Seven industry associations in Vietnam have voiced their concerns over a new rule from the Ministry of Science and Technology that strips businesses of the right to request labs to retest product samples if they disagree with the results of tests conducted by market surveillance authorities.

Workers are seen at a food processing firm. Under the latest rule issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology, enterprises finding test results unreliable have lost the right to retest their samples at another standard lab

The seven associations are the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, the HCMC Food and Foodstuff Association, the Vietnam Dairy Association, the Food Transparency Association, the Phu Quoc Fish Sauce Association, the American Chamber of Commerce and the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam.

The firms have requested the ministry to allow them to retest their sample products at another standard lab if there are problems with the previous results.

Earlier, Circular No.26/2012/TT-BKHCN, issued by the ministry, had permitted the companies to retest their samples if the previous results were deemed unreliable. However, this regulation is no longer included in the recent circular issued on September 28, 2017, causing firms to face challenges in their operations.

In the petition sent to the ministry, the associations also voiced concern that there were too many testing methods in Vietnam that fail to meet international standards, so companies running a legitimate business may suffer closures because of mistakes arising from an unqualified testing process.

In addition, the director of a seafood export firm in the Mekong Delta noted that the latest regulation of the ministry might have negative consequences. For instance, if a firm is in need of testing samples but refuses to pay bribes or is tricked due to personal reasons, then even an accredited lab might distort the test results. The company may then end up shutting down business.

The affected associations sent their petition to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, stating that the health ministry should encourage food processors to actively add iodine to salt or iron and zinc to wheat flour, instead of forcing them to comply with these rules.

As for the agriculture ministry, it should take urgent action to remove existing obstacles for firms, such as the current procedure for animal quarantine that takes place in two phases or situations where two agencies inspect a certain product but use different procedures and grant different certificates.

SGT