On July 13, the General Department of Vietnam Customs’ headquarters held a seminar to receive comments on adraft scheme on reforming the model of quality and food safety inspections for imports.

The seminar. Photo: N.L 

The seminar was attended by representatives of units under the General Department of Vietnam Customs; the Ministry of Finance; the Office of the Private Economic Development Research Board, the Prime Minister's Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform; the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC); Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and representatives of businesses and business associations.

At the seminar, Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Mai Xuan Thanh said with an inquiring spirit, towards the goal of reforming, cuttingtime and cost for businesses and facilitating import and export activities, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has completed the draft scheme on reforming the model of quality and food safety inspections for imported goods.

To put reform goals in the draft scheme into practice, there needs to be a Government decree providing the method, processes and procedures for quality and food safety inspections for import goods. To continue to perfect the draft, it is necessary to have comments and suggestions from experts, the business community and business associations before the General Department of Vietnam Customs reports to the Ministry of Finance for submission to theGovernment.

According to arepresentative of the drafting board, the goal of the new model is to cut time and facilitates businesses, improve competitiveness of the economy based on the substantive reform of specialized inspection towards the customs as a focal point for quality and food safety inspections for import goods at border gates, ensuring the effectiveness of State management, the lawful rights and interests of production and business organizations and individuals and consumers.

The principles of building a new model must comply with the provisions of laws: Customs Law, Law on Product and Goods Quality, Law on Food Safety, Law On standards and technical regulations, Law on Livestock, Law on Crop Production and the Fisheries Law.

In addition, following the directions of the Government and the Prime Minister for many years on comprehensive reform of specialized management and inspection for imported goods; implementing substantive reform of specialized inspection for imported goods to facilitate enterprises but still ensure the state management efficiency of ministries and sectors on quality of imported goods, protection of people’s life and health, environment, economic security and national security.

At the same time, inheriting well-implemented regulations in Decrees 15/2018 / ND-CP, 132/2015/ND-VP, 74/2018/ND-CP, 85/2019/ND-CP and17/2020/ND-CP and uniformly applying to goods subject to quality and food safety inspections.

Improving the effectiveness of State management of ministries and sectors through strengthening connections and information sharing among state management agencies; maximising the application of current information technology systems to simplify and modernise inspection procedures and ensure information transparency.

The representative of the Private Economic Development Research Board,
Prime Minister’s Advisory Council for Administrative Reform gave a statement
at the seminar. Photo: N.L

The new model applies sufficiently and effectively advanced inspection methods such as traceability and risk management, and is consistent with international practices, conventions and agreements Vietnam has signed and acceded to.  

The scheme provides the scope and model of application for quality and food safety inspections for imported goods at border gate, excluding the following goods:  goods subject to inspection, management related to security, defence, quarantine and culture, etc. Goods are subject to both quarantine and other specialised inspection managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The new model also excludes goods in the list of goods subject to state quality inspection after goods have gone through customs clearance, or goods subject to State quality inspection regulated by ministries and sectors through considering the conformity announcement of importers according to the following measures: conformity self-assessment results of organizations and individuals; certification and verification results of authorized certification and verification organisations.

For imported goods in the list of State quality inspection after customs clearance, enterprises may choose to apply quality inspection procedures according to the new model in order to create the most favourable conditions for their business activities.

At the seminar, the new model diagram of quality inspection for import goods and the new model diagram of food safety inspection for import goods were presented.

Businesses and associations expressed their expectations that new direction will help businesses reduce pressure in quality inspection and food safety inspections on import goods. However, the issues attracted by businesses are the implementation and connection between management agencies to achieve the goals set by the new model.