After 18 years of enforcement, the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations is no longer adequate. Given current socio-economic development and international integration requirements, revising the law has become an urgent task.

The revisions focus on promoting international integration, honoring international transparency commitments, issuing new technical regulations, and improving internal standards by taking a more stringent approach.

Ha Minh Hiep, Acting Head of the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality and a member of the drafting committee for the amended law, said that under the new-generation free trade agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory, standards will have to be adjusted to align with the regulatory demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “This is one of the key objectives set forth to boost Vietnam’s socio-economic development," Hiep affirmed.

In recent years, Vietnamese goods entering international markets have had to comply with stringent standards and rules of origin. So, in addition to fine-tuning the domestic legal framework for standards and technical regulations, the revised law also introduces new provisions such as unilateral recognition of assessment results by international and foreign organizations.

This is considered an optimal solution to alleviate difficulties faced by Vietnamese businesses in production, trade, and import-export activities, especially when the domestic resources for emerging technological fields are not yet sufficient to meet the growing demand for testing, certification, and appraisal activities.

According to Vu Hong Thanh, Chairman of the National Assembly Economic Committee, it’s necessary to consider using the standards and technical regulations set by other FTA member countries and avoid developing our own standards, which might not align with those already in place elsewhere.

“Creating separate standards could be costly and counterproductive if they’re not applicable in key markets. Goods exported to the US, for example, must meet US standards, and products entering the EU must comply with EU standards," said Thanh.

The amended law allows organizations and enterprises to participate in the development of standards and technical regulations. This is a breakthrough step, as businesses are the ones who are directly affected by these standards and regulations when taking goods to international markets.

In response to increasing demands for green standards and mandatory requirements from multiple global markets, Vietnamese enterprises are taking the initiative to transform their production and implement technical controls to meet the requirements of these markets.

Processes are being revised from managing electricity, water, emissions, and wastewater consumption to planning for reduced energy and chemical usage and replacing outdated equipment to comply with stringent standards and regulations on imported goods.

Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the agency has international cooperation programs in place that allow experts to help businesses identify the most appropriate certifications and standards for their target markets and specific product goals. “That minimizes compliance costs and enhances the competitiveness of the products and the enterprises," Phu noted.

Over the past 18 years, Vietnam’s standards and technical regulation have significantly improved and become more transparent and aligned with World Trade Organization rules and international practices. This has improved productivity, product quality, and business capacity, and boosted the export of key goods.

But the new context requires updates to the legal framework to ensure its relevance. The revision will create a more open environment in which businesses can boost production, expand export markets, and increase their responsibility in branding and positioning Vietnamese products in the global market.