According to Government-issued Decree 94/2017/ND-CP, to take effect from October 1 this year, up to 20 types of public goods will be traded and monitored solely under State monopoly with clear direction from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Decree 94 on the State monopoly of goods, services and commercial territory applies to essential goods and services related to national defence, security and welfare, in which other economic factors are not interested or capable of participating.

Government authorities now have sole monopoly power over the 20 types of goods and services listed in Decree 94, albeit through direct purchase or assigning other organisations or individuals to do so in their stead.

The State monopoly on trade is only in essential goods and services, such as defence and security to which the State would have exclusive rights. All monopolised sales of these goods and services must be under the surveillance and direct orders from the PM through official documents and the appropriate legal state authorities.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Decree 94 aims to implement the 2005 Commercial Law which permits State monopolies with no time limit on commercial operations for a number of goods and services of national interest.

The Decree states that all ministries, municipal governments and agencies are not permitted to conduct trade of the twenty monopolised goods and service groups within their respected sector and territories. Goods and services that fall under the national defence and security category are to be governed by the Minister of National Defence and Minister of Public Security.

The list of 20 State monopolised goods and services include goods and services reserved for national defence and public security, such as military equipment and other products used for enlisted personnel.

The monopolised trade also applies to the acts of producing, selling, buying, importing, exporting, temporarily exporting and importing or transporting through border gates, of any industrial explosive materials, including fireworks.

Other economic factors that fall under the monopolised category are the manufacturing of gold ingots, import of pure gold for gold ingot production, printing of currency, issuance of state lottery tickets and postal stamps.

Goods such as tobacco, cigars and cigarettes are also under State control, along with the production and commercial operations of any goods under the list of goods for national reserve.

The scope of monopolised services also covers national power transmission and regulation, maritime traffic management and coast guard, railways and aviation infrastructure services, together with hydro and nuclear power plants of special national importance, forestation for special use and publishing. — VNS