Circular No. 02/2013/TT-BNNPTNT dated January 05, 2013 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on regulations on risk analysis and management of food safety according to the chain of production and trading of agricultural, forestry, fishery and salt products

CIRCULAR

On regulations on risk analysis and management of food safety according to the chain of production and trading of agricultural, forestry, fishery and salt products

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Pursuant to the Government s Decree No. 01/2008/ND-CP dated January 03 2008, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development; the Government s Decree No. 75/2009/ND-CP dated September 10, 2009 on amending and supplementing Article 3 of the Government s Decree No. 01/2008/ND-CP;

Pursuant to the Law on Food Safety No. 55/2010/QH12 dated June 17, 2010;

Pursuant to the Government s Decree No. 38/2012/ND-CP dated April 25, 2012 on detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law of Food safety;

At the proposal of the Director of the Director of Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department;

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development hereby issues the Circular on regulations on risk analysis and management of food safety according to the chain of production and trading of agricultural, forestry, fishery and salt products.

CHAPTER I

GENERAL PROVISION

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Circular provides regulations on risk analysis and food safety management according to the food production and trading chain of agriculture, forestry and salt products under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; responsibility of relevant organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Subjects of application

1. The management authorities in agriculture and rural development section;

2. Establishments engaged in the production and trading of agricultural, forest and salt for use as food (hereinafter called establishments); and concerned organizations and individuals.

Article 3. Interpretation of terms

In this Circular, the terms below are construed as follows:

1. Hazards: is the biological, chemical or physical activity in foodstuff or the food conditions which may cause harms to human health.

2. Risks: are the possibility of occurrence and seriousness of causing serious harms to the human health due to one or several dangers in food.

3. Food safety risk analysis includes activities of assessment, management and communication on risks of food safety.

4. Risk assessment: refers to the process of basing on scientific basis, including the following steps: identifying the risk, describing the hazards, evaluating the exposure, describing risks.

5. Identification of potential hazards: is the identification of biological, chemical and physical factors in one or several specific groups of foods which may cause harm to the human health.

6. Description of hazards: means assessment of quantities or nature of hazards caused to human health, in association with biological, chemical and physical agents in food.

7. Exposure assessment: is the assessment of the qualitative and quantitative effects of bio-chemistry, and physics that are sent to the food, and in contact with other relevant sources.

8. Risk description means the process of assessing the quantitative qualitative or quantitative of identified potential risk factors to health, including the uncertainty extent associated which is measured in a specific population zone on the basis of identification of risks, description of risks and exposure assessment.

9. Documentation of risk of food safety (hereinafter referred to as "risk records"): means a document describing food safety issues with the context of formed context in order to identify the factors of hazard or the risks relating to risk management decisions.

10. Risk quantitative assessment: means the assessment of a risk by providing numerical information about the risk and indicates the associated levels of uncertainty.

11. Risk qualitative assessment: is the risk assessment based on indicators that do not create sufficient grounds for estimation of risk, but through the numbers and specialized knowledge and indication the associated levels of uncertainty shall allow to rank the risk.

12. Risk estimation: is the result of the risk description process.

13. Risks management: refers to a process of grasping the policies according to the results of risk assessment, selecting and implementing appropriate control measures.

14. Risk communication: is the process of information exchange and relevant opinions between the risk assessment experts, the risk management managers, consumers, producers, relevant organizations and individuals on the hazard and/or the risk, risk management and associated factors

15. Food safety management by production and business chain: Means the management of food safety shall be implemented in the entire chain of production and trading of agricultural, forest and salt products from the initial production stage to preliminary processing and processing and food distribution.

Article 4. Food products subject to assessment of risks of food safety

Food shall be subjected to assessment of food safety risks on occurrence of one or a number of the following cases:

1. Food with high rate of poisoning;

2. Foodstuff capable of causing dangerous diseases;

3. The food which taken samples showed that the rate of violations of regulations and technical regulations on food safety at the high level;

4. Food which needs to be prescribed or supplemented with provisions on food safety indicators;

5. Food subject to food safety analysis as required.

Article 5. Specialized management agencies

1. For food safety risk analysis

a) The National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department shall be the agency in charge of organizing the analysis of risks of food safety of aquatic products and salt as food; and at the same time be the prime agency in charge of analyzing risks of food safety of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

b) Plant Protection Department shall preside over the analysis of risks of food safety for plants and plant products used as food.

c) The Department of Animal Health shall preside over the analysis of food safety risk applied to terrestrial animals and animal products used as food.

