Circular No. 54/2024/TT-BGTVT stipulates the procedures and formalities for certifying the technical safety quality and environmental protection of motor vehicles, specialized motorcycles, and imported vehicle parts.

SIGNATUREOCIRCULAR

REGULATING THE PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFYING THE QUALITY, TECHNICAL SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES, SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES, AND MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS IN IMPORTSMOTOR VEHICLES IN IMPORTS

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BASED ON THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDER AND SAFETY LAW NO. 36/2024/QH15 dated June 27, 2024;

BASED ON THE LAW ON PRODUCT QUALITY NO. 05/2007/QH12 dated November 21, 2007; AND THE LAW NO. 35/2018/QH14 dated November 20, 2018 AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING CERTAIN ARTICLES OF 37 RELATED LAWS ON PLANNING

BASED ON THE LAW ON ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY NO. 50/2010/QH12 dated June 17, 2010; AND THE LAW NO. 28/2018/QH14 dated June 15, 2018 AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING CERTAIN ARTICLES OF 11 RELATED LAWS ON PLANNING

BASED ON DECREE NO. 116/2017/NĐ-CP dated October 17, 2017 OF THE GOVERNMENT REGULATING CONDITIONS FOR MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, IMPORTING, AND PROVIDING AFTER-SALE SERVICES FOR PASSENGER CARS AND DECREE NO. 17/2020/NĐ-CP dated February 5, 2020 AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING CERTAIN ARTICLES OF DECREES RELATING TO BUSINESS CONDITIONS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE'S ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT

BASED ON DECISION NO. 04/2017/QĐ-TTg dated March 9, 2017 OF concerning the determination of restricted areas,ớng Ch"b) In addition to the lists of public services issued according to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 4 of this Decree, specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees shall report to the provincial People's Committee for decision-making on amending, supplementing, or issuing the list of public services funded by the state budget within their jurisdiction and consistent with the local budget capacity within the approved budget by the Provincial People's Assembly, and send it to the Ministry of Finance and relevant ministries and sectors for supervision during implementation."THE GOVERNMENT REGULATING THE LIST OF EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES THAT MUST BE LABELED WITH ENERGY LABELS, APPLYING MINIMUM ENERGY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULESinternationalOF THE GOVERNMENT REGULATING THE FUNCTIONS, TASKS, POWERS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

On the basis of Government Decree No. 56/2022/NĐ-CP dated 24 the 8 Pursuant to Decree No. 32/2019/NĐ-CP dated April 10, 2019 of the Government on assigning tasks, procurement or tendering for the supply of products and services using state budget from regular operating expenses;22 THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT ISSUES THIS CIRCULAR REGULATING THE PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFYING THE QUALITY, TECHNICAL SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES, SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES, AND MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS IN IMPORTS.;

At the proposal of the Director of the Science, Technology, and Environment Department and the Director of the Vietnam Registration Agency;

1. THIS CIRCULAR REGULATES THE PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFYING THE QUALITY, TECHNICAL SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES, SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES, AND MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS IN IMPORTS.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

a) MOTOR VEHICLES, SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES, AND MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS IMPORTED UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE AND THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY;

2. This Circular does not apply to:

b) MOTOR VEHICLES AND MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS IMPORTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF INTERNATIONAL TREATIES TO WHICH THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM IS A PARTY;

c) MOTOR VEHICLES, SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES, AND MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS IMPORTED FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, PRODUCTION SUPPORT, DISPLAY AT TRADE FAIRS, AND COMMERCIAL EXHIBITIONS.

THIS CIRCULAR APPLIES TO ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE PROCEDURES FOR CERTIFYING THE QUALITY, TECHNICAL SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES, SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES, AND MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS IN IMPORTS.

Article 2. Applicability

MOTOR VEHICLES AND SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms shall be understood as follows:

1. (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS VEHICLES) INCLUDE: a) VEHICLES AS DEFINED IN THE CIRCULAR OF THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT REGULATING THE CLASSIFICATION OF ROAD TRAFFIC VEHICLES AND IDENTIFIABLE MARKINGS OF MOTOR VEHICLES USING CLEAN AND GREEN ENERGY, FRIENDLY TO THE ENVIRONMENT;

b) SEMI-KIT PASSENGER CARS AS DEFINED IN CLAUSE 2, ARTICLE 3 OF DECREE NO. 116/2017/NĐ-CP DATED OCTOBER 17, 2017 OF THE GOVERNMENT REGULATING CONDITIONS FOR MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, IMPORTING, AND PROVIDING AFTER-SALE SERVICES FOR PASSENGER CARS (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS DECREE NO. 116/2017/NĐ-CP).

MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS

2. (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS PARTS) ARE ASSEMBLIES, SYSTEMS, AND COMPONENTS OF MOTOR VEHICLES BELONGING TO THE LIST OF PRODUCTS AND GOODS UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT FOR NATIONAL MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE SAFETY. UNUSED MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS

3. ARE MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN USED FOR MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, OR REPAIRING MOTOR VEHICLES. UNUSED MOTOR VEHICLES

4. ARE MOTOR VEHICLES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED FOR CIRCULATION BEFORE IMPORT INTO VIETNAM. UNUSED SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES

5. ARE SPECIAL-PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED FOR CIRCULATION OR PUT INTO USE FOR PRODUCTION OR CONSTRUCTION. SIMILAR TYPE PARTS

6. ARE PARTS WITH THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE CORRESPONDING PARTS LISTED IN THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL STANDARDS ANNEX XXI ATTACHED TO THIS CIRCULAR. ARE VEHICLES WITH THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS DETERMINED ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLES SET OUT IN ANNEX I ATTACHED TO THIS CIRCULAR.

7. Same type of vehicle IMPORTED GOODS

8. ARE VEHICLES AND PARTS IMPORTED. ARE ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS ORGANIZING AND IMPLEMENTING THE IMPORT OF VEHICLES AND PARTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS.

9. Importer ARE ORGANIZATIONS ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS AND ACKNOWLEDGED AND DESIGNATED BY THE VIETNAM MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION AUTHORITY TO PERFORM TESTING AND EXPERIMENTATION ON VEHICLES AND PARTS.

10. testing facility FOREIGN TESTING FACILITIES

11. ARE SPECIALIZED TESTING ORGANIZATIONS OR TECHNICAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS LISTED IN THE MEMBER COUNTRY'S PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON ROAD TRAFFIC VEHICLES TO WHICH VIETNAM IS A MEMBER. FACTORY STATEMENT

12. Factory Quality Inspection Certificate IS THE MANUFACTURER'S DOCUMENT ISSUED FOR EACH IMPORTED PASSENGER CAR INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: FRAME NUMBER (OR VIN), ENGINE NUMBER, BASIC TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AS LISTED IN SECTION I OF ANNEX III ATTACHED TO THIS CIRCULAR.

13. SAFETY TESTING REPORT IS THE TESTING RESULT FROM THE TESTING FACILITY WHEN TESTING SAMPLE MOTOR VEHICLES.

14. EMISSION TESTING REPORT IS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TWO TYPES OF DOCUMENTS:

a) THE EMISSION TESTING RESULTS FROM THE TESTING FACILITY FOR SAMPLE MOTOR VEHICLES OR SAMPLE MOTOR VEHICLE ENGINES;

b) DOCUMENTS FROM THE TESTING FACILITY INCLUDING THE FOREIGN TESTING FACILITY'S EMISSION TESTING REPORT CONFIRMATION COMPLYING WITH THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL STANDARDS ON EMISSIONS AS PROVIDED IN ANNEX XX ATTACHED TO THIS CIRCULAR.

15. PART TESTING REPORT IS THE TESTING RESULT FROM THE TESTING FACILITY WHEN TESTING SAMPLE PARTS FOR THE TYPES OF PARTS LISTED IN ANNEX XXI ATTACHED TO THIS CIRCULAR.

16. ENERGY CONSUMPTION TESTING REPORT IS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TWO TYPES OF DOCUMENTS:

a) THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION TESTING RESULTS FROM THE TESTING FACILITY FOR SAMPLE MOTOR VEHICLES;

b) DOCUMENTS FROM THE TESTING FACILITY INCLUDING THE FOREIGN TESTING FACILITY'S ENERGY CONSUMPTION TESTING REPORT CONFIRMATION COMPLYING WITH THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL STANDARDS ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR THE CORRESPONDING VEHICLE TYPE AS PROVIDED IN ANNEX XX ATTACHED TO THIS CIRCULAR.

17. NOTICE OF QUALITY ASSURANCE EVALUATION RESULTS (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS QUALITY ASSURANCE EVALUATION NOTICE COP) IS AN EFFECTIVE DOCUMENT SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THE QUALITY ASSURANCE EVALUATION OF THE MANUFACTURER'S PRODUCTS ACCORDING TO ARTICLES 8 AND 11 OF THIS CIRCULAR.

