VietNamNet Bridge - Many problems that hinder the operations of enterprises are assumed to be settled after the government’s instructions. But, in fact, they continue to exist because of the decision-making tardiness of agencies.


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Seven associations representing businesses in the food processing industry in late June sent a letter to PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam, head of the inter-ministerial committee for food safety, complaining that barriers to their development had not been removed as expected. 

In March 2017, food processing companies unanimously lodged a complaint about Decree 09/2016 which they described as ‘unreasonable’. The decree stipulates that ‘the salt used in food processing must be enriched with iodine’, and ‘the flour used in food processing must be fortified with zinc and iron’.

Many problems that hinder the operations of enterprises are assumed to be settled after the government’s instructions. But, in fact, they continue to exist because of the decision-making tardiness of agencies.

The government, in its Resolution No 19/2018 released in May 2018, assigned the Ministry of Health to amend the decree and remove the two requirements. 

However, according to Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy secretary general of VASEP (Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers), the problems have not been fixed.

Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, chair of the Food Transparency Association, said the associations decided to send a letter to the PM after they tried to do everything they could, but the legal documents to fix the problems have not been promulgated.

“The unreasonable regulations still have not been officially removed. Enterprises still have to observe the regulations, which affects their competitiveness,” Minh said.

She said that many ministries and agencies are very ‘conservative’ and they don’t admit mistakes. The ministries and agencies are slow in taking action.

Vu Quoc Tuan from EuroCham said some problems have been fixed, but after many delays. 

In 2017, the Department of Animal Health excluded some dairy-containing products from the list of products subject to animal quarantine. 

However, customs agencies only approved customs clearance if enterprises showed the certificates on animal quarantine.

As a result, some enterprises either had to undergo quarantine, or send a dispatch to the Department of Animal Health, asking to confirm that there was no need to undergo the quarantine.

Only several months later did the customs agencies stop asking certificates for animal quarantine for these kinds of products.

Huynh Kim Chi, chair of Vikybomi, said the company has to add iron and zinc to flour.

“Our export markets including the US, Japan and Canada don’t have such a requirement. We have to add iron and zinc to the products for domestic consumption,” she explained.


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