Starting July 1, 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety officially began implementing the administrative procedure for state inspection of food safety for exported plant-based food products, in accordance with Circular No. 12/2025/TT-BNNMT, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on June 19, 2025
This Circular provides detailed provisions on the decentralization and delineation of state management authority in the fields of crop production and plant protection. Notably, it delegates specific technical tasks to provincial-level authorities, including: conducting state inspections of food safety for exported plant-based food products; reissuing professional practice cards for handling quarantine-regulated objects; certifying the content of advertisements for plant protection products; recognizing organizations qualified to conduct trials of plant protection product.
Inspection Procedure:
According to Article 24 of the Circular No.12/2025/TT-BNNMT , the inspection procedure follows an administrative process, culminating in the issuance of a Notification of Inspection Results using Form No. 41, Appendix I. This document serves as official confirmation that the product has undergone food safety inspection prior to export.
The use of standardized forms ensures legal consistency and transparency in dossier processing. However, this notification is currently intended for domestic regulatory purposes and does not substitute for certificates required by importing countries, particularly those formatted according to European Union (EU) standards.
Implementation Realities: Emerging Demand for International Certification
During the initial phase of implementation, the Department of Food Safety received feedback from several exporters regarding the lack of certification documents compatible with EU market requirements. This issue, while not addressed within the scope of the current Circular, has emerged from practical export demands.
To address this, the Department submitted two official dispatches to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment requesting guidance on the procedure for issuing EU-format certificates:
- Official Dispatch No. 14/SATTP-QLHN dated July 7, 2025
- Official Dispatch No. 102/SATTP-QLHN dated July 14, 2025
Continued Implementation Under Existing Regulations
While awaiting further instructions from the Ministry, the Department continues to process inspection requests and issue notifications in accordance with Circular No. 12/2025/TT-BNNMT. This ensures continuity in export operations and provides a legal basis for shipments of plant-based food products.
Circular No. 12/2025/TT-BNNMT has established a clear legal framework for decentralized state inspection of food safety for exported plant-based products. However, to fully meet the technical requirements of international markets—especially those with specific certification standards such as the EU—additional guidance from central authorities regarding certificate issuance procedures remains necessary.
Completing this procedural linkage will enhance policy effectiveness and support exporters in complying with the technical specifications of importing countries.
Source: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety
Link: http://sattp.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/ArticleDetail.aspx?NewsID=7530
Circular No. 12/2025/TT-BNNMT: https://datafiles.chinhphu.vn/cpp/files/vbpq/2025/6/12-bnnmt.pdf