18. QUALITY ASSURANCE EVALUATION REPORT (hereinafter referred to as the "report on the assessment results COP") is a document regarding the results of the assessment meeting the requirements for product quality assurance as stipulated in Article 8 and Article 11 of this Circular and serves as the basis for issuing the notification of the assessment results COP.

19. Quality certificate is the result of certification of technical safety and environmental protection quality issued by the competent authority, including the following documents:

a) Notification exempting from technical safety and environmental protection quality inspection (hereinafter referred to as the "exemption notification") is a document according to the model prescribed in Appendix II promulgated together with this Circular;

b) Certificate of technical safety and environmental protection quality (hereinafter referred to as the "certificate") is a document according to the model prescribed in Appendix III promulgated together with this Circular;

c) Notification of non-compliance with technical safety and environmental protection quality (hereinafter referred to as the "non-compliance notification") is a document according to the model prescribed in Appendix IV promulgated together with this Circular;

d) Notification of violation of vehicles or parts (hereinafter referred to as the "violation notification") is a document according to the model prescribed in Appendix V promulgated together with this Circular.

20. Decoding of the VIN number is a document provided by the vehicle manufacturer explaining the characters displayed on the VIN number (English name: Vehicle Identification Number) for each type of vehicle.

21. Certified copy by the importer including:

a) For paper files: it is a copy made from the original, signed by the legal representative or authorized person and stamped by the importing organization, or a copy made from the original, signed by the individual importer;

b) For electronic files: it is a copy made from the original or a copy made from the certified copy mentioned in point a of this clause and uploaded to the electronic file in image format: PDF, JPEG, TIFF...

22. Fuel consumption of the vehicle is the amount of fuel or electricity consumed by the vehicle over a certain distance, corresponding to a defined test condition and cycle;

23. Recall is the action taken by the importer at the authorization of the foreign manufacturer to address motor vehicles that have been supplied to the market and which have defects in design, manufacture, production, assembly, in order to rectify and prevent potential hazards;

24. Competent certification authority (hereinafter referred to as the "certification authority") is the Vietnam Motor Vehicle Registration Agency.

Chapter II

PROCEDURE FOR CERTIFICATION OF TECHNICAL SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION QUALITY OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLES

Section 1

MOTOR VEHICLES AND SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLES

Article 4. Procedure and process

1. Submission of registration inspection dossier

The importer prepares one set of registration inspection dossier in accordance with Article 5 of this Circular and submits it online through the National Single Window Portal (electronic dossier). In cases of force majeure as prescribed by law (hereinafter referred to as "force majeure"), the importer may submit the paper dossier to the certification authority at the addresses published on the certification authority's website.

2. Acceptance of registration inspection dossier

The certification authority accepts and checks the components of the registration inspection dossier and issues the result within a maximum of one working day from the date of receipt of the registration inspection dossier, specifically as follows:

If the registration inspection dossier is complete as required, the certification authority signs and confirms the Quality Safety Technical and Environmental Protection Inspection Registration Form, automatically generates the registration number for inspection and sends it to the National Single Window Portal (for electronic dossier) or the certification authority assigns the registration number for inspection, signs and confirms the Quality Safety Technical and Environmental Protection Inspection Registration Form, returns it to the importer (for paper dossier) so that the importer can proceed with import procedures with the customs office at the port of entry;

If the registration inspection dossier is incomplete as required, the certification authority announces on the National Single Window Portal (for electronic dossier) or notifies according to the model prescribed in Appendix X promulgated together with this Circular (for paper dossier) for the importer to supplement and amend;

The certification authority has the right to refuse acceptance or return the registration inspection dossier and notify the importer on the National Single Window Portal (for electronic dossier) or notify according to the model prescribed in Appendix X promulgated together with this Circular (for paper dossier) in the following cases:

a) Imported vehicles do not fall under the list of products and goods that may cause safety risks under the management responsibility of the Ministry of Transport;

b) Documents in the registration inspection dossier indicate that the vehicle falls under the list of prohibited imported goods as prescribed in Government Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP dated May 15, 2018 detailing some provisions of the Law on Management of Foreign Trade (hereinafter referred to as "Government Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP");

c) Documents in the registration inspection dossier contain images or content that incorrectly represent national sovereignty or other content that affects national security, politics, economy, society, and diplomatic relations of Vietnam;

d) Documents in the registration inspection dossier indicate that the imported vehicle has lower emission standards than those prescribed by law;

đ) Failure to declare the frame number (or VIN for motor vehicles; PIN or serial number for special purpose vehicles) in the registration inspection dossier;

e) More than 30 days from the date of opening the registration inspection dossier, the importer does not present the vehicle for inspection for the previous import shipment except in cases of force majeure;

g) The importer is currently suspended from operations as prescribed by law.

3. Conducting inspection

a) The importer submits the confirmed inspection plan form prescribed in Appendix XI issued together with this Circular on the National Single Window Portal along with the number, date, month, and year of the import goods declaration (for electronic files) or sends to the certification authority the confirmed inspection plan form accompanied by a copy of the import goods declaration (for paper files). The certification authority conducts the inspection within a maximum of 01 working day for inspection locations at the border gate or within a maximum of 05 working days for inspection locations at the importer's storage warehouse, starting from the inspection date proposed by the importer on the confirmed inspection plan form. In cases of force majeure preventing the inspection, the certification authority agrees with the importer to conduct the inspection at a suitable time.

b) The certification authority informs the importer about the inspector conducting the inspection and the inspection time before carrying out the inspection.

c) In cases where samples need to be taken for testing, the inspector prepares a sample-taking record according to the provisions in Appendix XII issued together with this Circular for the importer to present when working with the testing facility. To shorten the testing time, the importer has the right to choose to use 02 sample vehicles for each type: 01 sample for safety testing and 01 sample for emission testing, but the principle of random selection by the inspector must be ensured.

4. Issuance of Quality Certificate

Within a maximum of 04 working days from the end of the inspection and the completion of the file evaluation in accordance with the provisions of this Circular, the certification authority issues the Quality Certificate on the National Single Window Portal (for electronic files) or on paper (for paper files or in cases of force majeure preventing issuance on the National Single Window Portal) for each vehicle, specifically as follows:

a) Issue a notification of exemption for cases where the inspection meets the requirements according to the method prescribed in Clause 2 of Article 6 of this Circular;

b) Issue a certificate of conformity for cases where the inspection results meet the requirements for the methods specified in Clauses 1, 3, 4, and 5 of Article 6 of this Circular. For sample vehicles sent for testing, the certificate will note "This vehicle was used for testing in Vietnam";

c) Issue a notification of non-conformity for the following cases: cases where the inspection results do not meet the requirements; cases where second-hand vehicles are not registered for circulation in EU countries, G7 countries, or countries with equivalent or higher emission standards than those currently in effect in Vietnam; other cases as specified in Points a, b, c, e, k, m, and r of Clause 5 of this Article;

d) Issue a violation notice for imported vehicles in any of the following cases: vehicles listed in the prohibited import goods catalog under Decree No. 69/2018/NĐ-CP; documents in the registration file or the imported vehicle contain images or content that incorrectly represent national sovereignty or cause adverse effects on national security, politics, economy, society, and diplomatic relations of Vietnam; other cases subject to administrative penalties involving confiscation of goods according to the law for imported goods.

5. Handling of Occurring Cases

a) When discovering that the chassis number or engine number of the inspected vehicle differs from the registration file, the inspector stops the technical safety and environmental protection quality inspection of these vehicles and prepares a separate record for each vehicle as the basis for issuing a non-conformity notice, except for the following cases: cases where there is confirmation from the customs office regarding the actual chassis and engine numbers of the imported vehicle; cases where the importer supplements the registration file with confirmation from the seller regarding the misdelivery of goods along with related documentation.

For the excluded cases mentioned above, the inspector returns the registration file to the importer to amend and supplement the chassis and engine numbers in the registration file to match the actual chassis and engine numbers of the imported vehicle.

b) Issue a non-conformity notice for the following cases: vehicles without a chassis number; vehicles with part or all of the chassis number unidentifiable; motor vehicles with the chassis number stamped on metal plates or other materials and attached to the frame using welding, riveting, or adhesive methods, except in cases where the chassis number has been erased, altered, or re-engraved; motor vehicles designed without a chassis number, only having a VIN; special purpose vehicles without a chassis number, only having a PIN or serial number.

c) Issue a non-conformity notice for the following cases:

Vehicles without a brand name;

Motor vehicles with the chassis number or VIN (in cases where motor vehicles do not have a chassis number) identical to the chassis number or VIN of previously imported motor vehicles; special purpose vehicles with the chassis number (or PIN or serial number in cases where special purpose vehicles do not have a chassis number) identical to the chassis number (or PIN or serial number) of previously imported special purpose vehicles of the same brand and type, except in cases of erasure, alteration, or re-engraving of the chassis number or engine number, or cases where the imported vehicle is the same vehicle legally re-exported from Vietnam.

d) In cases where imported vehicles fall under the category specified in Point d of Clause 4 of this Article, the inspector stops the technical safety and environmental protection quality inspection and prepares a record according to the model prescribed in Appendix XIII issued together with this Circular as the basis for issuing a violation notice for each vehicle in this category.

