The Vietnam Ministry of Commerce and Industry will abolish current inspection rules, and will propose the introduction of national technical standards for textiles and sewn products. These new standards will be issued by the beginning of 2017.
In response to an appeal from the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), the Ministry submitted a proposal to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
The Ministry has recently promulgated Circular 23 that abolishes the inspection of certain aromatic amines and formaldehyde during customs clearance of textile products. Circular 23 will come into force on November 26th.
The Ministry’s Circular 37 issued in 2015 made it an obligation to inspect fabrics to be imported or exported.
According to the provisions, inspections were required even for imports of 10-meter-long fabric samples, and the inspections cost US$100. VITAS requested the abolition of these provisions due to concerns of reducing competitiveness.