Conducting inspection by item and allowing the use of the inspection results for goods identical to complete import procedures for the next shipment. Importers are responsible for the quality and food safety of imported goods.

Customs officials of Mong Cai Customs Branch checked goods
imported through Bac Luan II brigde. Photo: Q.H

Stick to the project approved by the Prime Minister

That is one of the principles in the draft decree on State inspection of quality and food safety for imported goods being widely consulted by the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

In Chapter I - General provisions of the draft decree stipulating scope of regulation and subjects of application; interpretation of words; cases of exemptions from inspection, State inspection principles of quality, and state inspection of food safety; applying risk management in State inspection of quality and food safety.

The regulations are built based on the contents approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 38/QD-TTg. Accordingly, applying synchronously for cases of exemption from quality inspection and quality inspection based on a combination of cases exempting from inspection in Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP, Decree No. 74/2018/ND-CP, Decree No. 85/2019/ND-CP; supplementing and expanding cases of exemptions appropriate with the practice; to recognise and acknowledge that goods have been inspected at the source, goods are manufactured by using advanced technology and originate from countries and territories with high-quality standards.

In which, specifying content approved in Decision 38/QD-TTg about goods that are samples for advertising with no commercial value, samples for testing or research with the appropriate quantity for use in testing or research certified by organisation or individual. The number of imported goods samples must not exceed the minimum quantity needed for testing and the number of imports for a sample must not exceed once per year for an organisation or individual.

Goods imported on the spot (except for goods ordered to be processed in Vietnam and sold by a foreign organisation or individual to an organisation or individual in Vietnam), goods imported on the spot from export processing enterprises and non-tariff zones to the domestic market.

Imported vehicles are exempt from State quality inspection in the following cases: serving the purposes of national defence, security, scientific research, special purposes under decisions of the Prime Minister; temporary import and re-export, temporary export and re-import; gate transfer; deposited in bonded warehouses; transit; do not participate in public transport, and only operate in a narrow scope.

Conducting inspection by item

In the draft decree, the quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods is provided to unify modes of state quality inspection and state inspection of food safety, including tightened inspection, normal inspection, and reduced inspection.

Inspecting by item and use the inspection results for identical goods to complete further import procedures. Importers are responsible for the quality and food safety of imported goods.

Imported goods are the same as goods that are granted a registration code of regulation conformity announcement or product self-declaration code subject to a normal inspection method; for goods granted product declaration registration codes, the next time of importing identical goods, organisations and individuals can use the product declaration registration code to be exempt from State inspection on food safety.

Imported vehicles that have not been used and have the same type as those imported from a country with the certification system according to type or from a country where the self-certification system is applied, and which have been guaranteed by the eligibility inspection agency and are already granted quality assurance of foreign vehicle manufacturing and assembling enterprises and granted a valid certificate of technical safety and environmental protection quality, they may apply the reduced inspection method.

At the same time, to fully and substantially apply the principle of risk management in quality inspection and food safety inspection for imported goods to ensure the role of State management and improve the compliance of enterprises.

The criteria for classifying the level of risks to decide the method of State inspection of quality and food safety such as level of compliance with the law of organisations and individuals; warnings specifically requested by ministries, provincial People's Committees or foreign authorities or manufacturers; frequency, nature, and extent of violations of the goods; history of violation related to the owner of the goods, the consignor, and the consignee; signs of risk, signs of violation of regulations on quality and food safety.

The information technology system automatically integrates and processes data for risk management in State inspection of quality and food safety. In the event of a system failure, the application of risk management in the decision on the inspection method is done manually with the approval of a document or issuance by the competent person deciding on the inspection method.