đ) In cases where the chassis number of the vehicle cannot be read entirely by the naked eye or if signs of erasure, alteration, or re-engraving are found in any of the following cases: engine number; chassis number or VIN (in cases where motor vehicles do not have a chassis number); chassis number (or PIN, serial number in cases where special purpose vehicles do not have a chassis number), the certification authority sends a document to the specialized appraisal agency requesting determination of the condition of the chassis and engine numbers as the basis for issuing the Quality Certificate.

e) In case the documents provided in the registration file for inspection differ from the actual vehicle, the importer shall supplement appropriate documents within fifteen working days from the date of receipt of notification about this matter. The certification authority has the right to request the importer to provide evidence regarding the origin of the supplemented documents. Beyond this period, if the importer cannot provide documents that match the actual vehicle, the certification authority issues a non-compliance notice.

g) For automobiles, motorcycles, and motorbikes: the verification of the structure of the sample vehicle against test reports may be replaced by verifying the structure of the sample vehicle against the vehicle that received the test report through the manufacturer's software. If the sample vehicle's technical specifications or structure differ from the test reports and do not comply with the principle of determining vehicles of the same type as set out in Appendix I issued along with this Circular, then the method of inspecting and testing the sample vehicle shall be applied. If the structure or software related to emissions of the sample vehicle differs from the emission test reports but still complies with the principle of determining vehicles of the same type, emission testing must be conducted, except when there is documentation from the vehicle manufacturer or parts supplier indicating that such changes do not affect the function and structure related to emissions.

h) In cases where the sample vehicle tested by the manufacturer is run abroad to serve testing purposes in Vietnam, the actual condition of the means of transport must correspond to the confirmation of the manufacturer, at which point the condition of the means of transport is determined as unused.

i) In cases where imported motor vehicles are temporarily registered according to foreign law regulations for transportation to export locations, and the condition of the vehicle and the mileage index are consistent with the distance traveled from the purchase location or storage location to the export location, the condition of the means of transport is determined as unused, and in the certificate, it is noted: "The odometer reading at the time of inspection is ... km."

k) In cases where the condition of the automobile is declared as unused in the inspection registration file, but the inspector determines the actual condition of the vehicle as used, the inspector shall prepare a record according to the model prescribed in Appendix XIII issued along with this Circular, including the requirement that within fifteen working days from the date of inspection, the importer must supplement one of the following types of documents to determine the condition of the means of transport: documents specified in point m, Clause 1, Article 5 of this Circular; confirmation from the manufacturer regarding overseas testing; temporary registration according to foreign law regulations for transportation to export locations. Beyond this period, if the importer does not provide any of the above documents or the provided documents do not match the actual condition of the vehicle, the certification authority issues a non-compliance notice for this vehicle.

l) In cases where automobiles are equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), if the manufacturer assesses these systems as unsuitable for use on Vietnamese roads, the manufacturer recommends and guides the importer to deactivate part or all of these systems and must ensure full information provision to customers.

m) In cases where motor vehicles have a total design weight greater than the maximum permissible total weight or have a weight distributed on the axle exceeding the maximum permissible weight on the axle stipulated in the National Technical Regulation on Quality, Safety Technical Standards, and Environmental Protection for Motor Vehicles QCVN 09:2024/BGTVT, and the National Technical Regulation on Quality, Safety Technical Standards, and Environmental Protection for Trailers and Semi-trailers QCVN 11:2024/BGTVT, the certification authority calculates and records the maximum permissible total weight of the vehicle (referred to as unloading the vehicle) under the condition that these calculated values meet the requirements for cargo box dimensions stipulated in the aforementioned national technical regulation. If unloading the vehicle leads to non-compliance with the requirements for cargo box dimensions or if the size of the vehicle exceeds the permitted size limits stipulated in the national technical regulation on quality, safety technical standards, and environmental protection by the Minister of Transport, a non-compliance notice will be issued, except for specialized motor vehicles, trailers, and semi-trailers.

n) Specialized motor vehicles, trailers, and semi-trailers with sizes exceeding the permitted size limits or with a design weight greater than the maximum permissible weight stipulated in the national technical regulation on quality, safety technical standards, and environmental protection will still be inspected for importation, but the certificate must note: this vehicle has parameters (size, weight) exceeding the maximum permissible limit, when participating in public road traffic, it must obtain permission from the competent authority managing the road.

o) In cases where used vehicles have technical documents but lack basic technical specifications, the basic technical specifications of the vehicle are determined based on actual inspections.

p) In cases where used vehicles have undergone changes abroad in some technical specifications or structures compared to the original manufacturer's production, the importer must present documents from the foreign vehicle management authority regarding the changed vehicle. Specifically, for automobiles, the total design weight of the vehicle in this case must not exceed the value stated in the documents of the foreign vehicle management authority.

q) In case of receiving complaints, reports, or reflections with credible grounds related to the technical quality, safety, and environmental protection of a type of vehicle, if the results of inspection and verification are not sufficient to conclude, the certification authority shall take samples from vehicles stored in the importer's warehouse for testing. If there are no vehicles in the importer's warehouse, the certification authority shall take samples from the next imported batch for testing. The costs for sampling and testing shall be carried out according to Article 41 of the Law on Product Quality and Goods.

r) For specialized motorcycles with large dimensions that must be disassembled for transportation to Vietnam, the importer must assemble the motorcycle completely and present it for inspection within fifteen days from the date of bringing the vehicle back for storage. Except in cases of force majeure, beyond this deadline, if the importer does not present or presents a motorcycle that has not been fully assembled, the certification authority will issue a non-compliance notice for the said vehicle. If the disassembled parts are transported in different shipments, the importer must provide documents showing that the specialized motorcycle was purchased as a complete unit and that the disassembly was solely for transportation purposes; the deadline for presenting the vehicle for inspection is within fifteen days from the date of the last shipment being brought back for storage.

s) If thirty days have passed since the issuance of the registration file for inspection and the importer has not presented the vehicle for inspection, the certification authority shall send a reminder letter to the importer regarding the delay in presenting the vehicle for inspection. Within fifteen days from the receipt of the reminder letter, the importer must submit an explanation for the delay along with a copy of the import declaration. Except in cases of force majeure, if the importer does not respond with a letter and a copy of the import declaration within the specified period or fails to present the vehicle for inspection within fifteen days from the date of bringing the vehicle back for storage, the certification authority will issue a non-compliance notice for the said vehicle.

t) In case of damage to imported vehicles during transportation from abroad to Vietnam, the importer is permitted to repair, specifically as follows: if the body, driver's cabin, cargo box is dented, scratched, or oxidized locally but not infested with pests or perforated, measures such as repair, replacement with unused spare parts of the same type can be applied. If the windshield, door glass, window glass is cracked or broken; the lighting and signaling system is cracked or broken; relays are missing; rearview mirrors are cracked or broken; wipers are damaged or malfunctioning; the starting battery does not work; tires are punctured or torn, then replacement with unused spare parts of the same type can be applied.

u) For specialized motorcycles designed with automatic acceleration based on load or with exhaust pipes specially designed where it is impossible to insert an exhaust gas sampling probe, exhaust gas testing shall not be applied.

v) The year of manufacture of the vehicle is determined in the following order of priority: information about the year of manufacture on the original manufacturer's label attached to the vehicle; information about the year of manufacture provided by the vehicle manufacturer or obtained from the manufacturer; information about the year of manufacture on the manufacturer's documentation such as: documentation on the features and technical specifications of the vehicle, technical specification manuals of the vehicle; information about the year of manufacture in a copy of the vehicle registration certificate or Certificate of Vehicle Registration Cancellation issued by the competent authority of a foreign country; the year of manufacture obtained from the vehicle identification number (VIN, PIN) or chassis number through software provided by international organizations and associations providing vehicle information. If the vehicle is manufactured on a chassis, the year of manufacture of the vehicle is determined according to the year of manufacture of the chassis.

