The Ministry of Industry and Trade reviews the licensing of petroleum business

The Ministry of Industry and Trade asks for a review of the wholesaler and petroleum distributor system across the country. — VNA/VNS Photo Trần Việt

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has requested wholesalers and petroleum distributors to review the current status and conditions for granting petroleum import and export business licences and certificates of eligibility to act as a petroleum wholesaler and distributor.

According to the MoIT, implementing the conclusions of the Government Inspectorate, key traders will have to report in detail on the conditions for having specialised wharves (ownership, lease, ability to receive petroleum tankers); petroleum receiving warehouse (quantity, ownership, rented from which enterprise and rental period); and petroleum transport vehicles (quantity, ownership, rental, vehicle type and rental period).

Key traders must also report specifically on the petroleum distribution system, including owned stores, leased stores, gasoline retail agents, gasoline retail franchisees and general gasoline trading agents.

In addition, distribution traders must report their petroleum distribution system with information about owned stores, rented stores, stores affiliated with gasoline retail agents and stores affiliated to traders receiving retail gasoline franchises.

According to the recent conclusion of the Government Inspectorate, from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022, the MoIT issued 37 petroleum import and export business licences (not including four licences issued to petroleum wholesalers supplying aviation activities) and issued 347 certificates of eligibility to operate as petroleum distributors.

The Government Inspectorate said that allowing the rental of warehouses and petroleum storage tanks as a condition for granting licences and certificates does not encourage key traders to invest in developing petroleum storage, leading to difficulty in meeting commercial petroleum reserve requirements. From 2017 to September 2022, the results of investment in building commercial petroleum warehouses only reached 15 per cent of the plan.

Wholesalers and distributors mainly rent warehouses and gasoline tanks to qualify for licences and certifications. Many wholesalers and distributors signed contracts to rent warehouses and petroleum storage tanks based on the season and actual use to reduce costs. This is one of the causes leading to violations in the licensing stage and implementation of licensing conditions by the MoIT, key traders and distributors, according to the Government Inspectorate. — VNS