Vietnam: Procedures for assessment of application for issuance of certificate of biosafety genetically modified plants

Assessment of application for issuance of certificate of biosafety shall be carried out according to procedures guided in Article 7 of Circular No. 08/2013/TT-BTNMT of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Vietnam, specifically as follows:

- Step 1: Within 5 working days from the date on which adequate application is received, the receiving authority shall upload information on risk assessment report mentioned under Point d Clause 1 Article 5 hereof on the website http://www.antoansinhhoc.vn to measure public opinion. Measuring public opinion shall last for 30 days from the date on which the information is uploaded. Within 5 working days from the date on which public opinion measurement ends, receiving authority shall consolidate opinion in writing to serve the assessment.

- Step 2: Within 10 working days from the date on which adequate application is received, the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) is responsible for issuing decisions on establishment of expert teams. Organization and operation of expert teams are specified under Article 20 hereof and submitting reports to request the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to consider and issue decisions on establishment of Council for biosafety. Compositions and structure of Council for biosafety are specified under Article 10 hereof.

- Step 3: Within 90 days from the date on which decisions on establishment of Council for biosafety, standing assessment agency is responsible for organizing technical support in order to consider and evaluate application for issuance of certificate of biosafety, consolidating, and sending results of the Council for biosafety. When necessary, the standing assessment agency shall request the VEA to request the applicants in writing to provide additional information on risk assessment of GM plants; the time in which the applicants provide additional information does not count towards the time limit for application assessment.

- Step 4: Within 70 days from the date on which written consolidation technical support results under Clause 3 of this Article is received, the VEA shall hold meetings of the Council for biosafety in order to assess application for issuance of certificate of biosafety.

View more details at Circular No. 08/2013/TT-BTNMT of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Vietnam, effective from July 01, 2013.

Thu Ba

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