Article 5. Registration Documents for Inspection

1. The registration file for inspecting imported vehicles includes the following documents:

a) The application form for registering the technical quality and environmental safety inspection of imported vehicles according to the model prescribed in Section I of Appendix VI issued together with this Circular;

b) Information form of imported vehicles according to the model prescribed in Appendix VII issued together with this Circular;

c) Documentation introducing the features and technical specifications of the vehicle by the manufacturer, which must include basic technical specifications and distinctive technical specifications (if any) corresponding to the type of vehicle listed in Appendix III issued together with this Circular. Documentation for specialized trucks with a total weight of 15,000 kg or more, trucks, specialized trucks, trailers, semi-trailers must include specifications on the axle load capacity. If the imported vehicle is produced from a chassis, documentation introducing the features and technical specifications of the completed vehicle and the chassis must be provided;

d) Certificate of factory quality inspection;

đ) Certificate of type approval for spare parts for tires, rearview mirrors, front headlights, and glass issued by the competent authority;

e) Notification of COP assessment results meeting requirements issued to the vehicle manufacturer;

g) Decoding sheet of the VIN provided by the manufacturer;

h) Commercial invoice accompanied by a list of goods or equivalent documentation;

i) Import declaration for paper files or the date, month, and year of the electronic import declaration;

k) Exhaust emission test report;

l) Safety test report;

m) Copy of the valid Certificate of Registration for Circulation issued by a competent authority of a foreign country or other documents of equivalent legal value indicating that the automobile had been registered for circulation before being imported into Vietnam, not exceeding twelve months from the date of export;

n) Documentation proving that the automobile, motorcycle, or motorbike belongs to a type approved for circulation in countries belonging to the EU, G7, or countries with equivalent or higher emission standards than the current Vietnamese standards;

o) Fuel consumption rate registration form for the type of vehicle according to the model prescribed in Appendix XVIII issued together with this Circular;

p) An energy consumption test report accompanied by relevant documents when conducting the energy consumption test;

q) A confirmation plan for inspection according to the model prescribed in Appendix XI issued together with this Circular.

2. Provisions on exemption and reduction of documents; types of documents; time of submission of documents

a) The documents specified in points c, d, đ, e, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, p of Clause 1 of this Article shall be certified copies provided by the importer;

b) The document specified in point d of Clause 1 of this Article: the importer submits one copy for each type of vehicle when submitting the application for inspection registration and supplements copies of vehicles to the certification authority before actual vehicle inspection;

c) The document specified in point i of Clause 1 of this Article must be submitted prior to inspection;

d) The documents specified in points k, l, o, p of Clause 1 of this Article shall be submitted after obtaining the test results;

đ) The document specified in point g of Clause 1 of this Article only applies to the inspection registration dossier of new car models subject to Decree No. 116/2017/NĐ-CP imported into Vietnam for the first time;

e) The document specified in point e of Clause 1 of this Article only applies to used cars subject to Decree No. 116/2017/NĐ-CP and produced from countries applying the type approval certification management method stipulated in Appendix VIII issued together with this Circular (except cases subject to the sample vehicle testing and testing method);

g) The documents specified in points d, đ, e of Clause 1 of this Article do not apply to the following cases: cars subject to point b of Clause 2, Article 2 of Decree No. 116/2017/NĐ-CP and Clause 1, Article 1 of Decree No. 17/2020/NĐ-CP of the Government amending and supplementing certain provisions of related decrees concerning business conditions under the Ministry of Industry and Trade's jurisdiction, trailers, semi-trailers, four-wheeled passenger vehicles with engines, four-wheeled cargo vehicles with engines, motorcycles, motorbikes, special-purpose motorcycles;

h) The document specified in point e of Clause 1 of Article 1 does not apply to used cars subject to Decree No. 116/2017/NĐ-CP and produced from countries applying the self-certification management method stipulated in Appendix VIII issued together with this Circular;

i) The documents specified in points d, đ, e, k, l of Clause 1 of this Article do not apply to: used cars; motor vehicles subject to individual vehicle testing methods for unused vehicles; special-purpose motorcycles;

k) The document specified in point m of Clause 1 of this Article only applies to used cars;

l) The document specified in point n of Clause 1 of this Article only applies to cars, motorcycles, motorbikes subject to point a of Clause 4, Article 6 of this Circular;

m) The documents specified in points o, p of Clause 1 of this Article apply to types of vehicles required to certify energy consumption levels according to national technical regulations on quality, technical safety, and environmental protection standards (except for objects specified in Clauses 4 and 5, Article 6 of this Circular);

n) Exemption of the document specified in point i of Clause 1 of this Article in cases where the vehicle is inspected without opening the import declaration and the vehicle is stored in the customs-controlled area;

o) In cases where the imported vehicle model does not fall within the scope of the sample vehicle testing and testing method and the importer provides the number of the certificate issued for the same model vehicle in the certification authority's database containing the documents specified in points c, đ, e, k, l, o, p of Clause 1 of this Article, then the corresponding documents shall be exempted based on the reference documents in the aforementioned stored dossier;

p) In cases where the import document does not contain the engine number of the vehicle (except for trailers, semi-trailers), the importer may supplement the engine number in the inspection registration dossier before the actual vehicle inspection;

q) The document specified in point q of Clause 1 of this Article shall be submitted prior to inspection.

Article 6. Inspection Methods

1. Sample Vehicle Testing and Inspection

This method applies to new imported motor vehicles (excluding cases specified in Clause 4 of this Article and four-wheeled passenger vehicles with engines operating on dedicated roads or internal roads) and falls under one of the following circumstances:

a) Belongs to a type of vehicle being imported into Vietnam for the first time;

b) Periodically every 36 months from the date of issuance of the certificate for the first batch of goods of the same type imported into Vietnam, the sample will be randomly selected from the imported batch at the importer's request but not earlier than six months before the end of the aforementioned 36-month period;

c) For types of imported passenger vehicles subject to Decree No. 116/2017/ND-CP produced in countries applying self-certification management methods as stipulated in Appendix VIII issued together with this Circular, during the interval between cycles of sample vehicle testing and inspection methods (not exceeding 20 months from the date of issuance of the certificate for the first batch of the cycle), the certifying authority, in coordination with the importer, will randomly select samples from dealerships or warehouses of the importer (from batches that have completed import procedures) for testing technical safety quality and environmental protection. In case there is no sample available for testing, a random sample will be taken from the next consecutive imported batch;

d) Imported passenger vehicles subject to Decree No. 116/2017/ND-CP without a notification of COP assessment results meeting requirements or not produced within the validity period of the notification of COP assessment results meeting requirements (except when produced in countries applying self-certification management methods);

đ) Batches of goods of the same type as the immediately preceding imported batch that received a non-compliance notification.

2. Type Confirmation Inspection

This method applies to unused passenger vehicles subject to Decree No. 116/2017/ND-CP and meets all the following requirements:

a) Belongs to a type that has been certified;

b) Does not fall under the categories mentioned in Clause 1 of this Article;

c) Within a continuous six-month period, the type of vehicle must meet the following requirements: no additional or amended registration inspection documentation required; no failure in technical safety quality and environmental protection requirements;

d) The certifying authority does not receive complaints, reports, or reflections related to technical safety quality or environmental protection regarding the type of vehicle.

3. Probability Inspection

This method applies to unused vehicles not falling under the categories mentioned in Clauses 1, 2, and 4 of this Article.

4. Individual Inspection of Unused Vehicles

This method applies to unused motor vehicles falling under one of the following circumstances:

a) Single imported passenger cars, motorcycles, or motorbikes with non-trade import declarations and belonging to types permitted for circulation in EU, G7 countries, or countries with exhaust emission standards equivalent to or higher than current Vietnamese standards;

b) Passenger cars, motorcycles, or motorbikes eligible for diplomatic privileges and exemptions according to the Prime Minister's decision and having documentation showing exhaust emission standards equivalent to or higher than current Vietnamese standards; c) Passenger cars, motorcycles, or motorbikes imported according to the Prime Minister's decision;

d) Passenger cars designed solely for operation in areas such as railway stations, ports, airports, amusement parks, entertainment zones, construction sites, or with structures and technical specifications unsuitable for public road traffic and having documentation showing exhaust emission standards equivalent to or higher than current Vietnamese standards;

đ) Trailers or semi-trailers designed solely for operation in areas such as railway stations, ports, airports, amusement parks, entertainment zones, construction sites, or with structures and technical specifications unsuitable for public road traffic.

5. Individual Inspection of Used Vehicles

This method applies to imported used vehicles.

1. For the sample vehicle testing and inspection method, the inspection content includes:

Article 7. Content of Inspections

a) Checking the consistency among documents in the registration inspection file;

b) Inspecting the chassis numbers and engine numbers of vehicles in the batch and comparing them with the list of chassis numbers and engine numbers in the registration inspection file;

c) Identifying the types present in the batch. Randomly selecting one sample for each type to compare the sample vehicle with documents in the registration inspection file and for testing. Testing requirements for each type of motor vehicle are detailed in Appendix IX issued together with this Circular;

d) Re-inspecting and evaluating the file after the importer supplements the Safety Test Report and Emission Test Report.

2. For the type confirmation inspection method, the inspection content includes:

a) Checking the consistency among documents in the registration inspection file, including reference documents as prescribed in Point o, Clause 2, Article 5 of this Circular;

b) Inspecting the chassis numbers and engine numbers of vehicles in the batch and comparing them with the list of chassis numbers and engine numbers in the registration inspection file.

