Registration of the exporting countries and exporters of food products to Vietnam

Registration of the exporting countries and exporters of food products to Vietnam

Registration of exporting countries and exporters of food products to Vietnam is a prerequisite for completing procedures for importing food products derived from terrestrial animals, aquatic animals and plants to Vietnam in accordance with  Article 14 of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP of the Government of Vietnam dated February 2nd, 2018 (Decree 15).

I. Requirements for food products derived from terrestrial animals, aquatic animals and plants imported to Vietnam. 

1.Food products derived from terrestrial animals, aquatic animals and plants  must satisfy the following requirements:

a) Their country or territory of origin must has a food safety control system satisfying Vietnam’s regulations and must be included in the list of exporting countries and territories approved for the export of foods derived from terrestrial animals, plans and aquatic animals to Vietnam;

b) Food derived from terrestrial animals and aquatic animals must be manufactured by facilities approved by Vietnamese authorities that the facilities satisfy food safety requirements prescribed in Vietnam’s regulations;

c) Each shipment of food derived from terrestrial animals and aquatic animals has a certificate of satisfying food safety requirements issued by the competent authority of the exporting country (except
for fish caught and processed by foreign vessels, then sold directly to Vietnam).

Notes: These requirements are not applied to the processed, prepackaged foods and foods exported by a Vietnamese organization or individual but then returned and foods subject to the cases specified in Article 13 of Decree 15.

2. Procedures for registration of exporting countries and exporters of food products to Vietnam mentioned in Clause 1 of this Article to be registered on the lists of exporting countries and exporters of food products approved for export to Vietnam are specified in Article II  below.

3. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam (MARDVN) shall provide the customs authorities
with the list of exporting countries, territories and exporters allowed to export the aforementioned food products to Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as “list of approved exporting countries and exporters”).

II.Procedures for registration of the exporting countries and exporters of food products to Vietnam.

1.Vietnam competent authorities shall develop inspection plan, inform and cooperate with competent authorities of exporting countries to inspect food safety control systems of exporting countries and exporters as follows:

a) The competent authority of the exporting country shall send an application for registration of the exporting countries and exporters of food products to Vietnam to MARDVN, including information about its management system (laws, standards, food safety control system) and its capacity for food safety control according to Form 8  hereof; a list of exporters wishing to export food derived from terrestrial animals or aquatic animals to Vietnam (Form 7 hereof) and information about their fulfillment of food safety requirements (Form 9 hereof).

b) Within thirty (30) working days from the day on which adequate documents for registration of the exporting countries and exporters of food products to Vietnam are received according to Point a of this Clause from the competent authorities of the exporting country, the supervisory Ministry of Vietnam shall verify them, inform the competent authority of the exporting country of the verification result and the inspection plan if inspection of the exporting country is necessary;

c) The inspection in the exporting country deals with: regulations of law on food safety management and control; capacity of food safety authorities of the exporting country; fulfillment of food safety
requirements by the registered exporters of food products to Vietnam.

2. Processing of inspection result and publishing of the list of approved exporting countries and exporters of food products to Vietnam as follows:

a) If an on-site inspection in the exporting country is not necessary, MARDVN shall announce the list of countries and territories eligible for the export of food products to Vietnam. For products derived from terrestrial animals and aquatic animals, a list of eligible exporters must be published in attachment;

b) If an on-site inspection in the exporting country is necessary, MARDVN shall publish the inspection result within thirty (30) working days from the end of the inspection. If the inspection result is not satisfactory, MARDVN shall issue a notice and provide a specific explanation.

c) In cases where exporting countries request to add new establishments (new exporters) to the List of establishments (new exporters) eligible for export of animal products and seafood to Vietnam, the competent authorities of the exporting countries shall send registration dossiers including a list of new establishments (exporters) and establishment (exporters) information in accordance with Form 7 and Form 8 hereof to MARDVN for document inspection or on-site inspection at exporting countries, MARDVN shall consider and decide adding new establishments (new exporters) to the List. 

Form 7: List of food production and business establishments registered to export to Vietnam

No. ;  Name of establishment ; Code; Address;  Products registered to export to Vietnam ; Remarks

This Form is signed and stamp by Competent authority on food safety of exporting countries.

Form 8: Information on food safety management system and control capacity of competent authorities of exporting countries

1. Organizational system and control system:
2. Officer in-charge (number of staff, qualifications, training courses...):
3. Legal documents, standards, food safety control and certification procedures:
4. Inspection and surveillance systems for residues, pathogens,... (applied for food producers/traders):
5. Food safety inspection and surveillance program:

This Form is signed and stamp by Competent authority on food safety of exporting countries.

Form 9: Brief information on food safety conditions of food production and business establishments

1. Name of establishment:……………………………………………………………
2. Address:……………………………………………………………………………
3. Products:…………………………………………………………………………...
4. Description of production processes:…………………………………………….
5. Quality management system applied:……………………………………………

This Form is signed and stamp by Competent authority on food safety of exporting country.

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LAWYER VIETNAM LAW FIRM