(Hereinafter referred to as Central specialized management agency)

2. For management of food safety by chains of production and trade of forestry, fishery and salt used as food

Central specialized management agency a) To conduct inspection and supervision of food safety of the food supply chain of agricultural, forest and export salt production in the fields under their management.

b) Local specialized management agencies: mean the specialized management agencies assigned by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to perform the task of managing agricultural-forestry-fishery food safety and salt in their respective localities and shall have to assume the prime responsibility for inspecting and supervising food safety for the key agricultural-forestry-fishery production and trading chains and the domestic salt consumption norms under their assigned management.

Article 6. Coordinating agencies performing food safety risk analysis (hereinafter referred to as Coordinating agencies)

1. Concerned units affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development or provincial and cities Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

2. Research institutes, universities, testing laboratories in relevant sectors.

3. Professional associations, consumer associations.

4. The establishments that produce and trade in agricultural, forestry and salt used as food.

5. Relevant organizations and individuals.

Article 7. Funds for analyzing risks of food safety and management of food safety according to the production chain of agricultural, forestry and salt

The prime agencies, central and locality specialized management agencies shall make plans, estimate funds from annual budgets and submit them to competent authorities for approval, and organize the implementation after approved.

CHAPTER II

PROCESS OF ANALYSIS OF FOOD SAFETY ANALYSIS

Section 1.

PROFESSIONAL COUNCIL FOR FOOD SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT

Article 8. Specialized Committee

1. The Specialized Committee shall be set up by the central specialized management agency, including: the head, deputy head and members.

2. Member of the Specialized Committee are the expert from the Central Specialized management agencies and outsource organization and//or agencies who have knowledge in one or some of the following field: Food quality and safety management; food technology; biology, chemical, epidemiology; medical and other related field as required by food safety risks assessment.

Article 9.The Professional Council for Assessment of Food Safety Risks (hereinafter referred to as the Professional Council)

1. The Professional Council for food safety risk assessment established by the Central Specialized management agencies (7-11 people), including: The Chairperson, deputy chairperson, representative of the Specialized Committee, members.

2. Members of the Professional Council are expert having knowledge in one or some of the following fields: Food quality and safety management; food technology; biology, chemical, epidemiology; medical and other related field as required by the central specialized management agencies.

3. The regulations on the operation of the Professional Council shall be stipulated by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Article 10. Responsibilities of the Specialized Committee

1. Establish the database on food safety issues of food production and trade chain at the request of the central agencies.

2. To compile the list of Hazards - Food that need compiling the Risk profile, to define order of priority in implementation and report it to the Professional Council and the central specialized management agency.

3. Development of a Risk profile for the pair of Hazards - Food identified at the request of the Central specialized management agencies.

4. Conduct assessment of food safety risks and make Reports on assessment of food safety risks for identified Hazards – Foods as requested by the central specialized management agencies.

Article 11. Responsibilities of the Professional Council

1. On the basis of the brief reports and proposals of the Specialized Committee regarding the pair Hazard - Food to compile the Risk profile.

2. To consider the risk file provided by the Specialized Committee and recommend the central specialized management agencies: The pair of Hazard – Food products required to make Report on assessment of food safety risk; the pair of Hazard – Food products not required to make Report on assessment of food safety risk.

3. To propose the central specialized management agencies about measures of food safety risk management for the pair of Hazard – Food that have been formed Risk profile or Reports on food safety risk assessment.

Section 2.

IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENTS OF FOOD SAFETY RISK

Article 12. Establishment of the database

1. The sources to supply data on food safety issues include:

a) Violations or failure to comply with regulations on food safety of the facilities during the circulation, export or import of foods are detected by the competent inspection and examination agencies of Vietnam or of the importing countries;

b) National supervision programs for food safety;

c) Supervision of epidemics and food poisoning, studies of epidemics and clinical studies;

d) The information on the mass media about the epidemics related to food, the complicated cases of food poisoning, the complaints of customers, the report of the scientists, the announcement of food safety issues of the establishment.

2. The Expert Committee shall collect and consolidate information about food safety issues of the food production and trading chain under the management of the central agencies as prescribed in Article 5 of this Circular.

3. According to collected information, the Specialized Committee shall identify the nature and characteristics of the food safety issues so that define the hazard in specific foodstuff.

Article 13. Define the Hazards – Food pair required to compile the Risk file

1. Based on the subjects defined in Article 4 of this Circular, the Specialized Committee shall make a list, determine the priority order for implementation of each of the hazards – Foodstuff which needs to prepare the Risk profile and report it to the Professional Council and the central specialized management agency.

2. According to the information provided by the Specialized Committee, the Professional Council shall consider and propose the Hazards – Food pair need to compile the Risk profile and report to the central specialized management agency.