3. For the probability inspection method, the inspection content includes:

c) Identifying the types present in the batch. Randomly selecting one sample for each type and comparing the sample vehicle with documents in the registration inspection file, including reference documents as prescribed in Point o, Clause 2, Article 5 of this Circular;

b) Inspecting the chassis numbers and engine numbers of vehicles in the batch and comparing them with the list of chassis numbers and engine numbers in the registration inspection file.

c) Identifying the types present in the batch. Randomly selecting one sample for each type to compare the sample vehicle with documents in the registration inspection file and for testing. Testing requirements for each type of motor vehicle are detailed in Appendix IX issued together with this Circular;

d) For four-wheeled passenger vehicles with engines operating on dedicated roads or internal roads: in addition to the above requirements, the sample vehicle must be tested according to the contents prescribed in the National Technical Regulation on Technical Safety Quality and Environmental Protection for Four-Wheeled Passenger Vehicles with Engines QCVN 119:2024/BGTVT.

d) For four-wheeled motorized vehicles operating on dedicated or internal roads, in addition to the requirements mentioned above, the sample vehicle must be inspected according to the contents specified in the National Technical Regulation on Quality, Safety Technical Standards, and Environmental Protection for Four-Wheeled Motorized Vehicles QCVN 119:2024/BGTVT;

d) For specialized motorcycles: In addition to the requirements mentioned above, the sample vehicle must be inspected according to the contents specified in the National Technical Regulation on Quality, Safety Technical Standards, and Environmental Protection for Specialized Motorcycles QCVN 13:2024/BGTVT, including: general requirements, braking system (excluding brake effectiveness testing), control system, work system (excluding load testing), lighting and signaling systems, exhaust emissions, noise levels.

4. For the method of inspecting individual vehicles that have not been used, the inspection content includes:

b) Inspecting the chassis numbers and engine numbers of vehicles in the batch and comparing them with the list of chassis numbers and engine numbers in the registration inspection file.

b) Checking the chassis number and engine number of the vehicle and comparing them with the list of chassis numbers and engine numbers in the registration inspection file;

c) Confirming the vehicle specifications, including: type of vehicle, condition of the vehicle, brand, trade name, model code, country of manufacture, year of manufacture, basic technical parameters listed in Appendix III issued together with this Circular for the corresponding type of vehicle, and ensuring dimensions, weight, and weight distribution on the axles comply with the provisions of the national technical regulations on quality, safety technical standards, and environmental protection for the corresponding type of vehicle.

d) Inspecting vehicle exhaust emissions according to the requirements and measurement methods for level 4 for automobiles, level 2 for motorcycles and motorbikes as stipulated in the National Standard TCVN 6438:2018 Road Traffic Vehicles - Maximum Allowable Emission Limits.

5. For the method of inspecting individual used vehicles, the inspection content includes:

b) Inspecting the chassis numbers and engine numbers of vehicles in the batch and comparing them with the list of chassis numbers and engine numbers in the registration inspection file.

b) Checking the chassis number and engine number of the vehicle and comparing them with the list of chassis numbers and engine numbers in the registration inspection file;

c) Confirming the vehicle specifications, including: type of vehicle, condition of the vehicle, brand, trade name, model code, country of manufacture, year of manufacture, basic technical parameters, characteristic technical parameters (if any) listed in Appendix III issued together with this Circular for the corresponding type of vehicle, and ensuring dimensions, weight, and weight distribution on the axles comply with the provisions of the national technical regulations on quality, safety technical standards, and environmental protection for the corresponding type of vehicle.

d) Inspecting the quality of safety technical standards and environmental protection:

For automobiles, semi-trailers, tractor-trailers, four-wheeled passenger-carrying vehicles with engines, and four-wheeled cargo-carrying vehicles with engines: inspect according to the requirements specified in Section 2 "Technical Regulations" of the National Technical Regulation on Inspection of Safety Technical Standards and Environmental Protection for Automobiles, Semi-trailers, Tractor-trailers, Four-wheeled Cargo-carrying Vehicles with Engines, and Four-wheeled Passenger-carrying Vehicles with Engines Participating in Road Traffic QCVN 122:2024/BGTVT (excluding inspections of license plate numbers, color, emblems, travel monitoring equipment, surveillance cameras, brake effectiveness, and lateral slip, front light deviation). Specifically, exhaust emissions must meet the requirements set forth in the Prime Minister's Decision on the phased implementation of emission standard levels for imported used motor vehicles.

For specialized motorcycles: inspect according to the provisions in Section 2.2 of the National Technical Regulation on Quality, Safety Technical Standards, and Environmental Protection for Specialized Motorcycles QCVN 13:2024/BGTVT (excluding load testing and brake effectiveness testing).

Article 8. Quality Assurance Assessment for Foreign Automotive Manufacturing and Assembly Plants

1. Content of the Assessment:

The certification body conducts a quality assurance assessment (COP assessment) for foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plants upon request from the importer, including the following contents:

a) Reviewing the legal documentation of the foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant being assessed for the first time, including documents related to business registration, rights to use factory premises, and valid certifications such as IATF 16949:2016, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 or equivalent;

b) Evaluating the suitability of production and assembly processes with imported vehicle models to ensure product quality and stability, including regulations, procedures, and work instructions of the foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant: incoming component quality control; quality control at each production and assembly stage; non-conformity control and corrective/preventive actions; final product quality inspection; equipment maintenance and calibration; warranty and recall procedures; professional training; storage and control of quality inspection records; traceability of spare parts and products;

c) Assessing the items and standards for outgoing vehicle quality inspections based on the manufacturer's specifications to ensure that mass-produced vehicles meet test model requirements, including: brake force testing; wheel alignment testing (for vehicles with independent front suspension systems); lateral slip angle testing (for vehicles with dependent front suspension systems); speedometer accuracy testing; and headlight beam intensity and pattern testing;

d) Evaluating the actual operation of the quality control system during production, assembly, and outgoing quality inspections;

đ) Randomly sampling vehicles produced and assembled for importation to Vietnam or equivalent models already inspected and approved for export by the foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant for testing and comparison with foreign or domestic test reports. If the plant does not have samples meeting these requirements at the time of assessment, random sampling can be conducted from imported shipments or the importer's warehouse;

e) Exempting the COP assessment for imported vehicle types produced and assembled at the same foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant if the production technology, assembly process, and inspection procedures are similar or simpler than those previously assessed and approved, provided that the new vehicle type has been granted a notification of a successful COP assessment;

g) Conducting a supplementary COP assessment for imported vehicle types produced and assembled at the same foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant if the production technology, assembly process, and inspection procedures differ from those previously assessed and approved. A supplementary COP assessment is only required for hybrid and fully electric vehicle production if the previous COP assessment was for fossil fuel-powered vehicles. The supplementary COP assessment may be conducted through review of the manufacturer’s documentation or on-site at the foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant if sufficient evidence cannot be concluded from reviewing the documentation alone;

2. Assessment Results:

After successfully assessing the above contents and items, the certification body issues a notification of a successful COP assessment to the foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant, addressed to the importer;

In cases where the assessment results are unsatisfactory, within six months from the date of receiving the unsatisfactory assessment result, if the foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant fails to rectify the non-conformities, the certification body will issue a notification of an unsuccessful COP assessment to the foreign automotive manufacturing and assembly plant, addressed to the importer;

3. Validity of the Notification of COP Assessment Results:

a) The validity period of the notification of a successful COP assessment is thirty-six months from the date of the successful COP assessment completion;

b) Within three months before the expiration of the validity period of the previous COP assessment notification, the certification body may conduct a periodic COP assessment at the request of the importer. If the assessment results are satisfactory, the validity period of the periodic COP assessment notification begins from the day the previous COP assessment notification expires. If the assessment results are unsatisfactory due to non-compliance with national technical standards, non-conformity with certified product types, failure to conduct outgoing product inspections, improper implementation of outgoing product quality inspection procedures, or issuance of non-compliant outgoing certificates, the previous COP assessment results become invalid from the date of the assessment report conclusion. Once the non-conformities are rectified, the validity period of the periodic COP assessment notification resumes from the day the previous COP assessment notification expired;

c) If the importer requests a periodic COP assessment after the previous COP assessment notification has expired (a disrupted COP assessment notification), the validity period of the periodic COP assessment notification begins from the date of the successful periodic COP assessment completion.

d) The validity of the notification of the COP assessment result meeting the requirements in cases of exemption from COP assessment or supplementary COP assessment as prescribed in point e, g, Clause 1 of this Article shall coincide with the validity of the notification of the COP assessment result meeting the requirements of the vehicle type used as the basis for exemption from COP assessment or supplementary COP assessment.

Section 2

VEHICLE PARTS

Article 9. Procedures and formalities for implementation

1. Submission of registration inspection dossier

The importer prepares one set of registration inspection dossier in accordance with Article 10 of this Circular and submits it online through the National Single Window Portal (electronic dossier submission). In case of force majeure, the importer submits the paper dossier to the certification authority at the addresses published on the certification authority's website.

