On April 09, 2014, Joint-ministries of Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, Industry and Trade issued the Joint Circular 13/2014/TTLT-BYT-BNNPTNT-BCT on allocation of tasks and cooperation among regulatory agencies in food safety management, prescribing that Each product, each manufacturing facility or trading facility is under the management of only one regulatory agency.
If a facility manufactures multiple types of foods that are under the management of two Ministries or more, one of which is the Ministry of Health, it shall be under the management of the Ministry of Health.
If a facility manufactures multiple types of foods that are under the management of both the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, it shall be under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Facilities that sell multiple types of foods that are under the management of two Ministries or more (including markets and supermarkets) shall be under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, except for wholesale markets for agricultural products, which are under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Also in accordance with this Joint Circular, the Ministry of Health shall manage the manufacturers of food containers and packages, except for integral containers and packages that are particularly used for food products under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade; and take charge and cooperate with the other parties in settling any issue that arises, or send a report to the Prime Minister if necessary.
This Circular takes effect on May 26, 2014.
