Notable new policies of Vietnam effective as of the middle of March 2024

1. Vietnam’s guidelines on dispensation of methadone to patients 

On December 29, 2023, the Minister of Health of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 26/2023/TT-BYT on guidelines on methadone management, which stipulates the prescription and dispensation of methadone to patients. 

According to the Circular, guidelines on the dispensation of methadone to patients are as follows: 

- When dispensing methadone to patients, dispensing staff shall: 

+ Dispense the correct dose to the patient according to the indications in the methadone prescription; 

+ Observe the patient while taking the medication to ensure that he/she takes all of the methadone before leaving the alternative treatment facility or the drug dispensing facility; 

+ Record the patient’s use of methadone in the daily methadone dispensation logbook using Form No. 02 in the Appendix enclosed with Circular No. 26/2023/TT-BYT and methadone treatment monitoring sheets using Form No. 03 in the Appendix enclosed with Circular No. 26/2023/TT-BYT.

- When receiving methadone at the alternative treatment facility or drug dispensing facility, patients shall: 

+ Take all of the methadone in the presence of health staff, excluding cases where methadone is dispensed for use at home under the guidelines of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam;

+ Sign or confirm that they have taken the medication in the methadone treatment monitoring sheets using Form No. 03 in the Appendix enclosed with Circular No. 26/2023/TT-BYT.

Circular No. 26/2023/TT-BYT comes into force as of March 15, 2024. 

2. Classification of risk levels of customs declarants in Vietnam from March 15, 2024 

On January 29, 2024, the Minister of Finance of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BTC on amendments to Circular No. 81/2019/TT-BTC on risk management in customs operations. 

According to the Circular, customs declarants shall be classified in one of the following risk levels: 

- Level 1: Prioritized enterprises are enterprises specified in Point a Clause 1 Article 12 of Circular No. 81/2019/TT-BTC.

- Level 2: Customs declarants with very low risks.

- Level 3: Customs declarants with low risks.

- Level 4: Customs declarants with moderate risks.

- Level 5: Customs declarants with high risks.

- Level 6: Customs declarants with very high risks.

- Level 7: Customs declarants who are not involved in goods import and export activities for 365 days before the date of assessment and have not been penalized for violations against regulations on customs and other regulations by customs authorities.

- Level 8: Customs declarants who are not involved in goods import and export activities for 365 days before the date of assessment and have been penalized for violations against regulations on customs and other regulations by customs authorities, except for the acts specified in Level 9 of this Article.

- Level 9: Customs declarants who are not involved in goods import and export activities for 365 days before the date of assessment and have been penalized for one of the violations specified in Sections I and II Appendix VI enclosed with Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BTC.

See more details in Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BTC of Vietnam, effective as of March 15, 2024. Clauses 4, 5, and 6 Article 1 of Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BTC come into force as of July 15, 2025. 

3. HS codes of commodities under management of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam 

On February 2, 2024, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 01/2024/TT-BNNPTNT on HS codes of commodities under the state management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and imports and exports subject to specialized inspections in agriculture and rural development.

According to the Circular, HS codes of commodities under the state management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam are as follows:  

(1) List of HS codes of terrestrial animals and products thereof subject to quarantine;

(2) List of HS codes of other animals in the field of animal husbandry;

(3) List of HS codes of livestock breeds banned from export;

(4) List of HS codes of livestock breeds requiring conservation;

(5) List of HS codes of aquatic animals and products thereof subject to quarantine; 

(6) List of HS codes of aquatic species traded in Vietnam; 

(7) List of HS codes of aquatic species subject to conditional export; 

(8) List of HS codes of aquatic species banned from export; 

(9) List of HS codes of articles subject to Vietnam’s plant quarantine; 

(10) List of HS codes of food products made of imported plants; 

(11) List of HS codes of plant varieties; 

(12) List of HS codes of plant genetic resources banned from export; 

(13) List of HS codes of salt products (including table salt and denatured salt); 

(14) List of HS codes of commercial animal feed products published on the web portal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam;

(15) List of HS codes of chemicals, biological products, and microbial products banned from use in animal feeds;

(16) List of HS codes of chemicals, biological preparations, microbial products and ingredients in aquaculture feeds in Vietnam and aquaculture feeds and finished environmental treating products in aquaculture;

(17) List of HS codes of chemicals, biological preparations and microbial products banned from use in aquaculture feeds and environmental treating products in aquaculture;

(18) List of HS codes of veterinary drugs and ingredients thereof imported and sold in Vietnam; 

(19) List of HS codes of fertilizers;

(20) List of HS codes of products banned from export which are round wood and saw logs from domestic natural forests;

(21) List of HS codes of wood and products thereof which must be supported by legal forest product dossiers when being exported;

(22) List of HS codes of forestry plant varieties; 

(23) List of HS codes of pesticides;

(24) List of HS codes of pesticides banned from use in Vietnam;

(25) List of HS codes of articles in fishing sector; 

(26) List of HS codes of livestock waste treatment products;

(27) List of HS codes of agricultural machinery and equipment.

See more details in Circular No. 01/2024/TT-BNNPTNT, effective as of March 20, 2024. 

4. Design inspector standards in Vietnam from March 20, 2024 

On February 2, 2024, the Minister of Transport of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BGTVT on amendments to Circulars on standards, tasks, and entitlements of leaders, inspectors, and employees of inland waterway vehicle inspection units. 

According to the Circular, design inspector standards are as follows: 

- Have at least a bachelor’s degree in a major conformable with the job position requirements. 

- Have skills in using basic information technology and foreign language skills according to the job position requirements.

- Have completed the professional training program on inland waterway vehicle inspectors according to Point 1.5 Section I Appendix I enclosed with Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BGTVT.

- Have engaged in design appraisal probation for at least 6 months for vehicles subject to tasks of inland waterway vehicle design inspectors according to Point 2.3 Section II of Appendix I enclosed with Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BGTVT.

- Meet the requirements for practical inspection of inland waterway vehicle design inspectors’ capacity before the first recognition. 

See more details in Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BGTVT, effective as of March 20, 2024. 

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