2. Acceptance of registration inspection dossier

The certification authority receives, examines the components of the registration inspection dossier, and issues the results within a maximum of one working day from the date the importer submits the registration inspection dossier, specifically as follows: if the registration inspection dossier is complete in accordance with the regulations, the certification authority signs and confirms the quality safety technical and environmental protection registration inspection form for imported vehicle parts according to the model prescribed in Appendix VI issued together with this Circular, the system automatically assigns a registration inspection number and sends it to the National Single Window Portal (for electronic dossiers) or the certification authority assigns a registration inspection number, signs and confirms the quality safety technical and environmental protection registration inspection form for imported vehicle parts, returns it to the importer (for paper dossiers) so that the importer can proceed with import procedures with the customs office at the port of entry; if the registration inspection dossier is incomplete in accordance with the regulations, the certification authority announces on the National Single Window Portal (for electronic dossiers) or announces according to the model prescribed in Appendix X issued together with this Circular (for paper dossiers) for the importer to supplement and amend.

The certification authority has the right to refuse to accept or return the registration inspection dossier and notify the importer on the National Single Window Portal (for electronic dossiers) or notify according to the model prescribed in Appendix X issued together with this Circular (for paper dossiers) in any of the following cases:

a) Parts do not fall under the list of products and goods that may cause safety risks under the management responsibility of the Ministry of Transport.

b) Documents in the registration inspection dossier indicate that the parts belong to the list of prohibited import goods as prescribed in Decree No. 69/2018/NĐ-CP.

c) Documents in the registration inspection dossier contain images or content that incorrectly represent national sovereignty or other content that affects national security, politics, economy, society, and diplomatic relations of Vietnam;

d) Over 45 days from the date the registration inspection dossier was opened, the importer does not supplement all documents prescribed in Clause 1, Article 10 of this Circular for the previous registration inspection dossier (except in cases of force majeure, when sample testing or quality assurance evaluation for the production plant is being carried out).

đ) The importer does not comply with the reporting requirement as prescribed in point a, Clause 5 of this Article.

e) The importer is currently suspended from operation in accordance with the law.

3. Inspection of Dossier

After the importer supplements all documents prescribed in points b, đ, e, Clause 1 of Article 10 of this Circular (for the dossier requesting issuance of a certificate for each batch of parts) or documents prescribed in points b, c, đ, e, Clause 1 of Article 10 of this Circular (for the dossier requesting issuance of a certificate for each type of parts), the certification authority conducts an examination of the dossier contents within seven working days from the date of receipt of all required documents. If the dossier is not valid, the certification authority announces on the National Single Window Portal (for electronic dossiers) or announces according to the model prescribed in Appendix X issued together with this Circular (for paper dossiers) for the importer to supplement and amend.

4. Issuance of Quality Certificate

Within four working days from the date the dossier is assessed as complete and valid in accordance with the regulations, the certification authority issues the Quality Certificate on the National Single Window Portal (for electronic dossiers) or a paper copy (for paper dossiers or in cases of force majeure where it is not possible to issue on the National Single Window Portal) for each type of parts in the registration inspection dossier, specifically as follows:

a) Issue a certificate for the type of imported parts in cases where all documents prescribed in Clause 1 of Article 10 of this Circular and the Test Report of parts meeting the requirements are available.

b) Issue a certificate for a batch of imported parts in cases where the registration inspection dossier contains the documents prescribed in points a, b, d, đ, e, Clause 1 of Article 10 of this Circular and the Test Report of parts meeting the requirements.

c) Issue a non-compliance notice in the following cases: the Test Report of parts does not meet the requirements; the dossier is not supplemented fully within 45 days from the date of clearance of goods or temporary release for storage (except in cases of force majeure, when sample testing or quality assurance evaluation for the production plant is being carried out).

d) Issue a violation notice for imported parts in any of the following cases: imported parts belong to the list of prohibited import goods as prescribed in Decree No. 69/2018/NĐ-CP; documents in the registration inspection dossier or imported parts contain images or content that incorrectly represent national sovereignty or other content that affects national security, politics, economy, society, diplomatic relations of Vietnam; other cases subject to administrative penalties such as confiscation of goods in accordance with the law for imported goods.

5. Handling of Occurring Cases

a) For types of parts that have been issued certificates in accordance with point a, Clause 4 of this Article, the importer is exempted from opening a registration inspection dossier during the validity period of the certificate, which is every twelve months. The importer must report the import situation of these types of parts to the certification authority according to the model prescribed in Appendix XV issued together with this Circular.

b) The certification authority has the right to conduct random inspections on imported batches when violations concerning technical safety quality or complaints, reports with grounds related to the technical safety quality and environmental protection of imported spare parts are discovered. If the inspection and verification results do not provide sufficient grounds for conclusion, the certification authority will take samples of spare parts from the importer's storage warehouse or from the subsequent imported batch for testing. The costs for sampling and testing shall be carried out in accordance with Article 41 of the Product Quality Law;

c) In cases where imported spare parts of the same type have a small quantity, insufficient for sampling and testing according to regulations or if the testing cost exceeds the value of the imported spare parts of the same type, the documentation specified in point e, Clause 1, Article 10 may be replaced by a test report or a certificate of conformity for spare parts from foreign countries or manufacturer's documentation indicating that the imported spare parts are produced in compliance with Vietnamese regulations or manufacturer standards.

Article 10. Application Documents for Inspection Registration

1. The application documents for registration of inspection of imported spare parts include the following:

a) A quality and technical safety and environmental protection inspection application form for imported spare parts in accordance with the model prescribed in Section II of Appendix VI issued together with this Circular;

b) Information about spare parts in accordance with the model prescribed in Appendix XIV issued together with this Circular; photographs of each type of component product (overall photographs of the product from two opposite sides and all labels and markings on the product);

c) Notification of COP assessment results meeting requirements issued to the spare part manufacturer;

d) Commercial invoice along with the list of goods;

đ) Goods import declaration for paper-based applications; number, date, month, year of the goods import declaration for electronic applications;

e) Test report issued directly to the importer.

2. Provisions on exemption and reduction of documents; types of documents; time of submission of documents

a) The documents specified in points c, d, đ, e of Clause 1 of this Article must be certified copies provided by the importer.

b) The documents specified in points b, đ of Clause 1 of this Article must be submitted within fifteen working days from the date of customs clearance or permission to return goods for storage.

c) The document specified in point c of Clause 1 of this Article only applies to the issuance of certificates for types of imported spare parts and must be submitted before applying for the certificate issuance procedure. In cases where the importer is waiting for the COP assessment result notification, they can provide the COP assessment result report and must supplement the COP assessment result notification within ninety days.

d) The document specified in point e of Clause 1 of this Article must be submitted before applying for the certificate issuance procedure.

đ) Exemption from the document specified in point e of Clause 1 of this Article applies to imports of spare parts for recall, repair, replacement, warranty services for motor vehicles or quantities under fifteen units if one of the following conditions is met: the same type as spare parts already tested and certified; the same type as spare parts installed on certified motor vehicles; the same type as spare parts with test reports or certificates issued by overseas testing facilities.

Article 11. Content of quality assurance assessment for production plants of foreign spare parts manufacturers

1. Content of the Assessment:

The certification body shall conduct the quality assurance assessment for foreign spare parts manufacturers (COP assessment) at the time requested by the importer, including the following contents:

a) Reviewing the legal documents of the foreign spare parts manufacturer being assessed for the first time, including documents related to business registration, rights to use factory premises, and valid certificates (if any) such as IATF 16949:2016, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 or equivalent documents;

b) Evaluating the compliance with imported spare part types during production to ensure product quality and stability, including the enterprise's regulations, procedures, and work instructions: control of incoming component quality; quality control at each production stage; non-conformity control and corrective/preventive actions; final product quality inspection; equipment maintenance and calibration; product warranty (except for spare parts imported for vehicle assembly in Vietnam); professional training; storage and control of quality inspection records; traceability of products;

c) Assessing the items and standards for final quality inspection of spare parts based on the regulations of the foreign spare parts manufacturer to ensure mass-produced spare parts comply with test samples;

d) Conducting additional COP assessments when imported spare part types produced at the same production plant of the foreign spare parts manufacturer have been issued a notification of satisfactory COP assessment results but differ from the production technology process and inspection procedures of previously assessed imported spare part types. Additional COP assessments can be conducted through reviewing the enterprise's documents or on-site assessment at the production plant if there is insufficient basis to conclude from reviewing the enterprise's documents;

2. Assessment Results:

After assessing the above contents and items satisfactorily, the certification body shall issue a notification of satisfactory COP assessment results to the foreign spare parts manufacturer, addressed to the importer;

In cases where the assessment does not meet requirements, within six months from the date of unsatisfactory assessment results, if the foreign spare parts manufacturer cannot rectify non-compliance issues, the certification body shall issue a notification of unsatisfactory COP assessment results to the production plant of the foreign spare parts manufacturer, addressed to the importer;

