Authorities must take measures to promptly detect and fight suspects who mix fake and low-quality petroleum products in targeted areas and strictly handle them.

The competent force inspects a petroleum company.

This is the direction of the National Steering Committee 389 for the Steering Committees of the ministries of Science and Technology, Public Security, Finance, Industry and Trade; General Department of Customs and General Department of Taxation (Ministry of Finance); General Department of Market Surveillance (Ministry of Industry and Trade); Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality (Ministry of Science and Technology); the Police Department for Corruption, Smuggling and Economic Crimes and the Department of Economic Security (Ministry of Public Security) andSteering Committee 389 of provinces and cities directly under the central Government.

According to the National Steering Committee 389, currently, smuggling and trade fraud of petroleum products take place complicatedly, especially mixing and consumption of fake and low-quality petroleum products continues to occur on some routes and areas. However, the detection and handling of violations are still inadequate, whilethe coordination between ministries, branches and localities in the quality control of petroleum products still has shortcomings and should be improved.

The National Steering Committee 389 proposed Steering Committee 389 of ministries, branches, provinces and cities direct agencies, units, and forces to actively supervise and grasp the development of petroleum import, production and trade to take measures to promptly detect and fight petroleum smugglers and trade fraud, and focus on combating suspects who specialise in mixing fake and low-quality petroleum products and strictly hand them.

In addition, to strengthen coordination among the Steering Committees of 389 of ministries, branches and localities to direct agencies and units, especially competent authorities in quality licensing andregistration, and closely inspect and supervise petroleum product traders, petroleum product agencies andpetroleum product retailers in compliance with regulations on import, production and thecirculation of petroleum products to promptly detect and strictly handle violations like fraud in measurement andfailing to ensure quality according to the national technical regulations and the announced standards.

National Steering Committee 389 also assigns the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee 389 to monitor and urge the performance, summarise and report to the National Steering Committee 389.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc called on authoritiesto strengthen the quality management of petroleum products (in Official Dispatch No.38/VPCP-KGVX dated January 8, 2021 of the Government Office).

He asked them to strengthen coordination in inspection and examination of petroleum import, production and trading activities, to avoid overlap and duplication andimprove the efficiency of State management on petroleum quality.