Food Businesses Concerned Over Procedural Burdens in New Draft Food Safety Law
Industry associations and businesses are concerned that the new draft Food Safety Law will increase pre-market clearance procedures, creating cost burdens and hindering risk-based management.
The draft Food Safety Law currently under public consultation has sparked significant feedback from industry associations and businesses. Many organizations argue that the proposed regulations will significantly increase administrative procedures, creating obstacles for businesses through pre-market clearance mechanisms, traceability requirements, and export conditions.
According to industry associations, current management goals should aim for data digitalization, risk-based management, and strengthened post-market surveillance. However, the draft appears to shift the focus back toward pre-market controls. For instance, the current 'self-declaration' mechanism may be replaced by a 'product standard declaration,' requiring businesses to submit documentation and wait 15 days for approval, potentially stalling product circulation.
The Vietnam Dairy Association (VDA) and several major companies have urged the government to maintain the current self-declaration principle, focusing on post-market surveillance based on scientific evidence and the compliance history of businesses. VDA estimates that if existing records must be re-processed by 2026, it would consume approximately 3.6 million working hours for businesses and over 500,000 hours for administrative processing.
Ms. Chu Thi Van Anh, Vice Chairwoman and Secretary General of the Vietnam Beer Alcohol Beverage Association (VBA), emphasized that food management should be stratified based on risk levels, rather than applying uniform requirements to all products. Ms. Ly Kim Chi, Chairwoman of the Food and Foodstuff Association of Ho Chi Minh City (FFA), also proposed a three-tier risk management system instead of the two-tier structure proposed in the draft.
To ensure a transparent and efficient business environment, experts recommend that the Law integrate and recognize advanced certification systems such as GHP, HACCP, and ISO 22000. Entities holding these certifications should be eligible for reduced inspection procedures, allowing the state to allocate resources toward post-market surveillance and tackling actual high-risk violations.