3. Exemption from COP Assessment in the Following Cases:

a) Imported spare part types produced at the same production plant of the foreign spare parts manufacturer that has already received a notification of satisfactory COP assessment results, provided that the production technology process and inspection procedures have not undergone significant changes or simplifications compared to those of previously assessed spare part types;

b) Foreign spare parts manufacturers who have been initially assessed by the certification body (from the date of Decree No. 116/2017/NĐ-CP taking effect), have valid notifications of satisfactory COP assessment results, have not interrupted production for more than 90 days, and provide appropriate ECE Documentation in accordance with regulations and still in effect;

4. Validity of Notification of COP Assessment Results

a) For initial or periodic COP assessments that meet requirements, the certification body shall issue a notification of satisfactory COP assessment results based on the assessment results and provisions in Appendix XVII, which will be valid for 36 months, 24 months, or 12 months from the date of completion of the satisfactory COP assessment;

b) The validity of the notification of satisfactory COP assessment results for cases exempted from periodic COP assessments as stipulated in point e, Clause 1 of this Article shall be based on the effective date of the ECE Documentation. When the ECE Documentation expires, the importer must provide new appropriate ECE Documentation in accordance with regulations and still in effect. If unable to provide ECE Documentation, the importer must submit a report on the COP assessment results and within 90 days must provide appropriate ECE Documentation in accordance with regulations and still in effect;

Within three months before the expiration date of the previous COP assessment result notification, the certification body may conduct a periodic COP assessment upon request by the importer. If the assessment results meet requirements, the validity period of the periodic COP assessment notification starts from the expiration date of the previous COP assessment notification; if the assessment results do not meet requirements in categories directly affecting technical safety and environmental protection, the validity of the COP assessment notification will be suspended immediately upon completion of the assessment. After the foreign spare parts production plant rectifies non-compliant items, the validity period of the periodic COP assessment notification starts from the expiration date of the previous COP assessment notification;

If the importer requests a periodic COP assessment after the previous COP assessment result notification has expired (the COP assessment notification is interrupted), the validity of the COP assessment notification starts from the completion date of the satisfactory periodic COP assessment;

The validity of the notification of satisfactory COP assessment results in cases of exemption from COP assessment as stipulated in point a, Clause 3 of this Article or supplementary COP assessment as stipulated in point d, Clause 1 of this Article will coincide with the validity of the notification of satisfactory COP assessment results of the spare part type used as the basis for exemption from COP assessment or supplementary COP assessment respectively;

Chapter III

REGULATIONS ON ISSUANCE NUMBER, VALIDITY PERIOD, ISSUANCE OF REPLACEMENTS, REISSUE, SUSPENSION, REVOCATION OF QUALITY CERTIFICATES

Article 12. Number of Copies Issued and Validity Period of Quality Certificates

1. In case of paper-based applications, copies shall be issued as follows:

a) For certificates or notifications exempting issuance for vehicles: one copy for retention, one copy for customs procedures, one copy for payment of stamp duty and vehicle registration or for other procedures upon request of competent authorities;

b) For certificates issued for spare parts, non-compliance notifications, violation notifications: one copy for retention, one copy for customs procedures.

2. In case of electronic applications: a paper copy shall be issued when there has not been a connection established for using electronic data between the issuing authority and relevant authorities responsible for customs procedures, tax, registration, and road traffic inspection.

3. Validity Period of Quality Certificates

a) Certificates, exemption notifications, non-compliance notifications, violation notifications issued without a validity period, except as provided in point b of this Clause;

b) Certificates issued for spare part types according to point a, Clause 4, Article 9 of this Circular have a validity period of 36 months.

Article 13. Provisions on Replacement and Reissue of Paper Copies of Quality Certificates

1. Paper copies of Quality Certificates shall be replaced if damaged, reissued if lost or expired, or if information related to the importer's name or address changes.

2. The importer submits one set of application documents for reissuance through the National Single Window Portal. In cases of force majeure, the importer may submit paper documents to the issuing authority. The documents include:

a) A request letter according to the model prescribed in Appendix XVI attached to this Circular, clearly stating whether it is for replacement or reissuance.

b) Documents prescribed in Article 10 of this Circular (applicable in cases where reissuance is due to the expiration of the Quality Certificate or changes in information about the importer's name or address on the certificate, requiring submission only of changed or expired documents).

3. Replacement of Quality Certificates Due to Damage

Within a maximum of one working day from the date of receiving the application, the issuing authority shall accept and review the application documents: if the documents are incomplete, the importer will be guided to complete them according to regulations; if the documents are complete, they will be reviewed and assessed for issuance of the Quality Certificate.

Within four working days from the date of receiving complete documents as stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article, the issuing authority shall proceed as follows:

a) Replace the original Quality Certificate if the documents comply with regulations. When receiving the Quality Certificate, the importer must return the damaged original Quality Certificate;

b) If replacement is not made, the issuing authority shall issue a written response explaining the reasons.

4. Reissuance of Quality Certificates Due to Loss

a) Within a maximum of one working day from the date of receiving the application, the issuing authority shall accept and review the application documents: if the documents are incomplete, the importer will be guided to complete them according to regulations; if the documents are complete, they will be reviewed and assessed for issuance of the Quality Certificate.

b) Within four working days from the date of receiving complete documents as stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article, the issuing authority shall notify the importer and customs, tax, and police authorities in writing; if the documents are incomplete, the issuing authority shall guide the importer to complete them.

c) After twenty-four working days from the date of issuing the notification mentioned in point a of this Clause, if no feedback is received from the authorities mentioned in point b of this Clause, the issuing authority shall issue a copy (of the paper or electronic version) of the Quality Certificate; if reissuance is not made, the issuing authority shall issue a written response explaining the reasons.

5. Reissuance of Quality Certificates Due to Changes in Information Related to the Importer's Name or Address

The reissuance procedure shall be carried out according to the provisions of Articles 9 and 10 of this Circular.

6. Reissuance of Certificates for Spare Part Types Due to Expiration

The reissuance procedure shall be carried out according to the provisions of Articles 9 and 10 of this Circular. Test samples shall be randomly taken from the importer's warehouse by the issuing authority.

Article 14. Provisions on Suspension and Revocation of Quality Certificates

1. The certification authority shall suspend the validity of certificates issued for imported spare parts types and notify the importer and customs authorities at border gates through the National Single Window Portal or in writing if any of the following circumstances occur:

a) Notification of the COP assessment results has expired but the importer cannot provide any of the following documents: notification of new COP cycle assessment results that meet requirements; ECER document in compliance with regulations and still valid; report on new COP assessment period results;

b) Over 90 days from the date of providing the COP assessment result report without supplementing the ECER document of the new cycle in compliance with regulations;

c) Failure to comply with the reporting requirements for import situations or failure to comply with sampling testing requirements as stipulated in points a and b of Clause 5, Article 9 of this Circular.

2. The certification authority shall revoke the suspension of the validity of certificates issued for imported spare parts types and notify the importer in writing if within six months from the date the certification authority notifies the suspension of the validity of such certificates, the importer meets the requirements set forth in Clause 1 of this Article.

3. The certification authority shall carry out the revocation of electronic quality certificates already issued on the National Single Window Portal, the Ministry of Transport's Electronic Portal, and send a written notice of the revocation of quality certificates to the importer, customs authorities, tax offices, police, specifically as follows:

a) Revoke the certificate issued for imported spare parts types when the importer is dissolved or bankrupt according to the law or over six months from the date of suspension of the certificate's validity, the importer still fails to meet the requirements set forth in Clause 1 of this Article;

b) Revoke the quality certificate when: the importer falsifies documents in the registration inspection file; the quality certificate is issued contrary to the provisions of the law.

Chapter IV

PROVISIONS ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND ENERGY LABELING OF MOTOR VEHICLES

Article 15. General Provisions on Energy Consumption and Energy Labeling of Motor Vehicles

1. Importers must disclose the energy consumption levels of motor vehicles. Disclosure of energy consumption levels must meet the following requirements:

a) Consistent with the information and energy consumption levels of vehicle types that have been certified;

b) Publish information about the energy consumption levels of vehicle types on the importer's website or business establishment's website (if applicable). Publicly disclosed information must be maintained throughout the period during which the importer or business establishment supplies the vehicle types to the market.

2. New passenger cars, motorcycles, and used motorcycles must be labeled with energy labels before being put on the market in accordance with Decision No. 04/2017/QĐ-TTg dated March 9, 2017, of the Government Chairman establishing the list of vehicles and equipment required to be labeled with energy labels, applying minimum energy efficiency levels and implementation timelines, except for cases specified in points a, b, and c of Clause 4, Article 6 of this Circular.

3. For motor vehicle types subject to energy labeling, importers must register for energy labeling in accordance with the law on rational and efficient energy use based on the certified energy consumption levels, and affix energy labels to imported vehicles before putting them on the market.

4. Encourage importers to register for energy labeling for vehicle types not covered under Clause 2 of this Article.

5. In cases where vehicle types meet the conditions for expanding the recognition of emission test results as stipulated in national technical regulations for vehicle types that have undergone emission tests and energy consumption tests, importers are permitted to use the test report on energy consumption levels issued for the same type of vehicle to complete certification procedures without having to retest energy consumption levels.

