MUTRAP Conference Held to Support New WTO Member in Hanoi

Hanoi on October 19 organized a conference to review results of implementation of SPS/TBT agreements under the EC-sponsored multilateral trade assistance project (MUTRAP) to help Vietnam effectively integrate into the global trade body.

 

The project, which was jointly launched by the EC and the government of Vietnam in 1998 and implemented through three phases, is aimed at supporting Vietnam in conducting trade negotiations, dispute resettlements, and in adopting protective trade measures, local newspaper Vietnam Law said.

 

It will focus on helping the ASEAN country in meeting all the requirements of the SPS/TBT agreements by strengthening exchanges with the government of Vietnam and local businesses to complete building a uniform and legal framework.

 

Since joining the WTO in January, Vietnam has seen its economy grow 8.2 per cent in the first three quarters, driven by continued growth of exports and foreign direct investment, but incurred expanding trade deficit of US$7.7 billion between January and September. It is forecast to hit over US$9 billion by the end of the year.

 

The fruitful results of the project are that Vietnam has not been named among the antidumping countries, according to the recent report by the WTO in the middle of the year.

 

The second MUTRAP project is slated for start in the fourth quarter of 2005 and completion in 2008.

 

Ha Ton Vinh, Hawaii University Prof has alerted that in a couple of years to come, Vietnamese businesses will be facing up to 2,000 lawsuits from foreign rivals, three times higher than now. Vietnam is now badly in need of professional lawyers who have good command of foreign languages and deep knowledge of WTO integration.

 

To date, Vietnamese businesses have faced 23 antidumping lawsuits: ten from EU, three from Peru and Turkey for V belts, the ministry added. They lost most of the cases.

 

EU October 15 decided to prolong one year more anti-dumping duties of 66 per cent on bulbs originated from Vietnam aiming to prevent trade frauds of Chinese bulb makers, Vietnam News Agency reported.

 

Between 1995 and 2005, WTO members pursued 2,840 anti-dumping cases, of which 1,804 (63.52 per cent) were proven legitimate and anti-dumping measures were imposed, according to the Ministry of Trade. And around 2,602 products were cited for price dumping during the period. (Vietnam Law)