New rules issued for export food certification

The Ministry of Health has issued a circular, establishing the required documents and procedures for issuing certificates for exported food products within its management scope.

Under Circular No. 08/2025/TT_BYT, dated March 7, 2025, exporting organisations and individuals must submit an application for certification using a form provided in the annex of the Circular. This document is mandatory and serves as the first step in the certification process.

The Circular specifies that the application dossier for a certificate, whether for a single exported shipment or a food production facility, must include a completed application form for the certificate,  and a valid certificate of food safety eligibility, or one of the following alternatives: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP); Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP); ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System; International Food Standard (IFS); BRC Global  Standards for Food Safety; Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 22000), or an equivalent certification (certified copy provided by the exporting organization or individual).

A crucial part of the application is the food safety testing report for a sample from the export batch. This report must be issued by a designated testing laboratory or a laboratory that meets ISO 17025 standards. The report verifies that the sample meets food safety requirements, technical specifications, national regulations or international standards.

The dossier must also includes a proof of payment for the assessment fee for issuing the certificate for exported food products.