Vietnam Amends Customs Law to Combat Counterfeit Goods

The National Assembly of Vietnam approved amendments to the customs law on August 23 to strengthen the interception of counterfeit and intellectual property-infringing goods. The revised law, which takes effect in March 2027, expands the authority of customs officers to include goods transiting through Vietnam and allows them to proactively halt the clearance of shipments showing clear signs of intellectual property violations.

To address modern trade challenges, the law introduces new supervision requirements for goods traded via e-commerce platforms. Under these rules, logistics providers and platform operators must share information with authorities to improve oversight.

These legislative changes follow a May Section 301 investigation by the United States Trade Representative. That investigation designated Vietnam as a priority foreign country, citing widespread counterfeiting and weak border enforcement as primary concerns.