To enhance food safety management and facilitate the operations of enterprises and manufacturing facilities, the Government has issued Resolution No. 66.13/2026/NQ-CP, detailing the regulations for the announcement and registration of food products. This document plays a pivotal role in controlling the quality of food items circulating in the market, protecting consumer health, and standardizing related administrative procedures from a public health perspective.

Scope of Regulation and General Principles

Resolution No. 66.13/2026/NQ-CP applies to all domestic and foreign organizations and individuals involved in food production and business in Vietnam. The overarching principle of the document is to ensure transparency, scientific validity, and traceability. Before being circulated, all products must undergo risk assessment and quality testing at ISO-certified laboratories or those designated by the Ministry of Health. Entities must complete the announcement or self-declaration dossiers depending on the risk classification group of each specific product.

Procedures for the Self-Declaration of Food Products

For pre-packaged processed foods, food additives, processing aids, containers, and packaging materials in direct contact with food, organizations and individuals are entitled to carry out self-declaration procedures. The dossier includes a self-declaration form as prescribed and a food safety testing result slip valid within twelve months prior to the submission date. Once completed, the enterprise shall publish the information on mass media or its website and submit one copy to the competent state management agency for archiving and post-market inspection purposes.

Registration of the Product Announcement for Specific Food Groups

The Resolution particularly emphasizes a more stringent control process for product groups that directly affect health and sensitive populations. Specifically, health supplements, medical nutritional foods, foods for special dietary uses, and nutritional products for children under thirty-six months of age must strictly register their product announcements with the state health management agency. The registration dossier demands high scientific rigor, including a certificate of free sale for imported goods, medical evidence proving the product’s efficacy, and a certificate of a food safety-qualified facility meeting Good Manufacturing Practice requirements.

Responsibilities of Management Agencies and Enhancing Post-Market Surveillance

Within the framework of the Resolution, functional agencies are responsible for receiving, appraising dossiers online, and publishing the list of products that have completed registration procedures on the national data system. The focus of management will shift from pre-market approval to post-market surveillance. For enterprises, maintaining product quality exactly as declared in the dossier is a mandatory legal obligation. Any changes in ingredients, uses, or health warnings must be reported, and re-announcement procedures must be conducted to avoid poisoning risks or adverse effects on users.

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