Applying maximally information technology system, publicity and transparency of information, connection and sharing of information, as well as applying the conversion of inspection method by item to reduce the inspection rate are highlights in the draft decree regulating State inspection on quality and food safety for imported goods.

The contents of the draft Decree are discussed at the conference. Photo: N.Linh

New model will bring positive changes to the business

These contents were given at the consultation workshop for the draft decree regulating State inspection of quality and food safety for imported goods, held by the General Department of Vietnam Customs in coordination with Trade Facilitation Project funded by USAID on March 30.

The workshop was attended by representatives of several related sectors, business associations, quality inspection and conformity assessment organisations, representatives of local customs departments and experts.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Mai Xuan Thanh emphasised that the draft decree adheres to seven reform contents in the Scheme for Reforming the model of quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods (issued with Decision 38/QD-TTg dated January 12, 2021 of the Prime Minister).

To implement the Prime Minister's instructions and to reform specialised inspection procedures for import and export goods, Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh suggested the delegates should contribute specific and detailed comments on the draft content to bring efficiency when deployed in practice.

Claudio Dordi, Director of the Trade Facilitation Project funded by USAID welcomed the General Department of Vietnam Customs' efforts to meet the Government's requirements for specialised inspection reforms to improve the business environment in the spirit of Resolution 19/NQ-CP and Resolution 99/NQ-CP of the Government.

According to Claudio Dordi, the full implementation of the scheme and the new model of quality inspection and food safety inspection will help businesses, including with the increased application of risk management and reduce the level of inspection and digital transformation through the integration of the National Single Window and Customs IT systems.

Conversion of inspection method done automatically

At the workshop, representatives of the Customs Control and Supervision Department introduced the draft decree regulating State inspection of quality and food safety for import goods assigned by the Government under the Decision 38/QD-TTg dated January 12, 2021 of the Prime Minister approving the scheme on reforming the model of food quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods.

According to a representative of the Customs Control and Supervision Department, the important point of the draft decree was the principle of State inspection of quality and food safety for import goods was implemented based on applying risk management; applicable to inspection items announced by ministries on the national single-window portal.

Modes of State inspection of quality and food safety include: tight inspection, normal inspection, reduced inspection. Goods that have been granted registration codes of conformity announcement or goods have not registered for conformity announcement yet and have three consecutive times of satisfying tightened inspection; it will be converted to the normal inspection method; goods having three consecutive times of satisfying normal inspection will be converted to reduce inspection.

The conversion of inspection method is done automatically via the National Single Window. Organisations and individuals should search the national single-window portal to determine methods of inspection and submit registration dossiers for State inspection of quality and food safety with appropriate methods.

The draft decree will reduce inspection documents (reducing five types of documents compared to the provisions of Decree 154/2018/ND-CP; integrating documents in the dossier so enterprises do not have to submit duplicate specialised documents).

In particular, for goods applying reduced inspection, firms only have to submit a dossier if the shipment is fallen into group of 5% subject to random inspection (the remaining 95% of goods only have to register for inspection).

Representatives of the drafting board emphasised that the goal of the State inspection process for quality and food safety is to simplify the inspection process and procedures, so inspection will be applied by item. It means that the regulation of identical goods so the system could be able to decide to change the inspection method by item.

Besides that, there is information publicity and transparency and connections to share information. To meet this goal, ministries, sectors, Customs authorities and the conformity assessment organisations must update information on the National Single Window, including goods exempt from inspection; goods converted inspection method; goods is registered to standard certificate, conformity announcement, self-declaration; results of quality inspection, food safety inspection; list of goods that have applied an advanced management system, signed international treaties and goods with warnings.

With publicly announced information, firms and consumers can look up the status of goods on the portal to register for inspection by appropriate method.

A noteworthy point in the draft decree is the provision of the importer's right to choose an inspection agency (for goods subject to the normal, tight inspection) and allowed to select for certification/inspection organisation, as well as look up goods information on the national single-window portal to register for an inspection by an appropriate method.

Around the contents of the draft decree regulating State inspection of quality and food safety for import goods, the workshop listened to discussions, comments and feedbacks from ministries, private sectors, business associations, quality inspection and conformity assessment organisations and experts on draft decree and quality and the food safety inspection model.

The opinions of enterprises are highly appreciated in the efforts of the General Department of Vietnam Customs in formulating the draft decree towards the goal of reforming specialised inspection procedures. At the same time, the comments also elaborated on each specific article in the draft.

Customs News will continue to inform readers on this topic.