Improve standards and regulations to ensure international compliance

Orientation to build international standards

Politburo member and Standing member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu has just signed and issued Conclusion No. 207-KL/TW dated November 10, 2025 of the Secretariat on continuing to implement Directive No. 30-CT/TW dated January 22, 2019 of the Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership and the State's management responsibility for protecting consumers' rights.

In this conclusion, the Secretariat requested Party committees, Party organizations, authorities, and State management agencies at all levels to continue to thoroughly grasp and resolutely implement the tasks and solutions stated in Directive No. 30-CT/TW.

At the same time, carry out a number of key tasks in the coming time to strengthen the Party's leadership and the State's management responsibility for protecting consumers' rights in the new situation.

One of the key tasks stated in the conclusion is to review, develop and perfect the system of standards and technical regulations on the quality of products, goods and services, promptly publicize information and disseminate it to businesses and business associations to grasp and implement; research and have a roadmap to improve Vietnam's standards and regulations to ensure they are commensurate and consistent with international standards and regulations.

National Assembly deputies press the button to approve the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations at Dien Hong Hall on June 14, 2025. Photo: National Assembly Electronic Information Portal

Regarding the work of building and perfecting the system of standards and regulations in Vietnam, on June 14, 2025, the National Assembly voted to pass the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations. The Law is an important step in perfecting the legal framework, helping Vietnam improve national quality, meet the requirements of deep integration and promote innovation.

One of the fundamental changes of the Law is to systematize and clarify the concepts, scope, principles of application, as well as the method of promulgating technical standards and regulations.

The Law also codifies the concept of “technical barriers to trade” for the first time, contributing to clarifying the limits and principles of building and applying standards that do not become unreasonable barriers in the context of Vietnam's deep integration with FTAs.

A notable new point in the Law is the provision on the development of a National Standards Strategy in Article 8a. This is a long-term tool to provide overall orientation and synchronization of technical standards infrastructure, integrating from central to local levels, linked to sustainable development goals, digital transformation and international integration.

The strategy emphasizes standards serving strategic technology, exporting high-tech products, and building standards in harmony with international standards, thereby contributing to improving national competitiveness.

In the trend of comprehensive digital transformation, the Law supplements Article 8c regulating the National Database on standards, measurement and quality - a unified, modern digital platform, connected with other data systems of the Government .

This will be an important support tool for state management, allowing public access to standard data, conformity assessment organizations, conformity declarations, and management of measuring instruments. This not only helps save costs and reduce administrative procedures, but also contributes to improving the effectiveness of state supervision and management, supporting businesses to access technical information in a transparent and timely manner.

It can be seen that the passing of the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations is an important step in completing the legal framework, helping Vietnam improve national quality, meet the requirements of deep integration and promote innovation.

Ministry of Industry and Trade speeds up completion of standards and regulations system

According to a report by the Ministry of Science and Technology, in recent years, the system of national standards and national technical regulations has been regularly reviewed, amended and supplemented to suit practical requirements and the level of harmony with international standards.

By 2024, more than 14,000 national standards and nearly 800 national technical regulations have been promulgated. The rate of harmonization with international and regional standards has reached over 60%. The work of building and perfecting the system of standards and regulations in ministries, branches and localities has been promoted.

Typically, at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in recent times, the Ministry has continued to promote the work of standards, technical regulations and quality management of products and goods under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the direction of synchronization and international integration.

Specifically, in 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will develop, complete and transfer to the Ministry of Science and Technology for appraisal and promulgation 20 draft national standards on ore concentrates and 2 national standards on thermal power plants.

At the same time, units under the Ministry have developed and reviewed 12 draft national technical regulations under the 2024 Legal Document Development Program of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, ensuring the progress and quality of the draft national technical regulations according to current regulations.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has also proactively reviewed legal regulations and reported to the Prime Minister regarding difficulties in the process of developing and promulgating draft national technical regulations on national petroleum reserves...

*Workshop on building technical standards for cassava starch products organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on October 3. Photo: Thanh Van*

Entering 2025, the work of building and perfecting the system of standards, regulations and quality management of products and goods under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade continues to be promoted. On June 22, 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 41/2025/TT-BCT, issued together with the National Technical Regulation on Electrical Safety (QCVN 25:2025/BCT), officially effective from August 8, 2025.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has also developed and solicited comments on many regulations such as: National technical regulations on electric vehicle charging stations (in coordination with the Ministry of Science and Technology); National technical regulations on safety of industrial explosives - mixed explosives of single-element high explosives; National technical regulations on hydroelectric works; National technical regulations on liquid milk; National technical regulations on refined vegetable oil; National technical regulations on alcoholic beverages; National technical regulations on cassava starch products...

The standards are developed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade based on the principles of ensuring objectivity, feasibility, suitability with practical conditions in Vietnam, compliance with international practices, with the important goal of protecting consumer rights, promoting a transparent and fair business environment, and promoting economic and social development.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade also coordinates the implementation of criteria and standards on trade infrastructure: criteria for rural trade infrastructure in the 2021-2025 period; pilot market model ensuring food safety according to Vietnamese Standards (TCVN 11856) on food trading markets...

In Conclusion No. 207-KL/TW, the Secretariat requested to urgently review and fully and promptly institutionalize the Party's new policies and orientations into the system of legal documents on consumer rights protection and other related specialized legal documents (Law on Consumer Rights Protection; Law on Product and Goods Quality; Law on Technical Standards and Regulations; Law on Food Safety; Law on Electronic Transactions; Law on Handling of Administrative Violations, etc. and documents guiding implementation) to ensure systematicity, synchronization, comprehensiveness, effectiveness, thoroughly overcome legal gaps, and meet the trend of modern development, digitalization and international integration.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/nang-cao-cac-tieu-chuan-va-quy-chuan-dam-bao-tuong-xung-voi-quoc-te-430108.html