What are regulations on codes of slaughterhouses in Vietnam? What are rules for veterinary hygiene inspection at establishments in Vietnam?

What are regulations on codes of slaughterhouses in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 35 of the Circular 09/2016/TT-BNNPTNT (amended by Article 1 and 2 of the Circular 10/2022/TT-BNNPTNT) stipulating regulations on codes of slaughterhouses in Vietnam as follows:

1. Regarding slaughterhouses serving export:

a) The code of veterinary authorities in charge of management of slaughterhouses shall comply with regulations on animal quarantine codes;

b) The code of a slaughterhouse must contain: a letter character in capitalized form (A, B, C, etc.) which is the code of the veterinary authority in charge, and an ordinal number character (1, 2, 3, etc.); if the letter and the numeric characters are display together and on the same line, the letter character shall precede the number one;

E.g: No. A1 (A is the code of the Regional Sub-Department of Animal Health II, 1 is the ordinal number of the slaughterhouse under the management of such authority)

c) The Department of Animal Health shall detail the code on the slaughter control and veterinary hygiene stamps for specific slaughterhouses serving livestock and poultry export.

2. Regarding slaughterhouses serving domestic consumption:

a) The provincial veterinary authority shall assign specific codes to slaughter control and veterinary hygiene stamps according to the regulations on animal quarantine codes to be applied to each district and each slaughterhouse; manage and issue a code of slaughter control to the local slaughterhouse;

b) The code of a slaughterhouse shall contain: 02 (two) first numeric characters indicating province code; 02 (two) next numeric characters indicating the district code; 02 (two) last numeric characters indicating ordinal numbers;

E.g: No. 01.03.05 (01 is the code of Ha Noi City; 03 is the code of Gia Lam district; 05 is the ordinal number).

c) Provincial veterinary authorities shall detail the code on the slaughter control and veterinary hygiene stamps for specific district and specific slaughterhouses.

What are rules for veterinary hygiene inspection at establishments in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 9 Article 1 of the Circular 10/2022/TT-BNNPTNT stipulating as follows:

1. Bases for veterinary hygiene inspection

a) Corresponding standards and technical regulations;

b) Relevant legislative documents;

2. The veterinary hygiene inspection and supervision of the establishments mentioned at Point d, Section 2, Appendix I or the establishments applying for inspection and supervision of veterinary hygiene (at the request of the importing country) shall comply with the regulations of Articles 37 and 38 of this Circular.

3. Certificates equivalent to veterinary hygiene certificate include Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAHP), Global Good Agricultural Practice (GLOBALG.A.P.), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Food Safety Management System ISO 22000, International Food Standards (IFS), British Retailer Consortium (BRC), Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 22000), Disease Safety Certificate, Certificate of Livestock Eligibility, Certificate of Eligibility for feed production. An establishment that has one of the above certificates is not required to apply for veterinary hygiene certificate, unless otherwise requested by the importing country.

4. The samples taken from the inspections of veterinary hygiene of an establishment shall be analyzed by the laboratory that has a certificate of registration of testing activities in accordance with regulations.

What are procedures for issuance, reissuance and revocation of the veterinary hygiene certificate in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 10 Article 1 of the Circular 10/2022/TT-BNNPTNT stipulating as follows:

1. Agencies that have the power to issue the veterinary hygiene certificate:

a) Department of Animal Health for establishments whose business operation involves export, a combination of export and domestic sale, or a combination of export and import;

b) Regional Sub-Departments of Animal Health, Regional Sub-Departments of Animal Quarantine under the Department of Animal Health for establishments whose business operation involves export, a combination of export and domestic sale, or a combination of export and import in the provinces and central-affiliated cities. To be specific:

Regional Sub-Department of Animal Health I: Hanoi, Hoa Binh, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Yen Bai.

Regional Sub-Department of Animal Health II: Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen.

Regional Sub-Department of Animal Health III: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue.

Regional Sub-Department of Animal Health IV: Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh.

Regional Sub-Department of Animal Health V: Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Dak Nong.

Regional Sub-Department of Animal Health VI: Ho Chi Minh City, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre.

