Removing obstacles in conformity procedures for agricultural products

Overview of the meeting related to the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations and the Law on Quality and Standards of Agricultural Goods - Photo: VGP/Do Huong

The meeting had 9 agricultural associations/societies, including the Vietnam Livestock Association, the Vietnam Veterinary Association, the Vietnam Animal Feed Association, the Vietnam Poultry Association, the Vietnam Large Livestock Association, the Vietnam Veterinary Medicine Association, the Vietnam Fertilizer Association, the Vietnam Dairy Association, and the Vietnam Food Safety Science and Technology Association.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duong, Chairman of the Vietnam Livestock Association, acknowledged that the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations requires businesses to declare conformity for all products and processes with technical regulations, leading to duplication in management.

The cost of conformity declaration is also a big burden. According to Mr. Duong, on average, each product has to spend 3-5 million VND to evaluate the production process and take samples for testing, with a 3-year period for re-declaration. If calculated on a national scale, this figure is up to thousands of billions of VND. This increases production costs, waiting time, and affects the competitiveness of businesses.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, President of the Vietnam Veterinary Association, also expressed concern about the regulation on declaration of conformity for veterinary drugs. She said that veterinary drug factories in Vietnam have invested in GMP standards, with strict quality control processes. However, the requirement for declaration of conformity creates a "sub-license", increasing production costs and pushing up product prices, ultimately causing farmers and breeders to suffer.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duong, Chairman of Vietnam Animal Husbandry Association - Photo: VGP/Do Huong

After listening to the opinions of associations and units in the ministry, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy agreed that the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations and the Law on Product and Goods Quality are the original laws to regulate regulations to ensure the quality of goods. In addition, specialized laws also have regulations on the quality of goods. Although regulated by different laws, they all have the same management object which is goods and the same goal of ensuring quality and safety.

Therefore, the design of original laws and related laws must ensure that the steps in the process, content, and management subjects are not overlapping, duplicated, or omitted to ensure the ultimate goal of quality and safety.

According to Minister Do Duc Duy, it is necessary to classify goods for management into 3 groups: high risk, medium risk and low risk. Group 2 goods should only be high risk products. Only high risk goods should be certified for conformity. To distinguish groups of goods, the law only provides general regulations, while the classification criteria should be regulated by the Government, creating favorable conditions for practical implementation.

Minister Do Duc Duy also said: The current regulation on product conformity declaration is unreasonable. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust and supplement this regulation and only declare conformity for high-risk products.

According to Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy, there are many standards and regulations. Vietnam is integrating with the world, exporting top agricultural, forestry and fishery products in the world, but the standards and regulations on product quality do not meet the integration. When exports cannot keep up with the world, it unintentionally creates barriers for its own products and products from other countries entering Vietnam.

Minister Do Duc Duy requested specialized units to review, propose amendments, supplements or develop new standards, regulations and economic-technical norms for each agricultural and environmental sector, ensuring consistency with reality; in which, focusing on promoting the development of a system of standards and technical regulations in a synchronous and harmonious direction with international and regional standards for groups of products and export goods as well as developing standards and regulations for new and key product groups.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is managing 1,882 Vietnamese standards (TCVN), 200 Vietnamese technical regulations (QCVN); of which: the agricultural sector has 1,452 TCVNs and 106 QCVNs; environmental resources have 430 TCVNs and 94 QCVNs.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment continues to review, eliminate or amend, supplement and promulgate the existing system of standards and regulations such as: canceling inappropriate standards (18 QCVNs for plant protection, 8 QCVNs for veterinary medicine, 27 QCVNs for agricultural and food products, 7 QCVNs for the environment). At the same time, continue to supplement and develop standards and regulations serving the management of agricultural, forestry and fishery production and business and as required.

Do Huong

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/go-vuong-thu-tuc-hop-quy-cho-cac-san-pham-linh-vuc-nong-nghiep-102250404154408177.htm