Decision No. 43/2006/QĐ-TTg on approving the National Action Plan for Ensuring Food Safety to 2010

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the National Action Plan for Ensuring Food Safety and Hygiene until 2010

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PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Law on Health Care for the People dated June 30, 1989;

Pursuant to the Ordinance on Food Safety and Hygiene dated July 26, 2003;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Health at the Report No. 8972/TTr-BYT dated November 3, 2005,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the National Action Plan for Ensuring Food Safety and Hygiene until 2010 with the following contents:

1. Objectives:

a) General Objective: To ensure food safety and hygiene (referred to as FSHTP) serving consumption, contributing to protecting public health; developing the economy and society and meeting the requirements of international economic integration.

b) Specific Objectives:

- Enhancing awareness, practice of FSHTP and responsibility of producers, traders and consumers of food. Striving by 2010, 90% of producers, 80% of food traders, 100% of managers and leaders, and 80% of consumers have correct knowledge and practice regarding FSHTP.

- Strengthening the capacity of the management system, inspection and testing of FSHTP from central to local levels and within relevant ministries and sectors. Striving by 2010, 100% of staff working in FSHTP management and testing at the central, regional, provincial, and city levels will be trained and improved in their professional skills; 90% of staff working in FSHTP at the grassroots level (districts, counties, communes, wards) will participate in training courses to enhance their knowledge and practical skills in rapid detection of food contamination.

- Striving by 2010, 80% of food standards will be in line with international standards.

- Gradually applying the Food Safety Management System based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Striving by 2010, 100% of high-risk food production facilities will apply HACCP.

- Establishing a program for analyzing and managing food contamination risks, proactively preventing food poisoning and foodborne diseases.

Establishing a comprehensive food contamination control system from production to circulation and monitoring food poisoning. Striving by 2010, the percentage of chemical and antibiotic residues exceeding permissible limits will be reduced to 1-3% of total food samples tested.

2. Contents and Implementation Measures

a) Strengthening state management capacity and building an effective FSHTP management system from central to local levels.

- Completing the basic legal framework for FSHTP management from production to processing, storage, circulation, and trade in food. Amending, supplementing, and promulgating legal documents suitable for the new phase.

- Completing the quality standard system for FSHTP in line with international standards, meeting the requirements of international economic integration.

- Consolidating and completing the state management system for FSHTP including specialized management, testing, and inspection units from central to local levels and within relevant ministries and sectors.

b) Monitoring food contamination, food poisoning, and foodborne diseases. Establishing a risk analysis program for food contamination. Building a food poisoning surveillance system and participating in international food contamination and food poisoning surveillance systems. By 2010, establishing four food contamination and food poisoning surveillance centers at four institutes under the Ministry of Health in the North, Central, South, and Central Highlands regions.

c) Promoting information dissemination and education on FSHTP in communities.

- Strengthening education, dissemination of knowledge about FSHTP and legal regulations for producers, processors, and traders of food.

- Socializing FSHTP education and communication work and developing a team of grassroots-level communicators to ensure by 2010, all districts and counties have FSHTP communicators and all communes, wards, and towns have FSHTP communicators.

d) Building and developing the FSHTP testing system across ministries, sectors, and nationwide.

Planning and developing the FSHTP testing system across ministries, sectors, and localities according to Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) standards and laboratory certification standards in accordance with international standards (ISO/IEC 17025); establishing a network for information on testing needs and management of testing results.

đ) Strengthening supervision and inspection of the implementation of legal regulations on FSHTP.

- Increasing regular and spot inspections of FSHTP in concentrated farming and breeding areas, food production, processing, and trading facilities.

- Regularly collecting samples of raw materials and food products for analysis to assess the degree of biological contamination and harmful chemical residue in agricultural products and food.

- Controlling imported food safety and agricultural supplies, food additives, preservatives, and processing aids; functional foods and high-risk foods.

- Strengthening quarantine and inspection of animal health and animal-origin food products at livestock slaughterhouses and wholesale markets.

- Regularly inspecting wholesale markets for the origin of plant-based food (fresh vegetables and fruits) and using rapid tests to detect harmful chemical residues in food.

e) Strengthening inter-sectoral activities in ensuring FSHTP.

- Strengthening inter-sectoral cooperation in FSHTP control and building model points for ensuring FSHTP that apply advanced management principles; expanding the application of models in production facilities and communities.

- Forming organizations to certify safe agricultural products and food products; safe food production facilities.

g) Promoting research and application of advanced science, technology, and techniques to serve FSHTP management.

Concentrating on researching the impact of FSHTP on health, economic and social life, and researching methods to limit causes of food contamination.

h) Strengthening international cooperation in the field of food safety.

