. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/VNM/9 
30 September 2009  
 (09-4565) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  VIET NAM
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Viet Nam Environmental Administration, Ministry of Natural 
Resources and Environment 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Genetically modified organisms 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners 
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Decree on biosafety management of genetically modified 
organism and products thereof  Language:  Vietnamese/English  Number of pages:  30   
6. Description of content:  The Decree consists of 8 chapters with 44 articles and two 
annexes, detailed the following: 
Chapter 1: General provision (three articles) 
Chapter 2: Risk assessment and risk management (three articles) Chapter 3:  Scientific research and technology development (3 articles) 
Chapter 4: Field trial and testing  (14 articles) 
Chapter 5: Safety Certificate (10 articles) 
Chapter 6: Production and trading (6 articles) Chapter 7: Information on GMO, products thereof. (4 articles) Chapter 8: Implementation provision (1 article) Annex 1: Requiring  information in accordan ce with article 36 of Cartagena Biosafety 
Protocol (enclosed with this decree) 
Annex 2: 1. Risk assessment report attached to dossier for field trial 2. Risk assessment report attached to the dossier for releasing into environment and 
biology. 
3. Risk assessment report attached to the a pplication for granting human health safety 
certificate. 
This decree stipulates biosafety management  of risk assessment and risk management; 
scientific research and technology developmen t; field trial; issuance of safety certificate; 
production and trading of genetically modified  organism (GMO) and products thereof. 
This decree shall not apply to pharm aceutical products derived from GMOs. G/SPS/N/VNM/9 
Page 2  
 
  This decree applies to domestic and foreign or ganizations, individuals (hereinafter referred 
to as organizations, individuals) engaged to activities involving GMOs, and products 
thereof within the Vietnamese territory. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests.    
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text) Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartagena Biosafety 
Protocol 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [X] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:     
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  November 2009 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  November 2009 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :     
[ ] Trade facilitating measure 
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  20 October 2009 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Viet Nam Environmental Administration (VEA) 
67 Nguyen Du, Ha Noi, Viet Nam 
Tel: + 84 43 9412033 
Fax: + 84 43 9429233 E-mail: hoangnhan1973@gmail.co m; quybt@nea.gov.vn 
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: