Reference source : World Trade Organization
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has notified a draft Food Safety Law that would replace the country’s 2010 Food Safety Law. Submitted to the World Trade Organization under notification G/SPS/N/VNM/187, the proposal covers food safety management throughout the supply chain, including domestic production, imports, exports, testing, traceability, labelling, advertising and incident response. The Viet Nam Food Administration is the authority responsible for the notification. The draft would apply to food products and affect all trading partners, making it relevant to manufacturers, exporters, importers, food business operators, testing organizations and companies responsible for products placed on the Vietnamese market. The proposed law contains 71 articles across eight chapters. Vietnam plans to submit it to the National Assembly for approval in October 2026, followed by publication 45 days after approval. Its proposed entry-into-force date is 1 January 2027, while comments on the notified draft are due by 17 August 2026.
The draft would establish principles and policies for managing food safety throughout the food chain. It covers the responsibilities of organizations and individuals, conditions applicable to food products and food businesses, imported and exported food, food testing, risk analysis, incident management and state supervision. A central feature of the proposal is the designation of a single authority responsible for state management of food safety. The draft also envisages a unified information system connecting food safety data from central to local levels and linking it with national database infrastructure. The Ministry of Health has described the wider reform as a shift towards earlier identification and prevention of food safety risks. The planned digital system is expected to support the management of product circulation, applicable-standard declarations, imports, exports, traceability, inspections and food safety warnings.
The proposal would introduce traceability requirements for all food products circulated on the Vietnamese market. Although the WTO notification does not describe the detailed technical procedure, businesses may need to maintain product, supplier, production and distribution information that allows food to be traced through the supply chain. The draft would also clarify the rights and responsibilities of food business establishments. This includes establishments involved in manufacturing, processing, distribution, street food, restaurant operations, collective catering and school meal services. Detailed implementation requirements would be prescribed through subsequent government or ministerial regulations. Companies supplying Vietnam should therefore review whether their existing traceability records can connect products with relevant ingredients, production batches, suppliers, importers and distribution channels. The precise data fields, retention periods and reporting methods remain subject to the final law and its implementing measures.
Requirements for domestic food, imported and exported products, advertising and labelling would be consolidated into a single chapter. The draft would also revise the relationship between the Food Safety Law and specialized legislation that may apply to particular products or regulated activities. The WTO notification does not specify new import certificates, inspection frequencies or testing procedures for individual product categories. However, the proposed risk-based framework may affect how imported food is assessed, particularly where product risk and a company’s previous compliance history are taken into account. Importers and foreign manufacturers should monitor the final text for changes affecting product documentation, state food safety inspection, testing, labels and traceability. Any operational requirements will also depend on the implementing regulations issued under the new law.
The draft would revise provisions on food testing and technical regulations to align them with Vietnam’s Law on Product and Goods Quality and Law on Investment. It would also address food management measures established through technical regulations, although the notification does not identify specific testing parameters or contaminant limits. Additional prohibited practices would be introduced for food advertising. Existing provisions on prevention, response and remediation of food safety incidents would also be updated as part of the broader risk-analysis and enforcement framework.
| Regulatory event | Date |
|---|---|
| WTO notification issued | 3 August 2026 |
| Comment deadline | 17 August 2026 |
| Planned submission for legislative approval | October 2026 |
| Proposed publication | 45 days after approval |
| Proposed entry into force | 1 January 2027 |
The notification identifies food safety as the objective of the measure and does not cite a corresponding international standard. Companies commenting on the proposal have a relatively short period in which to assess potential concerns involving imported products, traceability, testing, labelling, advertising and information-system requirements.
If adopted, the law would create a broader and more integrated framework for food safety compliance in Vietnam. Its practical effects are likely to extend beyond finished-food manufacturers to importers, exporters, ingredient suppliers, distributors, catering operators and companies responsible for product declarations and market traceability. Businesses should follow the legislative process and review the final law against their existing food safety, supplier-control, import and traceability procedures. More detailed compliance obligations are likely to depend on implementing regulations and technical measures that are not specified in the WTO notification.