Vietnam delays new food safety rules until mid-April, easing congestion at border gates

The government has promulgated Resolution 09, effective from Wednesday, officially suspending the enforcement of Decree 46 and Resolution 66.13.

Decree 46, issued on January 26 this year with immediate effect, details the implementation of several provisions of the Law on Food Safety, while Resolution 66.13 on food product declaration and registration was issued on January 27 with immediate effect.

The suspension will remain in effect until April 15.

Decree 46 and related documents will take effect again from April 16.

During the suspension period, the government’s Decree 15, which was issued in 2018 and previously guided the implementation of the Law on Food Safety, continues to apply.

Before April 16, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance, along with other relevant agencies and local authorities, are required to prepare all necessary conditions for smooth enforcement once Decree 46 and Resolution 66.13 resume.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday afternoon, a seafood import company representative in Phan Thiet, a coastal area in Lam Dong Province, said that after being stuck at a Ho Chi Minh City port for five days, the company’s three seafood containers were cleared the same afternoon.

“The temporary suspension of Decree 46 has helped speed up customs clearance, ensuring timely supply for the market while reducing immediate costs and administrative pressure for businesses,” the representative said, adding that enterprises hope for clearer guidance in the coming period to better prepare their documentation.

Meanwhile, Vuong Trinh Quoc, head of the Lao Cai Provincial Economic Zone Management Board, said that after congestion occurred due to the initial application of Decree 46, the management board held meetings with inter-agency units and businesses to clarify the new policy, classify goods, and arrange additional parking and waiting areas.

He also stressed that inter-agency staff were instructed to facilitate imports and strictly avoid abusing new regulations for improper gain.

As a result, agricultural imports through the Lao Cai border gate, located in northern Vietnam, were no longer congested as early as January 30-31.

Following the issuance of Resolution 09, the volume of cargo vehicles undergoing customs procedures at Lao Cai International Border Gate increased significantly on Thursday.

Authorities extended working hours to process all pending customs files and avoid congestion, as well as urged laboratories to expedite food safety test results under previous regulations.

As of Thursday afternoon, only around 35 trucks carrying confectionery products were still waiting for test results at the Lao Cai border gate.

Luong Ngoc Quang, deputy head of the Food Safety Division under the Plant Production and Protection Department, said that following Resolution 09, food safety inspections and customs clearance at major import hubs such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Lao Cai, and Lang Son have proceeded smoothly, as before.

By 4:00 pm on Thursday, plant quarantine units at border gates reported no remaining congestion of agricultural imports.

“Re-application of Decree 15 has removed previous obstacles,” Quang said, adding that inspection units will remain on duty 24/7 to ensure timely clearance.