On August 7, Vietnam’s Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung presented a draft law amending and supplementing provisions of 10 laws governing administrative procedures and business conditions in the agriculture and environment sector at the first extraordinary session of the 16th National Assembly. The draft covers the laws on plant protection and quarantine, crop production, animal husbandry, animal health, fisheries, hydraulic works, dikes, water resources, hydrometeorology, and geology and minerals. It would eliminate 40 administrative procedures, simplify 12 others, abolish 40 business conditions, and transfer responsibility for 24 procedures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to provincial-level People’s Committee chairpersons.
Nguyen Thanh Hai, Chairwoman of the National Assembly Committee on Science, Technology, and Environment, supported the need for the amendments but recommendedfurther review of the draft and its implementing regulations. The Chairwoman particularly emphasized the importance of post-audit mechanisms for simplified procedures, risk-based management of goods and services, stronger digital infrastructure and data connectivity, and alignment between decentralization and local implementation capacity.
In parallel, the National Assembly released the draft amended Law on Food Safety, which proposes unified, risk-based food safety management across the supply chain; new product registration and declaration requirements; expanded traceability and data-retention obligations; and a national food safety information system. During its Food & Agriculture Industry Mission to Vietnam from July 29–30, USABC and its member companies presented recommendations on the draft in meetings with senior government officials, including representatives of the Vietnam Food Administration and the National Assembly Committee on Science, Technology, and Environment. Following the mission, USABC invited additional member input and prepared a consolidated industry submission presenting industry perspectives and technical recommendations for consideration during the legislative process. The submission sought to support the development of a clear, practical, and internationally aligned food safety framework.
