The General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) is standardizing resources and facilities to deploy the scheme on reforming the model of quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods.

Officials of Customs Department of Goods Verification. Photo: Q.H 

Accordingly, the GDVC has fulfilled necessary conditions in quality, food safety, and hygiene inspections and applied for conformity certification and designation by ministries and agencies.

Specifically, the GDVC has reviewed, arranged human resources, improved and standardized facilities of Customs verification units for analysis, verification, certification and testing of goods as designated by the specialized management ministries.

Expanding the standards according to the goods characteristics of each area and the list of quality management of management ministries in the Analysis Center and Customs branches of Goods Verification; completing the draft of functions and tasks of the Analysis Center and its branches, and draft product quality certification process at the Analysis Center.

Earlier, the GDVC reported the Ministry of Finance to issue Decision No. 169/ QD-BTC dated February 18, 2021, implementing Decision No.38/QD-TTg right after the Scheme on reforming the model of quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods had been approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No.38/QD-Tg dated January 12, 2021.

Following the direction of the Ministry of Finance and creating a premise for the implementation of the Scheme, the GDVC has focused on developing a decree on management mechanisms, methods, processes and procedures for quality inspection, food safety inspection for imported goods, and consulting ministries, branches and the business community in Q1.

The GDVC issued Decision No. 222/QD-TCHQ establishing a decree drafting team led by the GDVC’s leader on January 28. The leader of Ministry of Finance chaired an online meeting on the draft decree on March 18. The meeting was attended by representatives of ministries, branches, Government office and some municipal and provincial customs departments. The draft decree is expected to be finalized and reported to the Ministry of Finance and submitted to the Government for promulgation in Q2.

Seven reforms are stated in Decision 38/QD-TTg approving the Scheme of reforming the model of quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods as follows:

Firstly, assigning Customs to be the focal point in quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods.

Second, synchronously applying three methods of inspection for both quality inspection and food safety inspection in order to reduce the number of imported consignments subject to inspection.

Third, simplifying quality control and food safety inspection procedures for imported goods.

Fourth, inspecting goods to reduce the number of consignments subject to inspection.

Fifth, fully and substantially applying the principle of risk management in quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods to ensure the role of state management and improve compliance of the business.

Sixth, supplementing subjects exempted from quality inspection and food safety inspection.

Seventh, applying information technology systems for deployment of the new model.