On the morning of 6 March 2025, the Ministry of Health organised a meeting to assess the Draft Decree amending Decree 15/2018/ND-CP guiding the Law on Food Safety. EuroCham Vietnam attended and shared feedback focusing on streamlining administrative procedures.
Hosting the meeting were Deputy Head of the MOH’s Legal Affairs Ms. Dinh Thi Thu Thuy and Deputy Directors of the MOH’s Vietnam Food Safety Authority Mr. Nguyen Hung Long and Mr. Chu Quoc Thinh. Attending on behalf of EuroCham Vietnam were Committee Member of Nutritional Foods Group Sector Committee Mr. Nguyen Hong Uy and Committee Member of Wine and Spirit Sector Committee Ms. Nguyen Hoang Thu Ha.
EuroCham’s input: streamlining processes and aligning with international practices
At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Hong Uy raised concerns about the requirement to disclose formulas for regular food products, deeming it unreasonable for increasing administrative burdens. He strongly advocated for administrative procedure reform, proposing a reduction of at least 30% in existing procedures to enhance efficiency.
Mr. Uy also highlighted that the focus should be placed on post-market inspection rather than excessive pre-market controls to ensure a seamless market flow. Additionally, several regulations were identified as inconsistent with international practices, contradicting the globally recognised Codex Alimentarius for food safety.
Additionally, Mr. Uy suggested supplementing Clause 12 to clearly define the concept of “first-time circulation of functional foods” in the market. To ensure consistency across regions, he proposed the establishment of standardized appraisal criteria for local authorities.
Why this matters?
The adjustments proposed by Mr. Nguyen Hong Uy and EuroCham will reduce unnecessary administrative procedures and help local regulations align with international standards. This will ensure the balance between enhancing food safety measures and boosting economic growth.
EuroCham Vietnam remains committed to advocating for streamlined regulations to foster a sustainable and prosperous business landscape in Vietnam.
