Tiếng Việt
中文 (中国)
ANIMAL QUARANTINE + FOOD SAFETY FOR IMPORTED FOOD OF ANIMAL ORIGIN
For meat, eggs, milk, seafood, frozen animal products or food ingredients of animal origin, importers should not check only one compliance track. A shipment may simultaneously trigger animal quarantine, state food-safety inspection, product self-declaration/registration, labeling and foreign establishment control.
QUICK SUMMARY
Review the Law on Veterinary Medicine, Circular 25/2016 for terrestrial animal products and Circular 26/2016 for aquatic animal products.
Review the Law on Food Safety and Decree 15/2018 on product declaration, state inspection and imported-food requirements.
Commercial descriptions, HS codes, processing status, storage temperature, origin, manufacturer and certificates must be consistent across the customs and technical files.
Operational note: a quarantine certificate does not automatically replace the food-safety file, and a food-safety declaration does not replace quarantine if the goods are subject to veterinary control.
LEGAL DOCUMENT INFORMATION
| Group | Key document | Authority/effect | Role in import operations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary law | Law on Veterinary Medicine 79/2015/QH13 | Issued by the National Assembly on 19 June 2015, effective 1 July 2016. | Primary legal basis for disease prevention, animal quarantine, animal-product quarantine and veterinary hygiene. |
| Terrestrial products | Circular 25/2016/TT-BNNPTNT | Issued on 30 June 2016, effective 15 August 2016. | Regulates quarantine of terrestrial animals and animal products, including lists and quarantine dossiers. |
| Aquatic products | Circular 26/2016/TT-BNNPTNT | Issued on 30 June 2016, effective 15 August 2016. | Regulates quarantine of aquatic animals and aquatic animal products. |
| Food safety law | Law on Food Safety 55/2010/QH12 | Effective from 1 July 2011. | Primary basis for imported-food safety, state inspection, traceability and recall. |
| Implementing decree | Decree 15/2018/ND-CP | Issued and effective on 2 February 2018. | Governs product declaration, imported-food state inspection, labeling and inspection methods. |
KEY POINTS TO NOTE
1. Identify whether the product is an “animal product” and/or a “food of animal origin”
A product can fall under both the veterinary-law track and the food-safety track. This is common for frozen meat, edible offal, eggs, dairy ingredients, aquatic products and processed food containing animal-origin ingredients.
2. Check the quarantine lists before contract finalization
Circular 25/2016 and Circular 26/2016 require importers to review lists of goods subject to quarantine, exemptions, quarantine objects and cases requiring risk analysis before importation.
3. Run food-safety compliance in parallel
The Law on Food Safety and Decree 15/2018 create the operational framework for product declaration, state inspection and imported-food documents. These should be prepared before ETA, not after the goods arrive.
4. High-risk mismatch: foreign establishment and certificates
The manufacturer name/code, origin, veterinary/health certificate, lot number, container/seal and storage condition should match the invoice, packing list, bill of lading and customs declaration.
AFFECTED ENTERPRISES / PRODUCT GROUPS
| Product group | Examples | Common controls | Pre-import lock points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meat and edible offal | Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, offal and animal fat for food use. | Terrestrial animal quarantine + food safety + labeling + cold-chain control. | Approved establishment, origin, temperature, certificate and HS code. |
| Eggs, milk and dairy | Fresh eggs, egg powder, milk powder, whey, cheese, butter and cream. | Quarantine where applicable + food declaration + supplementary label. | Composition, product use, processing status and certificate consistency. |
| Aquatic products | Fish, shrimp, squid, crab, mollusks and frozen aquatic products. | Aquatic animal quarantine + food safety + origin/establishment control. | Latin name, processing form, wild/farmed status, temperature and health certificate. |
| Processed food containing animal ingredients | Sausage, pate, canned meat/fish, bone broth, snacks containing meat/fish powder. | Must review processing level to determine quarantine and/or food-safety obligations. | Formula, process flow, heat treatment, packaging and shelf life. |
IMPACT ON IMPORT-EXPORT / LOGISTICS OPERATIONS
The HS code must reflect the product nature: live animal, animal product, aquatic product, processed food or ingredient.
Invoice, packing list, contract and transport documents must match the certificate data.
Frozen/refrigerated cargo requires control over storage, reefer electricity, sampling and inspection timeline.
Declarations, labels, certificates, traceability files and batch data should be retained for inspection or recall.