3. The central specialized management agency shall decide on the Hazard - Food pair which needs to compile the Risk profile and assign the Specialized Committee to compile the Risk profile of the determined Hazard - Food pair.

Article 14. Compile of Risk profile

1. The Specialized Committee shall be responsible for compiling the risk profile for the Hazard - Food pair specified in Article 13 of this Circular and providing the risk profile to the Professional Council and the central specialized management agency.

2. The risk profile shall include the following information:

a) Describe the food safety risk issues need to compile the profile;

b) Information on the hazard and relevant foods;

c) The reasons, methods and production stages that pose the risk of intrusion into the food production and trading chain;

d) Information about infectious ways that lead to consumers exposed to the hazard;

dd) Information on the situation of food production and possible consequences (in terms of economy and health of consumers);

e) The regulations and measures to control the hazards in food which are currently implemented;

g) Suggest measures for management of food safety for the Hazard – Food pair;

h) Proposal of Hazard – Food pair need to be defined and formed the report on risk assessment;

i) The insufficient scientific data likely to restricts or difficulty to the assessment of risk of food safety for the Hazard – Food pair;

k) Other relevant contents at the request of the central specialized management agencies.

3. The sources of information supply must be noted in the Risk profile.

Article 15. Identifying the necessity to make report on assessment of food safety risk for the Hazard – Food pair

1. The Professional Council shall consider and assess the risk profile; report the result of assessment of the risk profile and propose the next measure for the Hazard – Food pair as prescribed in Clause 2 and Clause 3 of this Article to the central specialized management agency;

2.The Hazard - Food pair assessment report shall not necessary to be made in one or some of the following cases:

a) The hazard is adequately described with authentication data;

b) The hazard is relatively simple;

c) The risks profile has defined the appropriate risk management measures;

d) The risk is not subject to management.

3. The Hazard – Food pair shall need to be formed the Report on risk assessment for one or some of the following cases:

a) The risk is insufficient described;

b) The risk is the community concern;

c) The risk causing impacts on many social objects or great impacts on trading activities.

4. Based on the result of assessment of risk dossier and proposal of the Professional Council, the central specialized management agency shall decide the next handling measure for the Hazard – Food pair, specifically as follows:

a) The Hazard – Food pair must be reported on risk assessment;

b) The Hazard – Food pair not subject to risk assessment report

Article 16. Assessment of food safety risks

1. The Specialized Committee shall evaluate the risks of food safety for the Hazard – Food pair that have been identified at the request of the central specialized management agency and send the report on assessment of risks to the Professional Council and the central specialized management agency for review and assessment.

2. The stages of assessment of food safety risks shall be implemented as instructed in the Appendix attached herein.

3. In case of necessity, the Specialized Committee shall use information of the works on assessment of food safety risks of international organizations, countries, domestic ministries and sectors already announced in the process of assessment for the Hazard – Food pair which is determined with concern to special factors of the process of domestic production, trading and consumption of food.

4. Report on assessment of food safety risks includes the following contents:

a) The purpose of assessment of food safety risks;

b) Hazard identification;

c) Description of hazards;

d) Exposure assessment;

dd) Risk description

e) Risk estimation;

g) Identification of data gaps;

h) Propose measures for managing food safety risks according to the food production and trading chain.

Section 3.

FOOD SAFETY RISK MANAGEMENT

Article 17. Consideration and assessment of measures for food safety risk management

1. The Professional Committee shall consider and assess the food safety risk management measures in the following cases:

A) The Risk profile has been compiled for the Hazard – Food pair;

b) The report on assessment of food safety risk has been formed for the Hazard – Food pair.

2. Measures for food safety risk management by production and trading chain shall be evaluated under to the following criteria:

a) Food safety level achieved (Consumers’ health protection level);

b) Feasibility and possibility of implementation;

c) Economic features (consideration of factors of cost and benefits in the process of risk management implementation);

d) Social characters.

3. The Professional Council shall request the central specialized management agency on food safety risk management measures.

Article 18. Decision on measures for food safety risk management

The central specialized management agency considers reports proposed by the Professional Council and decides on measures of food safety risk management for the Hazard – Food pair defined.

Article 19. Execution of risk management measures and adjustment when necessary

1. The central specialized management agencies shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned organizations and individuals in, taking specific management measures in each period, which have identified in the food production and trading chain, with a view to protecting consumers health.

2. Central specialized management agencies shall collect information and assess results of implementation of measures of food safety risk management and propose adjustments when necessary.