Regional Sub-Department of Animal Health VII: Can Tho, Hau Giang, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Dong Thap, An Giang, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau.

Quang Ninh’s Sub-Department of Animal Quarantine: Quang Ninh

Lang Son’s Sub-Department of Animal Quarantine: Lang Son Lao Cai’s Sub-Department of Animal Quarantine: Lao Cai

c) Provincial veterinary authority: establishments that fall outside points a and b of this Clause and establishments that serve domestic consumption.

2. Veterinary hygiene certificate is valid for 03 (three) years. The form of veterinary hygiene certificate shall comply with regulations of Form No. 06, Appendix II issued with this Circular.

3. Application for issuance of veterinary hygiene certificate includes:

a) An application form for issuance/re-issuance of veterinary hygiene certificate, which is made using the Form No. 01, Appendix II issued with this Circular.

b) An original brief description of the establishment which is made using the Form No. 02 in Appendix II enclosed with this Circular.

4. Procedures for issuance of veterinary hygiene certificate:

a) The owner of the establishment shall submit 01 (one) set of application for issuance of the veterinary hygiene certificate to the competent agency specified in clause 1 of this Article. The application can be submitted in person, by fax, by mail, by post or via online public service (the original application will be sent later);

b) Within 01 (one) working day from the date of receipt of application for the veterinary hygiene certificate, the competent agency shall consider its adequacy and send a written notification to the establishment if the application is unsatisfactory; if the owner of the establishment submits the application in person, the recipient shall instruct and respond to the applicant immediately;

c) Within 15 (fifteen) working days from the date on which the satisfactory application is received, the agency which has power to issue veterinary hygiene certificate shall check the application and conduct a site inspection at the establishment then issue the Certificate if all conditions are met. If the application is rejected, a written response that contains the explanation shall be sent to the establishment.

If the establishment that has been issued with a veterinary hygiene certificate by the competent agency specified at Points b and c, Clause 1, Article 37 wishes to engage in export; export and domestic sale; import and export, the Department of Animal Health shall conduct an inspection and acknowledge the duplicate criteria that are satisfactory and issue a veterinary hygiene certificate according to regulations.

5. Procedures for re-issuance of veterinary hygiene certificate:

a) At least 01 (one) month prior to the expiry date of the veterinary hygiene certificate, if the establishment continues its business, it shall submit an application for reissuance of the veterinary hygiene certificate;

The agency competent to reissue the veterinary hygiene certificate, expiry of the veterinary hygiene certificate, application, order and procedures for reissuance of the veterinary hygiene certificate shall comply with regulations of Clauses 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this Article;

b) If an unexpired veterinary hygiene certificate is lost or damaged or information thereon is modified, the establishment must submit an application for reissuance of the veterinary hygiene certificate according to the Form No. 01 in Annex II enclosed with this Circular to the competent agency for consideration;

Within 05 (five) working days from the date on which the application is received, the competent agency shall inspect the application and consider reissuing the veterinary hygiene certificate to the establishment In such case, the expiry date of the veterinary hygiene certificate which is reissued shall be the expiry date of the old certificate. If the application is rejected, the competent agency shall send a written notification that contains explanation.

6. Revocation of the veterinary hygiene certificate:

a) The establishment specified in Point d Section 2 Appendix I issued together with this Circular shall have their veterinary hygiene certificate revoked if the result of the periodic supervision or surprise inspection shows that such establishment does not fulfill requirements for veterinary hygiene;

b) Competence in revocation of the veterinary hygiene certificate:

Any competent agency shall have the power to revoke the veterinary hygiene certificate it has issued.

7. Requirements to be satisfied by leader, members of inspectorate and sample collector

a) Regarding leader, he/she must be a departmental leader or higher or an official with at least 5 years of experience in state management of veterinary and animal husbandry;

b) Regarding members: at least 01 member has completed a course on assessment of veterinary hygiene of establishments organized by the Department of Animal Health; at least 01 member holds bachelor's degree or higher in animal husbandry or veterinary or fisheries;

c) Regarding sample collector, he/she must have expertise in animal husbandry or veterinary or fisheries; a certificate of training in sampling.

Best regards!