Enhance cooperation with the World and Regional Food Standards Committee (Codex) during the process of establishing food standards; implement the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) and the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) in the accession process to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to limit food contamination. Call for investment from international projects for upgrading the Food Safety and Quality Control Testing System and training management and testing staff for food safety.

i) Increase investment in food safety work from central to local levels.

3. Implementation schedule

a) Stage 1 (2006 - 2007): comprehensively implement all activities, prioritizing the issuance of regulatory legal documents and the establishment of food safety standards; building and developing the food safety management network; intensifying information and education-communication activities about food safety in the community; inspecting, detecting, and handling violations of food safety laws from production to market circulation; planning and developing the food safety testing system, initially establishing the national food safety testing laboratory and regional laboratories meeting GLP and ISO/IEC 17025 standards...

b) Stage 2 (2008 - 2010): continue implementing activities, prioritizing food contamination control; establishing a rapid alert system for unsafe food, a food poisoning surveillance system, and participating in regional and international systems; building model programs and implementing food contamination control at these models, while evaluating the implementation of the plan's objectives.

4. Funding for implementation

Annually, the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and sectors coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to develop plans and budgets for implementing the Action Plan in accordance with the State Budget Law.

The funding for implementing this Action Plan includes the following main sources: central budget, international cooperation projects; local budget; contributions from food production, processing, and trading enterprises; organizations and individuals both domestically and internationally.

Article 2. Allocation of organizational implementation

1. Inter-ministerial Steering Committee for Food Safety is responsible for directing, monitoring, inspecting, and urging ministries, sectors, provincial People's Committees under the Central Government to effectively implement the National Food Safety Assurance Action Plan.

2. The Ministry of Health

a) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to draft and promulish legal documents guiding the implementation of the Food Safety Ordinance and Decree No. 163/2004/NĐ-CP dated September 7, 2004 detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Food Safety Ordinance within their authority.

b) Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant ministries and sectors to develop a strategy for food safety information, communication, and education; coordinate with mass organizations and sectoral agencies at the local level to build a grassroots food safety propaganda network.

c) Monitor microbial and chemical residue contamination in food circulating in the market such as functional foods, high-risk foods, imported foods, and food additives; domestically produced foods, pre- and post-processing foods for domestic consumption.

d) Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology and relevant ministries and sectors to plan and develop a nationwide testing system.

đ) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to establish a rapid alert system for unsafe food and predict food contamination risks; establish a food poisoning surveillance system and foodborne disease monitoring system.

e) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to inspect and audit food safety.

g) Take the lead and coordinate with local People's Committees and related agencies to establish some food safety assurance models in the community.

Serve as the focal point, coordinating and cooperating in the implementation of the Plan. Responsible for preparing annual reports on the implementation of the National Food Safety Assurance Action Plan to submit to the Prime Minister.

3. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

a) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to draft and promulish, or propose to the Government for promulgation, legal regulations ensuring food safety during agricultural product production.

b) Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and related agencies to develop and propose to the Government mechanisms and policies to encourage investment in building centralized livestock and poultry slaughterhouses that ensure food safety.

c) Monitor veterinary hygiene for animal-origin feed ingredients and feed.

d) Monitor the quality of veterinary hygiene for animal feed and agricultural supplies.

đ) Monitor animal and plant diseases, crop and livestock breeds.

e) Monitor microorganisms and chemical residues in agricultural products during production, processing, storage, and transportation.

g) Monitor veterinary hygiene for animal-origin food imports and exports.

h) Direct the development of safe agricultural production areas (vegetable, fruit, tea safe areas, livestock breeding safe areas...).

Organize guidance, inspection, and certification of conditions for ensuring food safety in livestock breeding and slaughtering facilities meeting GMP, SSOP, HACCP system standards.

k) Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and sectors to participate in the rapid alert system for unsafe food.

4. Ministry of Fisheries

a) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to draft and promulish, or propose to the Government for promulgation, legal regulations on fishery food safety, disease control, and environmental protection.

b) Monitor fishery animal and plant diseases; biological pollution and chemical residues in fresh, processed fishery products during transportation and import/export.

c) Monitor fishery food safety and processed fishery products for domestic consumption during processing, storage, and transportation.

d) Supervise the quality of VSAT feed for livestock and production materials for aquatic products.

đ) Organize inspections to recognize the conditions ensuring VSAT at production and business establishments from harvesting, farming, storage, processing of aquatic products (including quality management programs according to GMP, GHP, SSOP, HACCP).

e) Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and sectors to participate in the rapid food safety alert system.

5. The Ministry of Commerce

a) The Ministry of Commerce shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and sectors to inspect and supervise food business activities on the market, particularly high-risk food groups; control food labels, counterfeit foods.

b) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to develop and promulgate legal documents stipulating conditions for operating catering services and fresh food retail services under the Food Safety Ordinance.

c) Coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in managing centralized slaughtering and implementing GHP, HACCP at industrial-scale slaughtering facilities.

