Procedures for confirming forest product lists as of February 1, 2024 in Vietnam

Procedures for confirming forest product lists as of February 1, 2024 in Vietnam (Internet image)

On January 10, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Decision 240/QD-BNN-LN on the announcement of amended and supplemented administrative procedures in the field of forestry within the scope of management functions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Procedures for confirming forest product lists as of February 1, 2024 in Vietnam

(1) Implementation sequence:

- Step 1: Submit application

The forest product owner or an organization or individual authorized by the forest product owner shall submit, directly or via postal service or via the electronic environment, 01 set of documents corresponding to each type of forest product requested for certification to the District Forest Ranger Agency or Provincial Forest Ranger Agency in localities that do not have a District Forest Ranger Agency (local Forest Ranger Agency).

In the event that the forest product owner creates a quick response (QR) code containing the forest product records in the Forest Product Manifest, the application is not required as prescribed in Points c, d, dd, e, and g, Clause 7, Article 5 of Circular 26/2022/TT-BNNPTNT.

In case of submitting documents via electronic means, comply with the provisions of Decree 45/2020/ND-CP.

- Step 2: Receive documents

In cases of direct application: the local Forest Protection Agency checks the application components and immediately responds to the validity of the application components to the forest product owner, organization, or individual authorized by the forest product owner.

In case of submitting documents via postal service or electronic environment:
Within 01 working day from the date of receipt of the dossier, the local Forest Protection Agency reviews the validity of the dossier components. In case the dossier is not valid according to regulations, notify in writing and clearly state the reason.

- Step 3: Evaluate and return results

Within 02 working days from the date of receipt of valid documents, the local Forest Protection Agency confirms the Forest Product List, confirms forest product inventory in the forest product import and export monitoring book for business organizations and households, and confirms the farming monitoring book for owners of establishments raising wild animals for export and sale of wild animals according to the Government's regulations on the management of endangered, precious, and rare forest plants and animals and the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

In case it is necessary to verify the origin of forest products, within 01 working day from the date of receipt of valid documents, the local Forest Protection Agency shall notify the forest product owner of the verification; within 03 working days from the date of notification, the local Forest Protection Agency will conduct verification and prepare a Verification Record according to Form No. 08 in the Appendix issued with Circular 26/2022/TT-BNNPTNT and complete confirmation of the Forest Product Manifest; Confirm forest product inventory in the forest product import and export monitoring book for business organizations and households. In case there is a lot of complicated content, verification and confirmation are done no more than 07 days. In cases of refusal, respond in writing and clearly state the reason.

(2) Submission methods

- Direct.

- Through postal service.

- Through the electronic environment.

More details can be found in Decision 240/QD-BNN-LN, taking effect on February 1, 2024.

Abolish the contents published in serial numbers A.1, B.1, and C.1 of Section 1; Serial number A.1 of Section 2, Part I; and the corresponding specific content of these administrative procedures in Part II of the List of administrative procedures issued together with Decision 374/QD-BNN-TCLN dated January 19, 2023.

Abolish the contents published in numbers 1 and 2 of Section 1, Part I, and the corresponding specific contents of these administrative procedures in the Part II List of administrative procedures issued together with Decision 375/QD-BNN-TCLN dated January 19, 2023.

Ho Quoc Tuan

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