The Ministry of Health has just issued Circular 08, regulating documents and procedures for granting certificates for exported foods under the management of the Ministry of Health in cases where there are requirements from imported countries. This Circular does not apply to the Certificate of Free Circulation (CFS) for food under the management of the Ministry.
According to the new regulations, the dossier for requesting a certificate for an export shipment or an export food production facility includes the following documents:
Application for a certificate, according to the form specified in the Appendix issued with Circular 08.
A certificate of food safety eligibility, or one of the following other valid certificates:
Practice good manufacturing practices (GMP);
The risk analysis system and due inspection points (HACCP);
ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System;
International Food Standards (IFS);
Global Food Safety Standards (BRC);
Food safety system certificate (FSSC 22000) or equivalent.
The food safety test result certificate of the test sample belongs to the exported food product batch, issued by the testing room designated or recognized as according to ISO 17025. The test sheet must have full information about product names, food product batches and meet corresponding technical standards or technical requirements according to regulations.
Confirm that the appraisal fee for granting export food certificates has been paid.
If the importing country requires a certificate according to a separate model, the exporting organization or individual must supplement the necessary documents to prove the information as required.
Authority, order, and procedures for granting certificates:
The application for a certificate is submitted online via the Ministry of Health's public service system, or directly/by post to the One-stop Department of the Ministry of Health (Department of Food Safety).
The maximum time for processing documents is 05 working days, from the date of receiving a complete and valid document. In case the dossier is not issued or requested to be supplemented, the receiving agency must have a document stating the reason.
If the dossier needs to be amended or supplemented, within 05 working days from receiving the supplementary dossier, the receiving agency will appraise and respond in writing. If after 90 days the organization or individual does not complete the application as required, the application will no longer be valid.
The certificate will be issued according to the number required by the exporting organization or individual. All documents must be legally valid at the time of submission.
This Circular also clearly states the cases of certificate revocation, including:
Organizations and individuals discovered to have provided one of the components of fake or un compulsory documents in the application for a certificate.
The certificate is issued for an export shipment but the food items of that shipment do not comply with the published standards and technical regulations (if any).
Certificate issued to the food exporting production facility for which the Certificate of the facility meeting food safety conditions or equivalent is revoked.
The certificate was issued without proper authority.
