Vietnam Releases Imported Food Safety Inspection List: Starting in November, Hundreds of Food Items and Packaging Will Face Strict Scrutiny!

On October 8, 2024, the General Administration of Customs of Vietnam announced that the Ministry of Health of Vietnam had issued notice No. 15/2024/TT-BYT on September 19, officially announcing the list of goods subject to import food safety inspection. The list will come into effect on November 2, 2024. Its main contents are summarized as follows:

The scope of goods that must be inspected is clear, including 1 item of food supplements, 391 items of food additives, and 6 items of food containers and packaging materials (direct contact with food).

Second, regarding the provisions of safety inspection, the notice clearly states:

1. If the classification of the commodity code of the goods is inconsistent with that published in the list, the code must comply with the relevant provisions of the Customs Law.

2. For foods and food additives that are not clearly listed and labeled in the list, their code identification must also meet the requirements of the Customs law. After customs clearance, the relevant import and export organizations or individuals are required to submit the necessary certification materials to the Ministry of Health (Food Safety Department).

3. For goods that are not listed in the list but have been inspected, inspected and do not meet the requirements or have been warned by the Ministry of Health and other departments, more stringent inspection measures will be taken.

With regard to the provisions that imported food is exempt from or not subject to national food safety inspections, the notice states:

(1) Goods listed but complying with one of the conditions set out in Article 13 of Decree-Law No. 15/2018/ND-CP (except for food safety warnings) may be exempted or not subject to State food safety inspections.

(2) The goods listed on the list, if not used for the production of food, food additives, food processing AIDS, may also be exempt from or not subject to national food safety inspection.

For more details, please see the link: https://www.customs.gov.vn/index.jsp?pageId=2&aid=206752&cid=25.