On 28/5, the National Assembly discussed in the conference on some different contents of the draft price law to complete the adoption at this meeting. Many comments that the draft law is not specific, many important also to the Government, the Ministry of Finance regulations.

 

Member of the National Assembly of Lang Son Nguyen Lam Thanh comments. (Photo: Doan Tan / VNA)

 

In particular, delegates expressed some irrationalities in the draft law on the criteria and conditions of the list of goods subject to stabilization and the retail price of electricity for businesses to decide.

Clarify the price stabilization mechanism

Many delegates said that "the list of goods and services subject to price stabilization," the scope of goods and services subject to price stabilization provided for in the List is too wide, resulting in many goods, Services subject to price stabilization, affecting the supply and demand rule. In line with market conditions in the new situation, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly has removed from the list of commodities such as iron, steel and cement; mixed feeds for livestock; Passenger transport services by rail, hard seat type ...

Regarding equality in price stabilization, many argue that basic price stabilization is only applied in some big cities, supermarkets, big stores, poor places, farmers, Students can not reach. Therefore, the delegates suggested, in addition to institutionalized by the provisions of the law, attention should be paid to synchronism and security conditions in the implementation organization.

At the same time, functional agencies are requested to draw experience in implementing, studying organizations in a diversified and reasonable manner in terms of form, creating distribution channels suitable to practical conditions so as to undertake, The policy is to reach the poor, who really need support.

It is necessary to set up a price stabilization fund, but it is recommended that more than one delegate should clarify in the law the nature, the establishment, the source of the fund, the management mechanism and how it is " Delegates Nguyen Thanh Tam (Tay Ninh) and deputy Nguyen Manh Cuong (Quang Binh) said that the draft law is expected to have 10 items of equivalent price stability will be about 10 funds to stabilize prices.

The participants suggested that this should be considered carefully because it was a price paid by the consumer. So far, there has been no official assessment of the effectiveness of petrol price stabilization despite the many different opinions.

The state needs to set the electricity retail price

Around the electricity price, the draft law says that the issue of electricity prices is expected to be regulated as the Government proposes. The State shall specify the specific price for the transmission price and the price of auxiliary services for the electricity system as these are state monopolies. In the immediate future, the State will still set the price frame for electricity generation, wholesale electricity prices but in the long run will apply competition according to the roadmap. For stages such as power generation, electricity wholesale in the long run will apply competition according to the roadmap, in accordance with the market mechanism.

However, many delegates said that in order to control electricity prices, contributing to stabilize the life and business production, the State should set specific prices for electricity transmission; wholesale prices; The price of electric system auxiliary services because these are monopoly phases. At present, the State still sets the price bracket for electricity generation and wholesale prices. Thus, enterprises have the right to actively valuate in the frame, compete on price under that framework; ensuring the benefits to consumers; The government has been controlling electricity prices.

Regarding the retail price of electricity, the State shall also set the price bracket for the average retail electricity price. The Prime Minister shall stipulate the mechanism for adjusting prices and the structure of electricity retail price tables to ensure flexible adjustment according to market mechanism. This implies that the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) will set specific prices for electricity retail, controlled by the Ministry of Industry and Trade within the government's price range.

According to deputy Nguyen Thanh Hai (Hoa Binh), the Ministry of Industry and Trade is now the owner of EVN, a price control agency and a policy-making agency. This is likely to lead to conflicts of interest, lack of objectivity, and the difficulty of exercising control over a market that is not as competitive as it is today. Therefore, if the retail price of electricity is not determined by the State, it will likely cause damage to the user without an independent control agency.

At present, the price control function is assigned to the Electricity Regulatory Authority, but this department is directly under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the function of independent monitoring and ensuring the interests of stakeholders, especially the consumer. The use is not clearly shown.

Adding this point of view, delegate Tran Van Tan (Tien Giang) said that in the condition that the power sector is entirely independent EVN, the State must set specific prices for retail electricity, price. The same viewpoint, deputy Nguyen Lam Thanh (Lang Son) suggested, should carefully review the provisions on electricity prices such as electricity transmission prices, service charges, auxiliary power system.

According to Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the issue of electricity pricing upcoming Congress will discuss the draft Law on Electricity, in principle the majority agreed that the price of electricity must be managed by the State and must participate in pricing This is an exclusive item of the State in some stages. However, the proposed method of calculation, how the pricing, especially the average retail price frame must be appropriate and feasible.