The ACCC and its Vietnamese counterpart, the Viet Nam Competition Commission (VCC), have committed to even closer collaboration in securing strong regulatory and economic outcomes by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The new agreement will facilitate cooperation and information sharing between the two competition and consumer protection authorities, as well as promoting the delivery of technical assistance activities.
ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb and VCC Chair Le Trieu Dung signed the MOU on 6 March 2023, before it was exchanged by the two governments on 7 March during H.E. Mr Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam’s official visit to Canberra. Prime Minister Chinh was hosted for his visit by the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia.
The visit took place during the week of the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. The Summit, hosted by Prime Minister Albanese in Melbourne, celebrated 50 years since Australia became the first Dialogue Partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“The ACCC’s relationship with the Viet Nam Competition Commission is a key element in co-operation across the ASEAN region in the implementation of competition and consumer law,” ACCC Chair Cass-Gottlieb said.
“We welcome this latest achievement and the opportunity it provides for further cooperation, consultation, and coordination between our two agencies.
The ACCC looks forward to continuing its close work with the VCC in our joint purpose to protect competition and consumers, both at home and in our shared regions.”
The new MOU articulates the common objectives and approaches shared between the two agencies and includes arrangements to collaborate on bilateral activities, such as:
- sharing best practices through the exchange of officials, non-confidential information, and experiences on matters of mutual interest
- conducting periodic study visits, workshops, or training courses for staff of the ACCC and VCC, as well as other officials.
“Both the ACCC and VCC remain steadfast in our mutual commitment to champion competition and consumer protection in the ASEAN region,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
“We are eager to embark on this next phase of close interagency collaboration as we continue to deliver better regulatory and enforcement outcomes for our increasingly connected economic markets.”
Background
In April 2023 the VCC formed from an amalgamation of the Vietnam Competition and Consumer Authority (VCCA) and the Vietnam Competition Council and is responsible for implementing the country’s national competition and consumer laws.
The ACCC has collaborated with the VCC in supporting consumer law reform in Vietnam through the Vietnam-Australia Consumer Protection Partnership (VACPP), launched in April 2021.
The VACPP is a bilateral cooperation program supporting consumer advocacy and post-pandemic social and economic recovery in Vietnam. It has facilitated consumer law reform in Vietnam and has strengthened the productive relationship enjoyed by the ACCC and VCC.
The ACCC continues to build strong connections with the VCC and other competition and consumer protection authorities in the ASEAN region and New Zealand through its Competition Law Implementation Program (CLIP) and the Consumer Affairs Program (CAP) which was created pursuant to the agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA).