Simplifying Inspection Procedure of Imported Goods

The General Department of Vietnam Customs has completed the draft decree on regulatory inspection of quality and food safety of imported goods and submitted it to the Ministry of Finance for sending it to the Government.

The draft contains regulations that institutionalize the Government's reform policy stated in Decision 38/QD-TTg and still ensures regulatory management. The draft decree on specialized inspection illustrates seven reform contents based on development and application of most existing information technology systems.

Following directions of the Ministry of Finance and considering opinions from ministries, sectors and the business community, the General Department of Customs completed and submitted the draft decree on authority inspection of quality and authority inspection of food safety of imported goods to the Ministry of Finance on schedule.

The draft expresses seven reform contents stated in Decision 38/QD-TTg by developing and applying existing information technology systems to simplify and modernize inspection procedures and guarantee information transparency; and ensures full and effective application of advanced inspection methods such as traceability and risk management in accordance with international practices, international conventions/agreements to which Vietnam signed and entered.

According to the drafting committee, the draft decree notably clarifies the scope of regulation and the responsibility of ministries and branches engaged in specialized inspection of imported goods as questions raised by representatives of central authorities at relevant conferences. Specifically, the decree stipulates management mechanisms, methods, order and procedures for regulatory inspection of quality and regulatory inspection of food safety of imported goods subject to this form of probe; and clarifies the scope of regulation on goods exempted from inspection. Specialized goods in service of security and defense, inputs for production of medicines for human use and veterinary drugs shall comply with current regulations.

For goods subject to quarantine, quality inspection and food safety inspection, the draft decree stipulates that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall be responsible for inspection leadership.

Accordingly, the ministry is responsible for making common criteria for goods that are both subject to quarantine and to quality inspection and/or food safety inspection; applying confirmation notifications on results of quarantine and specialized inspection of quality/food safety. Such a process will still ensure the management role of governmental agencies and brings benefits to enterprises as only the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development holds final responsibility.

To facilitate enterprises, authorities will apply best practices of risk management and unify inspection methods, including strict test, normal test and reduced test.

Another notable point is as soon as a commodity is granted a registration code of product statement, the same will be exempted from regulatory inspection on food safety.

The customs authorities shall perform regulatory inspection of quality and regulatory inspection of food safety in strict and normal forms. After taking samples, imported goods must be kept at the border gate until inspection results are obtained and customs clearance is allowed, except for goods that are not subject to such forms of inspection provided that they meet requirements for commodity preservation and customs supervision.

By Le Hien, Vietnam Business Forum