Procedures and designation procedures for quality and food safety inspection for imported goods in Vietnam

Procedures and designation procedures for implementing quality and food safety inspection for imported goods in Vietnam (Illustrative Image)

Circular 05/2007/TT-BYT stipulates the procedures and designation procedures for carrying out quality and food safety inspection for imported goods as follows:

- Upon receiving the designation application, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam (Department of Food Safety) organizes an assessment of the completeness and appropriateness of the dossier and evaluates the qualifications and capabilities of the applying organization.

- Within 15 working days, the Department of Food Safety must notify in writing the applying organization of the assessment schedule of the Appraisal Team (if the dossier is complete) or request supplementation or adjustment (if the dossier is incomplete).

- For institutes under the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, the Provincial Preventive Medicine Centers, centrally managed cities, the Department of Food Safety issues a decision to establish an appraisal team including technical experts and specialized management officials from the Ministry of Health of Vietnam.

- For non-business technical service organizations of specialized management ministries, inspection service businesses, the Department of Food Safety issues a decision to establish an appraisal team including technical experts and specialized management officials from the Ministry of Health of Vietnam and specialized management ministries. The appraisal team will conduct an on-site assessment at the applying organization. The assessment results are recorded in the Appraisal Report. The Department of Food Safety compiles the dossier, assessment results, and submits them to the Minister of Health for consideration and issuance of a designation decision (according to the form prescribed in Appendix V of this Circular). For organizations that do not meet the requirements, the Department of Food Safety will provide written notification for the applying organization to take necessary remedial measures and supplements;

- The validity period of the designation decision for food quality and safety inspection organizations for imported food is five (05) years. Three months before the decision expires, the designated organization must complete procedures to apply for re-designation if needed;

- Five years from the effective date of the Circular, state inspection organizations for imported food quality and safety designated by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam before this Circular takes effect, must proceed with the re-assessment and re-designation according to the provisions of this Circular.

For details, see Circular 05/2007/TT-BYT effective from September 6, 2008.

Ty Na

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