Decree on quality and food safety inspection for imported products should be issued

An officer of the North Ha Noi Customs Branch inspects goods. Photo: N.L

The Government Office has just issued Notice 360/TB-VPCP on the conclusion of the Government Standing Committee at the meeting on November 21.

Accordingly, the Government Standing Committee highly appreciated the preparation by the Ministry of Finance; the consultation from ministries and government agencies by the Ministry of Justice, the verification by the Government Office; the submission of the draft Decree, and the comments of ministries and government agencies.

The Committee agreed on the need to promulgate a Decree, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of specialized inspection and improving the business investment environment, especially in import and export activities. Currently, the draft Decree has been approved by the Government’s members.

“The contents that have been practically tested and highly agreed upon will be included in the Decree. The contents that still have obstacles will be reviewed, supplemented and amended. The decentralization associated with resource allocation and inspection under management tasks of ministries and sectors will be strengthened. The responsibility of enterprises in import-export business activities will also be enhanced,” the Notice stated.

The Committee agreed on the principle of unifying a focal point in the quality and food safety inspection for imported goods and reformed contents in the draft Decree.

The amendment to contents in the draft Decree for goods in group 2 for conformity announcement under the methods of 2a and 2b will cut time, costs, and administrative procedures and support enterprises in import and export activities, ensuring compliance with specialized laws, feasibility, and consistency of the system of legal documents.

The contents under the government’s authority should be soon promulgated for implementation. For the contents beyond the Government’s power, ministries and sectors will propose to amend laws and relevant documents.

The Government Standing Committee directs ministries of Industry and Trade, Agriculture and Rural Development, Science and Technology, Health, Construction, Transport and ministries and government agencies to check the list of potentially unsafe products and goods to propose to change the inspection method and remove them from the list of unnecessary products and goods, ensuring management efficiency.

The Committee also assigns the Minister of Finance to lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health and government agencies to agree with the Committee’s direction and submit the draft decree to the Prime Minister in November.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh directs the Ministry of Finance and relevant ministries and government agencies in completing and signing the Decree.