Strictly control the labelling of imported goods

Cargo inspection at Bac Thang Long Industrial Zone (Hanoi). Photo: N.Linh

Accordingly, when conducting physical inspection of imported goods, customs officials must check if the product packaging was labeled or not. In case goods were not labeled (except for goods specified in Clause 2, Article 1 of Decree 43/2017/ND-CP), the sanction should be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Clause 7, Article 14 of Decree 127/2013/ND- CP (amended and supplemented in Clause 11, Article 1 of Decree No. 45/2016/ND-CP), at the same time transferred information to the General Department of Market Management for checking and supervising the labelling of extra labels before circulation.

If the goods have labels, they must fully display information as prescribed in the provisions of Decree 43/2017/ND-CP. Specifically, the label position must be shown on the goods, commercial packaging of the goods, in an easy-to-observe position that can easily and fully identify the contents of the label without removing details or parts of goods.

The compulsory contents must be shown on the goods labels, including: Name of goods; name and address of organisation or individual responsible for goods; origin of goods; other contents according to the nature of each kind of goods that is prescribed in Appendix I of Decree 43/2017/ND-CP and relevant legal documents.

In particular, for some groups of imported goods that affect consumers' health, besides checking the required contents to be shown on the goods labels as prescribed, the original label must be fully shown.

Specifically, for imported goods which are medicines and materials for producing medicines, the labelling and instruction sheet of drug use must comply with Circular No. 01/2018/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health.

For imported goods groups that are food, food ingredients, medical equipment, cosmetics, alcohol, beverages, the General Department instructed specifically to inspection units about the original labels to fully show sufficient contents required for each group of goods as prescribed in Appendix I Decree 43/2017/ND-CP.

For imported cigarettes, the inspection of labelling should comply with the provisions of Joint Circular 05/2013/TTLT-BYT-BCT of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Trade guiding the labelling and printing of health warnings on cigarette packaging.