PROCEDURE FOR SELF-DECLARATION OF PRODUCTS IN HO CHI MINH CITY – LATEST UPDATE 2024

Currently, regulations related to procedures for self-declaration of products in Ho Chi Minh City are as follows:

1. Subjects who need to self-declare products

According to the provisions of Article 4 Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, individuals/organizations producing and engaging in food business shall carry out self-declaration procedures for the following products:

• Food additives;
• Food processing aids;
• Pre-packaged processed food;
• Packaging materials which directly contact with the food;
• Containers which directly contact with the food.

Note: Exemptions from the product self-declaration procedure are applied to the following imported products and raw materials:

• Products solely used for the production and processing of export goods;
• Products used to serve the internal production of organizations and individuals without the intention of domestic consumption.

2. Product self-declaration dossier

Article 5 Decree 15/2018/ND-CP stipulates that a dossier of self-declaration of products includes:

• Product self-declaration form (according to the prescribed form);
• The food safety test result sheet of the product within 12 months prior to the date of submission of the dossier. The result sheet must be issued by a designated laboratory or an accredited laboratory in accordance with ISO 17025.

Note: Documents in the self-declaration dossier must be presented in Vietnamese; in case there are documents in foreign languages, they must be translated into Vietnamese and notarized. The documents must be valid at the point of self-declaration.

3. Competent authority: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety

4. Method of self-declaration

• Declare on the public media or the entity’s websites or publicly posted at the headquarters of organizations and individuals.
• Declare on the website of the Department of Food Safety of Ho Chi Minh City.

5. Fees: None.      

6. Procedure of product self-declaration

Pursuant to Clause 2 Article 5 of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, product self-declaration is carried out in the following order:

Step 1: Organizations and individuals prepare 02 sets of self-declaration dossiers as prescribed.

Step 2: Organizations and individuals post dossiers on the public media or their websites or publicly post them at the head office of individuals/organizations;

At the same time, submit 01 set of self-declaration dossier to the Department of Food Safety of Ho Chi Minh City to store and post self-declaration information on the Department's website.

Step 3: After the self-declaration, the individual/organization is entitled to produce and sell the product and is fully responsible for the safety of that product.

Note: After the declaration, if the individuals/organizations change the product name, origin, and ingredients of the product, they must re-declare the product themselves. For other changes, it is only required to send a written notice of the change to the competent authority.

The above information provides general guidance on the procedure for self-declaration of products. During the self-declaration process, legal issues may arise. Therefore, if you need further information or have any difficulties in this process, please do not hesitate to contact D.P.T Law Firm via phone number 0336662099 or email: enquiry@dptlaw.vn for detailed advice.