Chairman of the National Assembly: The Food Safety Law must clearly define ultimate accountability
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man emphasized that the amended Food Safety Law must shift from pre-inspection to risk-based management and clearly assign accountability.
On the afternoon of September 24, at the National Assembly Standing Committee meeting, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man emphasized the importance of amending the Food Safety Law. According to him, the draft law must thoroughly address who is in charge, who coordinates, who makes decisions, and who remains ultimately responsible when food safety incidents or violations occur.
Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen presented the proposal, emphasizing the shift toward a risk-based management model. The law will categorize food based on high and low risk levels to ensure strict traceability. Notably, the draft includes regulations for online food delivery platforms and collective food service providers operating outside of commercial objectives.
Regarding the organizational system, the Politburo has agreed to consolidate state management of food safety under the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) within the Ministry of Health. Accordingly, 34 provinces and cities will establish Food Safety Sub-departments to ensure a unified management focal point from the central to local levels, replacing the current fragmented mechanism.
Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Nguyen Thanh Hai proposed adding the right to access traceability information as an independent right for consumers. At the same time, the appraisal agency recommended applying stricter sanctions, such as temporary or permanent revocation of professional licenses for intentional violations causing serious consequences, along with administrative fines of up to 3 billion VND for organizations.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man asserted: 'Food safety is not guaranteed by having more permits, but by standardizing processes, better data, and stronger post-market inspections'. He requested that the draft law avoid restoring a 'request-give' mechanism under the guise of pre-inspection, and must answer the core question: has the food reaching the people truly been safe?