Recently, the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) has continuously received questions and answers from organizations and individuals related to state inspection of food safety for imported goods according to Circular No. 15/2024/TT-BYT dated September 19, 2024. This is a Circular promulgating the List of foods, food additives, food containers, packaging materials that come into direct contact with food that must be subject to state inspection when imported, under the management of the Ministry of Health.
In response to questions, the Food Safety Department has specific instructions:
Food additives listed in Circular 15/2024/TT-BYT: State inspection of food safety when imported must be conducted in accordance with regulations.
Food ingredients not used as additives or processing aids: Even though they are listed, if not used for the purpose of being food additives, they are not subject to state inspection, according to the provisions of Point b, Clause 4, Article 3 of Circular 15/2024/TT-BYT.
Products for export production, processing or domestic production: Exempted from self-declaration of products and exempted from state inspection when imported (except for warnings about food safety), according to Clause 2, Article 4 and Clause 7, Article 13 of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP.
Products are health protection foods: Organizations and individuals need to register product declarations according to Articles 6 and 7 of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP. If a registration receipt has been issued, the product will be exempted from state inspection upon import, except in cases where there are warnings about food safety.
Determining the goods code: In case of problems or disagreements on the classification and code of goods, organizations and individuals need to contact the Customs agency for specific instructions.
The Food Safety Department recommends that businesses and food import organizations need to clearly understand the new regulations in Circular 15/2024/TT-BYT and Decree 15/2018/ND-CP to avoid errors when carrying out customs clearance procedures.
