The list of state-monopolized goods and services in commercial activities is issued in conjunction with Decree 94/2017/ND-CP.
1. What is a State Monopoly?
State monopoly is a concept referring to the exclusive right of the state, or agencies and organizations established by the state, to conduct commercial activities or provide goods and services without competition from other organizations or individuals in that specific sector. In other words, the state holds the exclusive right to produce and trade certain goods and services, often those deemed essential or strategically important for the nation and society.
In commercial activities, state monopolies are typically clearly stipulated in law, aiming to control critical sectors, ensure national security and social order, or serve the state’s economic and social development objectives. These activities may include the production, distribution, or provision of goods and services that the state wishes to strictly control to safeguard community interests or implement economic and social policies.
Typical examples of state monopolies can be found in sectors such as national defense, security, certain public services like clean water supply and electricity, or essential goods and services where the state mandates that only state-owned enterprises are permitted to conduct business.
2. List of State Monopoly Goods and Services in Commercial Activities
The list of state-monopolized goods and services in commercial activities is issued in conjunction with Decree 94/2017/ND-CP, specifically:
| No. | Goods/Services | State-Monopolized Commercial Activities | Scope |
| 1. | Goods and services for national defense and security purposes | Detailed implementation guided by the Minister of National Defense and the Minister of Public Security | Detailed implementation guided by the Minister of National Defense and the Minister of Public Security |
| 2. | Industrial explosives | Production, purchase, sale, export, import, temporary import, re-export, transit | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 3. | Gold bars | Production | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 4. | Raw gold | Export and import for gold bar production | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 5. | Lottery | Issuance | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 6. | Cigarettes, cigars | Import (except for cases of import for duty-free sales business) | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 7. | National reserve activities | Management, import, export, purchase, sale, preservation, protection of goods on the national reserve list. | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 8. | Currency | Printing, minting | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 9. | Vietnamese postage stamps | Issuance | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 10. | Fireworks and related services | Production, export, import, purchase, sale, transportation, storage | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 11. | National power grid; Multi-purpose hydropower and nuclear power of special socio-economic significance. | Transmission, dispatching; Construction and operation | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 12. | Public utility services ensuring maritime safety | – Operation of lighthouse systems; – Operation of public maritime channels. | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 13. | Coastal information public utility services | Management, operation and exploitation of coastal information radio systems | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 14. | Air traffic services | – Air traffic control services; – Aeronautical information services; – Search and rescue services | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 15. | National and urban railway infrastructure systems invested by the State | Management, exploitation of railway infrastructure systems; excluding railway infrastructure maintenance | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 16. | Inter-provincial, inter-district irrigation and hydraulic works; coastal embankments | Management, exploitation in case of entrusted plans | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 17. | Forestry services in special-use forests | Provision (excluding scenic protection forests leased by the State to economic organizations for forest protection and development, combined with business of scenery, resorts, eco-tourism – environment) | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 18. | Publications | Publishing (excluding printing and distribution activities) | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 19. | Public postal network | Management, maintenance, exploitation | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
| 20. | Public utility services in newspaper issuance activities | Provision | Throughout the territory of Vietnam |