ENTERPRISE CHECKLIST
| File group | Required checks | Operational note |
|---|---|---|
| Product information | Commercial name, scientific name if aquatic product, processing form, temperature, packaging and shelf life. | Must be consistent across label, catalogue and certificates. |
| Commercial documents | Contract/PO, invoice, packing list, B/L or AWB. | Used for customs declaration and quantity reconciliation. |
| Quarantine file | Quarantine registration, health/veterinary certificate, establishment details, origin and CITES if relevant. | Use the correct certificate format if Vietnam and the exporting authority have an agreed model. |
| Food-safety file | Self-declaration/registration, testing report, foreign food-safety certificate and state-inspection file. | Review exemption/reduced/normal/tight inspection under Decree 15/2018. |
| Labeling and traceability | Original label, Vietnamese supplementary label, lot/batch, production date, expiry date and storage condition. | Critical for frozen cargo and products distributed after importation. |
RELATED LEGAL DOCUMENTS TO REVIEW
| Document | Authority | Why it matters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law on Veterinary Medicine 79/2015/QH13 | National Assembly | Core veterinary and quarantine legal basis. | Government portal |
| Circular 25/2016/TT-BNNPTNT | MARD | Terrestrial animal/product quarantine. | Government portal |
| Circular 26/2016/TT-BNNPTNT | MARD | Aquatic animal/product quarantine. | Government portal |
| Law on Food Safety 55/2010/QH12 | National Assembly | Imported-food safety, traceability and recall. | Government portal |
| Decree 15/2018/ND-CP | Government | Product declaration and imported-food state inspection. | Government portal |
VIEW / DOWNLOAD ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS
Legal note: always verify the latest legal status and amendments before applying these documents to a specific shipment.
FULL TEXT OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS
This is a cross-document legal reference article. The full official Vietnamese legal texts are provided as original-source PDF previews for direct cross-checking. The English content in this article is an operational reference translation and does not replace the official Vietnamese legal documents.
OPEN FULL TEXT – LAW ON VETERINARY MEDICINE 79/2015/QH13
Source: Government legal document portal. Original Vietnamese PDF for official cross-checking.
OPEN FULL TEXT – CIRCULAR 25/2016/TT-BNNPTNT
Source: Government legal document portal. Original Vietnamese PDF for official cross-checking.
OPEN FULL TEXT – CIRCULAR 26/2016/TT-BNNPTNT
Source: Government legal document portal. Original Vietnamese PDF for official cross-checking.
OPEN FULL TEXT – DECREE 15/2018/ND-CP
Source: Government legal document portal. Original Vietnamese PDF for official cross-checking.
REFERENCE TRANSLATION NOTE
This English article is intended for operational reference only. It does not replace the official Vietnamese legal texts, signed PDFs, or advice on a specific import dossier.
TECHNICAL TERMS
- Animal quarantine: veterinary control of animals and animal products to manage disease risk.
- Food safety: requirements ensuring food does not harm human health or life.
- Health certificate: certificate issued by the exporting country’s competent authority for food-safety or sanitary compliance.
- Veterinary certificate: quarantine/veterinary certificate for animal or animal-origin products.
- Tight inspection: document inspection combined with sampling and testing.
FAQ
1. Can frozen meat or fish trigger both quarantine and food-safety inspection?
Yes. The final conclusion depends on HS code, product nature, processing level and intended use.
2. Does a product declaration replace quarantine?
No. Product declaration belongs to the food-safety track; quarantine belongs to the veterinary track.
3. What should suppliers prepare before shipment?
Certificates, establishment information, labels, packing list and traceability data should be locked before departure.
4. What is the major risk for cold-chain cargo?
Document delay can lead to storage, demurrage, reefer electricity cost and quality deterioration.
5. Should HS code or product name be reviewed first?
Both must be reviewed. Product nature drives policy; HS code drives customs and control mapping.
6. Is post-clearance compliance still relevant?
Yes. Labels, declarations, certificates and traceability records must be retained for post-clearance inspection and recall.
GIẢI PHÁP TỪ TGIMEX
For food of animal origin, compliance value lies in locking the correct legal track before the supplier issues certificates and before ETA.
Map veterinary, quarantine and food-safety rules to the product dossier.
Cross-check invoice, packing list, certificates, labels, origin and storage conditions.
Plan quarantine, food-safety inspection, customs declaration and cold-chain delivery timeline.
Maintain declaration, labels, certificates and traceability data for inspection or recall.
NEED TO REVIEW IMPORT PROCEDURES OR A SHIPPING PLAN?
Send us the product name, shipping route, current dossier, or implementation request in advance so we can suggest a suitable approach that is practical, focused, and aligned with your shipment.
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