Workshop on the Role of Enterprises in Participating in the Development and Application of Technical Standards and Regulations

The draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations, drafted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for comments at the 8th Session. The draft Law is assessed to have amendments and supplements that can greatly affect the operations of organizations and enterprises producing and trading goods and services.

The leader of the Legal Department of VCCI said that after collecting comments, enterprises commented that the content of some regulations was unclear and inconsistent, causing difficulties in application, such as regulations on fire safety for construction works or technical regulations with investment conditions for rice business...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, Director of the WTO and Integration Center (VCCI), said that many free trade agreements (FTAs) currently have commitments on standards and technical regulations (TBT) according to the principles of non-discrimination and not creating unnecessary barriers to international trade. Therefore, the representative of the WTO Center recommended that the draft revised Law should provide core principles and requirements in the procedures for developing, promulgating, issuing, and applying TBTs as well as measures to manage conformity assessment organizations...

From the perspective of enterprises, a representative of Canon Vietnam Company said that the draft does not have regulations on the recognition and acceptance of foreign standards and regulations, but there must still be a mutual recognition agreement. Vietnam is actively participating in FTAs and international economic organizations, so the application of international standards is a must for Vietnamese goods to access major markets in the world, while helping businesses save costs, improve product quality, and meet the requirements of the international market. Therefore, the application of available foreign technical standards and regulations will avoid the construction of too many unnecessary technical standards and regulations, causing waste.

Signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between VCCI and National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality (STAMEQ)

Also, within the framework of the Workshop, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between VCCI and the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality (STAMEQ) on coordination and cooperation between the two sides to enhance support for state management activities and support the Vietnamese business community to promote economic, trade, scientific, technological and innovation development in Vietnam. 

The content of the cooperation program focuses on three main issues.

Firstly, reviewing the content and assessing the implementation of standards and technical regulations to remove unnecessary barriers affecting business operations of enterprises and supporting and facilitating enterprises related to standards, technical regulations/technical regulations, conformity assessment procedures at home and abroad.

Secondly, increase the participation of enterprises and associations in the activities of the Technical Committee for the development of Vietnam's National Standards, the Technical Committee for International Standards, and the Council for the appraisal of national technical regulations developed by ministries managing sectors and fields.

Thirdly, promote dissemination activities for domestic enterprises and associations to promptly grasp the provisions of the law, technical requirements in the country and those of the target export markets that are currently and expected to be applied.