Decree 15/2018/ND-CP of the Government of Vietnam, regulating the implementation of a number of articles on the Food Safety Law, applies simplified registration procedure for pre-packaged processed foods, food additives, etc., and will authorize food enterprises to produce, import, and sell these products immediately after the enterprise has posted the Product Self-Declaration or Registration declaration on either mass media, their company's website, or premises. Foodmate will share the specific requirements for self-declaration and registration declaration in two articles, and firstly we will begin with an introduction of self-declaration in this article.

I. Product Categories Requiring Self-Declaration

• Pre-packaged processed foods, food additives, food processing aids, food containers, primary packages of foods other than the products that needs registration declaration (eg. Functional food categories excluding supplemented food, Dietary products for children up to 36 months, and unregistered food additives).

• Products, raw materials that are manufactured or imported for production or processing of exports or for internal production and are not for domestic sale are exempt from self-declaration.

II. documents Required for Self-Declaration

• The product self-declaration (Form 1 in Appendix I of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP);

• Original copy or a certified true copy of the food safety testing results issued by recognized laboratories or ISO 17025 accredited laboratories within 12 months up to the date of document submission. The testing results must specify safety indicators prescribed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) according to risk management principles under international regulations or standards applied by organizations and individuals (hereafter referred as “suppliers”) if relevant MOH's regulations are not available. 

• Self-declaration documents must be written in Vietnamese language; documents in other languages must be translated into Vietnamese language and notarized. The documents must be unexpired when the self-declaration is submitted.

III. Self-declaration procedure

• The self-declaration shall be posted through mass media or the producer's website or premises; 1 copy of the self-declaration shall be submitted, directly or by post, to regulatory authority designated by the People's Committee of the province (hereinafter referred to as “receiving authority”);

• Right after the self-declaration is submitted, the supplier is entitled to manufacture and sell the product and assume full responsibility for the safety of such product;

• The receiving authority shall post the self-declaration and the product names therein on its website.

Summary:

Although from the above introduction, self-declaration of food products in Vietnam seems to be very simple, there are many challenges in the preparation of the declaration documents, such as notarization of the translation of product labels, checking of product test reports and product information attached to the self-declaration, etc., which require more professional regulations and practice reserves.

In this regard, Foodmate can provide professional services to guide enterprises in the preparation of self-declaration documents, checking, submitting and following up the progress of approval, etc. Welcome to contact us via global_info@foodmate.net.