Article 16. Inspection and Supervision of Energy Labeling for Motor Vehicles

1. The certifying agency shall organize inspection and supervision of energy labeling implementation as follows:

a) Annually, develop and implement plans to inspect compliance with the disclosure of energy consumption information and the application of energy labels by importers and traders of imported vehicles;

b) Conduct spot checks upon receiving reports or complaints indicating violations related to the implementation of energy labeling by importers and traders of imported motor vehicles.

2. In cases where clear signs of violation regarding certified or announced energy consumption levels are discovered, the certifying agency shall require importers to retest the energy consumption levels.

3. In cases where violations related to energy labeling are detected, the certifying agency shall notify the Ministry of Industry and Trade in writing and specify the nature of the violations for the Ministry to consider and handle according to the law.

Chapter V

PROVISIONS ON PRODUCT RECALL

Article 17. Products Subject to Recall

Products subject to the scope of Decree No. 116/2017/NĐ-CP must be recalled in the following circumstances:

1. Products recalled based on the announcement by the manufacturer;

2. Products recalled at the request of the certifying agency. Such requests for recall by the certifying agency shall be based on specific evidence and the results of verifying information reported about the technical safety and environmental protection quality of imported products.

Article 18. Methods for Implementing Product Recall

1. For Importers

In cases where products already on the market have technical defects requiring recall, importers must perform the following tasks:

a) Within no more than five working days from the date of receiving the recall notice from the manufacturer or the certifying agency, the importer must notify in writing to sales agents not to sell products subject to recall that have not been rectified;

b) Within no more than ten working days from the date of receiving the recall notice from the manufacturer or the certifying agency, the importer must submit a written report to the certifying agency containing the following contents: cause of the technical defect, remedial measures, quantity of products to be recalled, and a suitable recall plan;

c) Proactively carry out the recall process in accordance with the approved recall plan, and simultaneously publish information about the recall plan and list of products to be recalled on the importer's website and sales agent websites promptly and fully.

2. For Certifying Agencies

a) Notify importers in writing of the acceptance of the recall plan and any additional requirements for the recall program (if applicable);

b) Require importers to implement the recall;

c) Publish information about recalled products on the certifying agency’s website;

d) Monitor and inspect the implementation of recalls by importers according to the plan;

đ) Suspend certification procedures for quality for importers who fail to fulfill their obligations as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article;

e) If the importer provides evidence that the manufacturer does not cooperate in implementing the recall plan, the certifying agency will consider suspending the certification procedures for technical safety and environmental protection quality for products from the same manufacturer;

g) For products subject to recall that have not yet received a Quality Certificate from the certifying agency, the certifying agency shall notify the customs office handling the import declaration to allow the importer to temporarily release the goods for rectification. After the importer submits a list of products that have been rectified according to the manufacturer's regulations, the certifying agency will proceed with the certification procedures as prescribed.

Chapter VI

RESPONSIBILITIES OF AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INSPECTION CONCLUSIONS

Article 19. Responsibilities of Importers

1. Shall be responsible for the truthfulness, accuracy, validity, and legality of the documents provided to certification authorities.

2. Shall be responsible for the technical safety quality and environmental protection of imported goods in accordance with the provisions of the law.

3. Shall ensure that imported goods remain in their original condition as prescribed for certification authorities to conduct inspections.

4. Shall be responsible for transferring samples to testing facilities and ensuring that test samples remain in their original condition as prescribed.

5. Shall cooperate with certification authorities during the process of inspecting technical safety quality and environmental protection.

6. Shall recall vehicles subject to Decree 116/2017/NĐ-CP that have defects in accordance with this Circular. Proactively implement corrective measures or recalls for other products with defects in accordance with the law on product quality and consumer protection laws, and report the results when requested by certification authorities.

7. In case of electronic transaction incidents on the National Single Window Portal, importers must notify the management authority of the National Single Window Portal to coordinate in resolving the issue.

8. Shall submit written reports (paper or electronic documents) to certification authorities annually and immediately after the completion of planned recalls.

9. Shall submit periodic reports related to energy label affixation to certification authorities according to the form prescribed in Appendix XIX attached to this Circular, including the following information:

a) Report Name: Periodic Report on Energy Label Affixation;

b) Content of the Report Required: number of types of motor vehicles affixed with energy labels; average annual energy consumption per importer;

c) Reporting Entity: importer;

d) Authority Receiving the Report: certification authority;

đ) Method of Sending and Receiving Reports: reports shall be presented in paper or electronic format; sent through one of the following methods: direct submission, postal service, email system, other methods as prescribed by law;

e) Deadline for Submission of Reports: no later than December 31 each year;

g) Frequency of Reporting: annual periodic reporting;

h) Data Cut-off Date for Reporting: from December 15 of the year prior to the reporting period to December 14 of the reporting period.

10. Shall affix chassis number and engine number plates to the back of the certificate of technical safety quality and environmental protection for imported vehicles, notify exemption from technical safety quality and environmental protection inspection for imported vehicles, and affix a stamp to serve online vehicle registration procedures in accordance with the regulations of the Minister of Public Security.

11. Shall retain import records for a minimum of five years from the date of cessation of importing types of goods. When destroying these documents, importers must ensure that data can be retrieved for product recalls.

Article 20. Responsibilities of Certification Authorities

1. Shall issue and manage Quality Certificates and be responsible for the results of certification.

2. Shall conduct random inspections of imported goods batches when discovering or receiving complaints or accusations regarding the quality of imported goods, violations related to energy label affixation.

3. Shall notify competent state agencies to handle violations when detecting importers or dealers violating regulations related to energy label affixation.

4. Shall publish lists of vehicles requiring recalls and recall contents on the certification authority's website.

5. Shall cooperate with importers and the management authority of the National Single Window Portal, the Ministry of Transport's electronic portal to handle electronic transaction incidents in accordance with regulations.

6. Shall recognize, designate, and publicly list testing facilities conducting vehicle and spare parts tests for technical safety quality and environmental protection certification work, and vehicle energy consumption levels.

7. Shall retain records in accordance with the law.

8. Shall compile results of technical safety quality and environmental protection certification, and results of energy label affixation inspections for imported goods to report to competent authorities.

Chapter VII

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 21. Transitional Provisions

1. Quality certificates issued before the effective date of this Circular shall remain valid until the expiration date indicated on the certificate.

2. Types of vehicles that have been granted fuel consumption certificates or announced energy consumption levels in accordance with regulations before the effective date of this Circular may continue to use certified or announced energy consumption levels as the basis for issuing certificates or notifications until the time when periodic sample vehicle testing is required.

3. Types of vehicles that have been granted certificates of technical safety quality and environmental protection before the effective date of this Circular must undergo sample vehicle testing within 36 months from the date of the most recent sample vehicle testing.

Article 22. Effectiveness

1. This Circular shall take effect from January 1, 2025.

2. Abolish the following Circulars and certain articles in Circulars issued from the date this Circular takes effect, specifically as follows:

a) Circular No. 31/2011/TT-BGTVT dated April 15, 2011, issued by the Minister of Transport on the inspection of technical safety quality and environmental protection for imported motor vehicles;

b) Circular No. 55/2014/TT-BGTVT dated October 20, 2014, issued by the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 31/2011/TT-BGTVT dated April 15, 2011, issued by the Minister of Transport on the inspection of technical safety quality and environmental protection for imported motor vehicles;

c) Circular No. 03/2018/TT-BGTVT dated January 15, 2018, issued by the Minister of Transport on the inspection of technical safety quality and environmental protection for imported automobiles subject to Decree No. 116/2017/NĐ-CP.

d) Circular No. 05/2020/TT-BGTVT dated February 26, 2020, of the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 03/2018/TT-BGTVT dated January 10, 2018, on the inspection of technical safety quality and environmental protection for imported automobiles within the scope of Decree No. 116/2017/NĐ-CP;

đ) Circular No. 44/2012/TT-BGTVT dated October 23, 2012, of the Minister of Transport stipulating the inspection of technical safety quality and environmental protection for imported motorcycles, motorbikes, and imported engines used to produce and assemble motorcycles and motorbikes;

e) Circular No. 19/2014/TT-BGTVT dated May 28, 2019, of the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 23/2009/TT-BGTVT dated October 15, 2009, of the Minister of Transport on the inspection of technical safety quality and environmental protection for specialized motorcycles, Circular No. 44/2012/TT-BGTVT dated October 23, 2012, of the Minister of Transport on the inspection of technical safety quality and environmental protection for imported motorcycles, motorbikes, and imported engines used to produce and assemble motorcycles and motorbikes, and Circular No. 41/2013/TT-BGTVT dated November 5, 2013, of the Minister of Transport on the inspection of technical safety quality of electric bicycles;

3. In cases where legal regulatory documents, national technical regulations, or standards referred to in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, they shall be applied according to the amended, supplemented, or replaced legal regulatory documents, national technical regulations, or standards./.