Reference source : World Trade Organization
Vietnam has notified the WTO of a draft national technical regulation on the safety of industrial explosive materials, specifically mixtures of single-element high explosives. The notified measure is proposed as QCVN 12-32:2026/BCT and falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Industrial Safety Engineering and Environment Agency.
The notified product scope covers mixtures of Trinitrotoluene (TNT) with one of the following high explosives: Hexogen (RDX), Octogen (HMX), or Pentrite (PETN). The relevant HS code identified in the notification is 3602.00.00.
The draft QCVN establishes technical specifications, testing methods and management measures for covered industrial explosive materials. It applies to organizations and individuals involved in activities related to these explosive mixtures in Vietnam, as well as conformity certification bodies and competent state management agencies.
The regulation would cover:
The draft defines the regulated products as mixtures of TNT with one of the following single high explosives:
| Mixture basis | Common name |
|---|---|
| TNT + Hexogen | TNT/RDX mixture |
| TNT + Octogen | TNT/HMX mixture |
| TNT + Pentrite | TNT/PETN mixture |
The draft QCVN is therefore directly relevant for manufacturers, importers, distributors, conformity assessment bodies and industrial users handling these high-explosive mixtures in Vietnam.
The draft sets technical criteria for the covered explosive mixtures, including limits and performance requirements for:
The draft technical table specifies, among other points, that water and volatile substances must not exceed 0.5%, explosive power must be at least 115% compared with standard TNT, detonation velocity must meet minimum thresholds depending on density, lead cylinder compression must be at least 20 mm, and Cast impact sensitivity must not exceed 24%.
The draft includes packaging and storage provisions for the covered explosive mixtures.
Products may be packed in bar, block or loose form. Bar or block forms must be stored in sealed or tied polyethylene bags and packed in carton boxes or polypropylene bags. Loose-form products must be packed with an inner kraft paper layer, an external polyethylene layer and an outer polypropylene layer.
Before circulation on the Vietnamese market, covered explosive mixtures must undergo conformity declaration, bear the CR conformity mark, and comply with goods labelling requirements under Decree No. 37/2026/ND-CP. The draft also links market quality inspection to Decree No. 37/2026/ND-CP.
For conformity certification, the draft refers to Method 5 and Method 7 under Circular No. 14/2026/TT-BKHCN. Method 5 involves type testing and assessment of the production process or management system, with surveillance testing and assessment. Method 7 applies to batch-based testing and assessment.
The proposed date of adoption is 1 November 2026, and the proposed date of entry into force is 1 July 2027. The final date for comments is 25 August 2026.
The measure is significant for companies manufacturing, importing, distributing or using industrial explosive materials in Vietnam.
Businesses should review whether their products fall within the TNT/RDX, TNT/HMX or TNT/PETN mixture scope and prepare for conformity certification, conformity declaration registration, CR marking, labelling, packaging and storage compliance, and state quality inspection readiness.
Companies should also confirm whether existing test data, certificates and product specifications are sufficient under the proposed QCVN, particularly for detonation performance, impact sensitivity, volatile content and packaging configuration.
If adopted, QCVN 12-32:2026/BCT would create a dedicated safety and conformity framework for high-explosive mixtures under MOIT management. The proposal reflects Vietnam’s broader move toward product-specific technical regulations for high-risk industrial materials, with stronger emphasis on third-party certification, market surveillance and traceable conformity documentation.