20 January 2026

Although the law has come into force, the absence of implementing guidelines has left imported chemicals and construction materials stuck in limbo, causing widespread delays and congestion.

Not only chemicals, imported construction materials are also stuck awaiting regulatory guidance

According to feedback from several construction material importers in Ho Chi Minh City, since the beginning of this year, a number of import consignments have been unable to proceed because their applications for product quality inspection registration were not accepted.

Authorities suspend application acceptance pending guidance

The reason is that the Department of Construction has yet to receive official guidance on the implementation of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, leaving it without a legal basis to accept quality inspection registration dossiers. As a result, on January 5, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction issued a notice announcing the temporary suspension of accepting applications for state quality inspection of products and goods within the city.

To address these difficulties, the Ministry of Construction has sent an official request to the Ministry of Science and Technology, seeking guidance on the implementation of the Law on Product and Goods Quality. Under Law No. 78/2025 passed by the National Assembly, which amends and supplements several provisions of the Law on Product and Goods Quality and takes effect from January 1, 2026, the management approach has been reformed to classify products and goods based on risk levels (low, medium, and high).

The Ministry of Construction has been reviewing legal documents under its management and instructing local authorities to organize implementation accordingly. However, during this process, the Ministry has received numerous reports and petitions from localities, including official dispatches from provincial Departments of Construction regarding the registration of state quality inspections for imported construction materials in accordance with the law.

Specifically, under the amended Law on Product and Goods Quality (2025), products and goods are classified based on risk levels to determine appropriate state management measures. Imported goods classified as medium risk are required to declare conformity, while those classified as high risk must undergo quality inspection registration via the National Single Window Portal.

However, there is currently no specific guidance on the criteria or methodology for classifying the risk levels of construction materials. This lack of clarity has left local authorities uncertain as to whether they should continue or suspend acceptance of quality inspection registration dossiers for imported construction materials. As a result, there is a significant risk of administrative bottlenecks, negatively affecting import activities and business operations.

Therefore, the Ministry of Construction has requested the Ministry of Science and Technology to issue guidance on principles, criteria, and methodologies for risk-based classification of products and goods. This guidance would serve as a basis for ministries and sectors to manage their respective fields, issue product lists, and provide instructions for transitional management while relevant legal documents are pending amendment or supplementation.

Where necessary, a unified general guideline should be issued to ensure consistent interpretation and application of the law.

Chemical enterprises face shipment congestion

Previously, Tuổi Trẻ Online reported that many chemical enterprises were facing serious difficulties as numerous containers of imported chemical raw materials were stuck at ports due to the inability to obtain import permits. This situation arose because implementing documents for the Law on Chemicals had not been issued in a timely and synchronized manner, resulting in multiple chemical import shipments being denied clearance since January 1, 2026.

Most recently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade also issued a notice temporarily suspending the acceptance of administrative procedure dossiers in the chemical sector. The reason cited was the absence of a legal basis and detailed guidance to appraise and process applications under the new regulations.

To ensure that production and business activities are not disrupted, organizations and individuals engaged in chemical activities are required to follow the transitional provisions of the 2025 Law on Chemicals. Administrative procedures will be received and processed only after detailed implementing regulations and guidance documents have been officially issued.