle and appraise applications for exemption from prohibition of anti-competitive agreements, and issue decisions on exemption from prohibition of anti-competitive agreements in accordance with regulations of law.

(4) Supervise, detect, verify and take actions or request competent authorities to take actions against violations against regulations concerning acts or behaviors that prevent competition in the market of regulatory authorities and other prohibited acts relating to competition of other organizations or individuals.

(5) Perform state management of competition, protection of consumer rights, and multi-level marketing operations in accordance with regulations of law.

(6) Perform other tasks and powers assigned by 

Duong Chau Thanh

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