6. The Ministry of Science and Technology

a) The Ministry of Science and Technology shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant ministries and sectors to develop and promulgate Vietnamese standards on the quality and safety of food products.

b) Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and sectors to plan and develop the food safety testing system nationwide.

7. The Ministry of Culture and Information

a) Coordinate with the Central Committee for Propaganda and Ideology, relevant ministries and sectors to guide and direct information dissemination and propaganda work on food safety within the cultural and information sector and throughout society.

b) Direct mass media organizations to strengthen propaganda and education on legal knowledge and general knowledge about food safety for various target groups.

c) Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and sectors to supervise food advertising activities.

8. The Ministry of Industry

a) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to develop and promulgate guiding documents within their authority for participating in international integration activities regarding management, harmonization of technical standards and regulations on food safety for food production processes managed by the industry sector.

b) Control microbial contamination and chemical residues during food processing under its management.

c) Coordinate with the Ministry of Health to guide the application of GHP, HACCP at food processing enterprises, especially small and medium-sized food production and processing enterprises.

d) Develop scientific and technological production of food that ensures hygiene and safety.

đ) Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and other relevant ministries and sectors to participate in the rapid food safety alert system.

9. The Ministry of Planning and Investment

a) Attract investment from international projects on food safety, particularly systems for monitoring food poisoning, rapid food safety alerts, and food safety testing systems.

b) Ensure necessary resources for the operation of food safety programs.

10. The Ministry of Finance

a) Balance and ensure financial support for approved food safety programs.

b) Monitor, oversee, and participate in evaluating the results of food safety programs.

c) Customs forces at border gates shall coordinate with relevant sectors to supervise imported food, agricultural production materials, aquaculture, and food processing industry materials in accordance with the law.

11. The Ministry of Education and Training

a) Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and sectors to organize propaganda and education on food safety knowledge among students and in educational institutions from kindergarten to university.

b) Incorporate food safety content into educational curricula at all levels.

c) Promote and mobilize the public to improve hygienic and scientific living habits; change outdated customs and practices.

12. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to manage waste sources causing environmental pollution and food contamination and ensure safe planting, breeding, and living environments.

13. The Ministry of National Defense

a) Border Guard units shall coordinate with customs forces and local relevant agencies to prevent the smuggling of substandard food across borders.

b) Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to participate in propaganda and education to enhance awareness and practice of food safety among ethnic minorities in military regions, remote areas, border areas, and islands.

14. The Ministry of Public Security

a) Coordinate with the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Health, and other relevant ministries and sectors to strengthen inspections of compliance with national regulations on food safety for street food businesses.

b) Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to inspect food safety conditions of food transportation vehicles; control counterfeit and smuggled food.

c) Participate in resolving incidents related to food safety.

15. The Ministry of Home Affairs

a) Study and submit to the Government a proposal to improve the organizational structure for managing, testing, and specialized inspection of food safety from central to provincial and district levels.

b) Plan to strengthen the cadre force with expertise in food safety management, inspection, and testing for relevant ministries and sectors.

16. Provincial People's Committees

a) Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to direct the development of food safety management policies in their jurisdictions and implement food safety programs locally.

b) Be responsible for managing and directing food safety assurance activities in their jurisdictions throughout the production process from cultivation, harvesting, fishing, extraction, slaughtering, processing, storage, transportation until food reaches consumers; manage hygiene and safety for street food, markets, tourist areas, festivals.

c) Direct propaganda, education, guidance on the implementation of legal documents on food safety. Organize inspections and audits of compliance with food safety laws in their jurisdictions.

d) Direct departments and sectors in their jurisdictions to build safe agricultural and food production zones; construct centralized animal slaughterhouses that are hygienic and environmentally friendly; establish community models to participate in managing and supervising food safety assurance in their jurisdictions.

17. Propose political and social organizations, mass organizations, and professional associations cooperate with relevant ministries, sectors, and authorities at all levels to organize: a) Dissemination of food safety knowledge to members and mobilize the community to participate together.

b) Implementation of specific activities contributing to ensuring food safety: establishing community self-monitoring models for food safety in small and scattered food processing establishments; building cultural and health villages; establishing models to ensure street food safety...

b) Implement specific activities to contribute to ensuring food safety and hygiene: establishing community self-monitoring models for food safety and hygiene at small and scattered food processing establishments; building cultural-health villages; developing models to ensure street food safety...

Article 3. The Standard Measurement Quality Control Department shall be responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Regulations adopted herein.

Article 4. The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government agencies, Chairmen of provincial People's Committees under the central government are responsible for implementing this Decision.