RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/VNM/11
26 June 2000
(00-2601)
Working Party on the
Accession of VietnamOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF VIETNAM
Action Plan for the Implementation of the SPS Agreement
The Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has submitted the following Action
Plan for the Implementation of the Sanitary and Ph ytosanitary Agreement, with the request that it be
circulated to the members of the Working Party.
_______________WT/ACC/VNM/11
Page 2Plan of Action for the Implementation of the SPS Agreement
No Current status 2000 - 2002
1. Vietnam has issued new standards, animal health regulations and food safety regulations conformed
to SPS Agreement principles.
Plant inspection:
Vietnam has issued the Ordinance on plant protection and inspection enacting on 15/2/1993;
Regulations on plant protection and inspection a ttached with Decree No 92/CP on 27/11/1993 and
decisions by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development guiding the implementation of the
Ordinance and Regulations. These legal documents have been built on the basis of international
Convention on plant protection, disciplines of APPPC.
Vietnam has just amended and issued Vietnam standards: Plant inspection - Terms and Definitions
(TCVN 3937-2000) on 3/4/ 2000.
Animal inspection:
Vietnam has promulgated the Ordinance on Veterinary enacting on 15/2/1993; Decree No 93/CP on
27/11/1993 for implementation of Ordinance; Regulations on animal protection and inspection
attached with Decree No 93/CP; Decision No 389 NN-TY/Q§ and No 607 NN-TY/Q§ providing
details of the Ordinance.
Merchandise inspection (food and foodstuff)
Vietnam has promulgated Decree No 41/1998/N§- CP providing regulation on the border medical
inspection. This Regulation has been set out on the basis of  Regulation on  international medical
inspection of WHOVietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
Vietnam shall continue to consider,
amend the Ordinance and regulations on
plant inspection so that it will agree with
reality and international standards.
Vietnam shall promulgate Vietnam’s
standards on the terms regarding plant
inspection on the basis of current
international standards.
Vietnam shall promulgate the amended
Ordinance on Veterinary and carry out
Regulations guiding the implementation
of this Ordinance, includes technical
process and procedures of animal
inspection.
Vietnam shall examine the draft of
Ordinance on food and foodstuff and
submit to permanent Committee of
National Assemble for approval
2. Transparency: Vietnam ensures that transparency obligations are met on the ongoing basis. (under
article 7 and Annex B, and G/SPS/7 of SPS Agreement)
Vietnam has not established and put into operation of any contact points providing information
concerned SPS inspection yet.Vietnam shall inform the responsible
body providing information in regardingto SPS inspection to the WTO Members
as soon as possible.WT/ACC/VNM/11
Page 3No Current status 2000 - 2002
3. Necessity: Inspection measures of Vietnam are only applied to the extent necessary with the view of
protecting human, animal and plant resources of Vietnam from infection of contaminants, which
were not available before or appeared in the limited areas  (under article 2.2 of SPS Agreement)Vietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
Vietnam shall concretise at the suitable
level of protection related to inspection
measures in Vietnam.
4. Regulations based on science: Vietnam fully conforms to the obligation of the Agreement, based on
scientific evidence to issue regulations governing animal and plant health and food safety (underarticle 2.2, 3.3, and 5.2 of  SPS Agreement)
Regarding genetically modified organism (GMO ) products: Vietnam should formulate compulsory
standards on products using of GMO technology on the basis of specific evidence or the appearance
of the GMO labeling as “products using GMO technology ”Vietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
Vietnam has been drafting Regulation on
safety management for genetically
modified organism and products thereof.
5. Harmonization: Vietnam sets out SPS measures on the basis of international standards, guidelines,
and recommendations. (under article 3.1, 3.3 and 3.4 of SPS Agreement)
Plant inspection:
Vietnam is now reviewing its legislation on plant inspection on the basis of comparison with the SPS
Agreement, International Convention on plant protection and other international standards to
harmonize plant inspection measures in ASEAN and WTO in the coming time in order to facilitate
the international trade.
Animal inspection:
Inspection measures and standards on veterinary regarding animal and animal products of Vietnam
are established on the basis of production status of Vietnam and in consistent with regulations of
other international organizations named as CODEX, OIE, ASEAN.Vietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
Vietnam, along with its ASEAN
members, shall develop a harmonization
model of plant inspection measures for
the first ten kinds of agricultural products.
Vietnam shall complete animal trading
measures, standards on veterinary on the
basis of the Ordinance on Veterinary andreality in Vietnam, corresponded with
regulations of OIE, CODEX and ASEAN.WT/ACC/VNM/11
Page 4No Current status 2000 - 2002
6. Equivalence: Vietnam agrees to accept SPS measures from other countries, in where these SPS
measures are proved to be at the same level of necessary protection as Vietnam requires (under
article 4 of SPS Agreement).
Plant inspection:
Vietnam recognizes the certificate of plant inspection by other countries that follow the form
specified in the amended international Convention on plant protection in the year of 1997
Animal inspection:
Vietnam has fully prepared professional data and information on animal inspection related to the
SPS Agreement.Vietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
7. Risk Assessment: SPS inspection measures are applied uniformly from the central government to
local grassroots on the scientific basis and international standards (under article 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 of
SPS Agreement).
Vietnam is now facing many difficulties in program for risk analysis (PRA).Vietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
Vietnam wishes to receive the support and
assistance from international
organizations regarding PRA training.
8. Regional conditions: Vietnam shall conform to the obligation of the Agreement to take into account
the regional characteristics as following elements: current level of epidemic, the existence of control
and prevention program, criteria or suitable instruction enacted by related international organisations
(under article 6 and Annex A.6 and A.7 of SPS Agreement).
Vietnam has been a full member of the Asia-Pacific Plant Protection Council (APPPC), the FAO ’s
regional organisation. At the same time, Vietnam is actively participating in the harmonization
process of plant inspection measures of ASEAN for AFTA implementation.Vietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
9. Non-discrimination: Vietnam ensures that its SPS measures do not arbitrarily or unjustifiably
discriminate between different members under the same condition or between domestic and foreignsuppliers. SPS measures should not be applied to create disguised restrictions against international
trade (under article 2.3 and Annex C.1 (a) and (d) of  SPS Agreement)
Disciplines on Veterinary sanitary for animal, animal imported to Vietnam are based on the
standards of international organisations such as CODEX, OIE, and ASEAN. This shall not be
unjustifiable restriction on trade.Vietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
Vietnam shall continue researching to
prove reasonability of its inspection
measures and wish to further co-operate
with other members in this area.WT/ACC/VNM/11
Page 5No Current status 2000 - 2002
10. Control, inspection and approval procedures: Vi etnam fully conforms to this obligation of the
Agreement to ensure that procedures of control and inspection, including systems for approval of the
use of SPS measures will comply with SPS Agreement (under article 8 and Annex C)Vietnam shall fully inform the latest
changes to the WTO Members
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