Vietnam’s import and export licensing system tends to lack transparency, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
In a report released Wednesday, the WTO reached this conclusion because Vietnam’s notifications to the WTO regarding import licenses and quantitative restrictions have been pending for some time.
Vietnam’s Import Licenses
Among the developments over the past five years is a ban on the import of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. In addition, the state monopoly on the production and import of gold was abolished. This latter measure was replaced by a new system of licenses and quotas.
Various legal instruments have updated the requirements for granting import and export licenses in several sectors. Similarly, special licensing regimes have been established within the framework of CPTPP.
These regulatory frameworks are also addressed in Vietnam’s Free Trade Agreements with the European Union and the United Kingdom. These provisions allow remanufactured goods to enter Vietnamese territory. As a result, these products are not considered used goods and are not subject to import bans.
Trade Remedies
Over the past five years, Vietnam has updated its trade defense regulatory framework with more detailed provisions. These reforms strengthened investigation procedures, regulations against the circumvention of measures, and interagency coordination.
Between January 2021 and December 2025, the country maintained a countervailing duty on cane sugar from Thailand, as well as safeguards on certain steel products and fertilizers. Similarly, 20 new definitive antidumping measures were imposed during this five-year period. Finally, Vietnamese authorities initiated 18 original investigations into goods originating from trading partners such as China, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Vietnam’s Economy
Over the past five years, Vietnam’s economy has maintained a trajectory of steady expansion. As a result of this performance, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached approximately $514,000 million in 2025.
At the same time, GDP per capita showed sustained growth over the same period. This metric stood at around $5,026 at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, real GDP growth experienced a strong recovery following the slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This rate accelerated significantly, rising from 2.9% in 2020 to 8.0% in 2025. Although exports drove economic activity in the years leading up to 2023, domestic demand took on an increasingly decisive role from that point onward.