On April 28, the Ministry of Industry and Trade promulgated Circular No. 21/2026/TT-BCT, partially repealing Clause 2, Article 1 of Circular No. 18/2025/TT-BCT concerning petroleum trading.
The newly issued circular stipulates the removal of the term “kerosene” from Clause 2, Article 1 of Circular No. 18/2025/TT-BCT dated March 13, 2025. The adjustment forms part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to refine the regulatory framework governing petroleum business activities.
The document will take effect from April 29, 2026.
Clause 2, Article 1 of Circular No. 18/2025/TT-BCT specifies the list of petroleum products used for calculating and announcing the base price, serving as the basis for regulating retail fuel prices in the market.
The removal of the term “kerosene” means that this product will no longer be included in the list subject to base price disclosure under the current fuel price management mechanism.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that Circular No. 21/2026/TT-BCT was promulgated in accordance with existing legal provisions governing petroleum trading activities. During implementation, should any difficulties arise, relevant organizations are requested to report them to the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade for consideration and resolution.
Kerosene accounts for only around 0.1 percent of total petroleum consumption in the economy, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
In contrast, major fuel products such as gasoline and diesel oil make up a significant proportion and have a direct impact on production activities, transportation, and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Before the issuance of the official circular, the Ministry had already decided to temporarily suspend the inclusion of kerosene in the list of products used for calculating the base fuel price under the current price management mechanism.
At present, the new document does not specify in detail the subsequent management mechanism applicable to kerosene.