3. Risk management measures shall be considered, adjusted in the occurrence of one of the following cases:

a) The present of new data or scientific knowledge relating to the Hazard – Food pair which is under control;

b) When the central specialized management agencies, the local specialized management agencies, the prime agency or the relevant coordinating agencies detect the unsuitable risk management measures.

Section 4.

COMMUNICATION OF FOOD SAFETY RISK

Article 20. Exchange of information during the assessment of risks and management of food safety risk

1. The central specialized management agencies shall identify the organizations and individuals involved in the exchange of information during the assessment of risks and management of food safety risks.

2.  The agencies concerned to participate in the process of assessment of risks, management of risk of food safety have the responsibility:

a) Exchanging information relating to the Hazard - Food pair during the determination of issues of food safety, risk assessment, and management of risks of food safety;

B) To inform and gather opinions of relevant coordinating agencies, representative of production and trading of agricultural, forestry and aquatic food products for information on:  Hazards, products and relevant information to assess the food safety risk; draft of Risk profile and Report on risks management; draft of legal normative provisions on food safety risk management.

3. Information exchange method: Holding meetings, seminars or sending question sheets, written opinions or other forms.

Article 21. Dissemination of information about food safety risks

1. Disseminating information about the Hazard – Food pair which required to compile of Risk profile: The central specialized management agency must notify the concerned organizations and individuals on the Hazard – Food pair which required to compile of Risk profile.

Disseminate the information about the results of assessment of food safety risks: Based on the Risk profile or Report on assessment of risks, the central specialized management agency shall notice to the concerned organizations and individuals on the result of assessment of food safety risks on the defined Hazard – Food pair.

3. Disclosure of information about the risk and risk management measures: The central specialized management agencies shall disclose information about risks and measures for management of risks of the defined Hazard - Food pair to the related organizations and individuals as prescribed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and within its competence.

Information disclosure methods: To hold announcement conference, upload on the web portal of the central specialized management agency, through mass media or in other forms.

CHAPTER III

FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT ON THE CHAIN OF PRODUCTION AND TRADE OF FORESTRY, FISHERY AND SALT USED AS FOOD

Article 22. Principles for food safety management on the chains of production and trade of forestry, fishery and salt used as food

1. The management of food safety shall be implemented in the entire chain of production and trading of agricultural, forest and salt products and from the initial production stage to food distribution.

2. The facilities participating in the production chain of agriculture, forestry, fishery and salt production are responsible for the food safety of the products they produce and trade at the facilities.

3. The State management of food safety must be carried out at each stage in the entire production and business chain on the basis of analyzing risks of food safety.

Article 23. Food safety management activities in the chain of production and trade of agricultural, forestry, fishery and salt used as food

1. Carry out self-control of food safety during the food production and trade of the establishments.

2. Community food safety supervision.

3. Supervise, examine and specialized inspect on food safety of specialized management agencies.

4. Preventive plan in case of food safety incidents.

5. To assess and propose measures to improve the food safety management activities.

Article 24. Facilities’ self-control of food safety

1. The self-control activities (including the implementation of the programs for management of food safety and quality) at the establishment must comply with the provisions and technical regulations issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

2. The facilities shall establish the product traceability system and recall the products that not satisfied food safety requirements as prescribed in the Circular No. 03/2011/TT-BNNPTNT dated January 21, 2011 and the Circular No. 74/2011/TT-BNNPTNT dated October 31, 2011 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

3. Small-scale food producers and traders shall carry out self-control in conformity with national technical regulations and specific regulations on food safety conditions in small-scale food production and trading.

4. Based on the Risk profile or the Report on assessment of risks with respect to food potentials, to evaluate risks of food safety, the facilities shall determine of main phases of business production to apply risk management measures under the guidance of the central management agency or in accordance with provisions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

5. For the defined Hazard – Food pair which required to assess the risk but have not make the Risk profile yet or the report on risk assessment has not completed   yet, the facilities shall set up the risk supervise which comprising of:

a) Definition of products’ hazard: Follow the warning of the competent authorities or clients’ complaints;

b) Enhance control measures as prescribed in point an of this Clause under management programs for food safety and quality that the establishment is applying; increase collection of samples for inspection and monitoring of risks during the production at the facilities;

c) To check the origin and determine of reasons for unsafe foods (if any);

d) Send periodical reports on result of inspection and supervision of food safety risks to the central specialized management agency or the local specialized management agency.

6.  Detecting and reporting to the central specialized management agency or the local specialized management agency when the facilities are likely to cause unsafe food safety.

7. Information on food safety on the label, packaging in the documents attached to food as prescribed by law on goods label.

8. Promptly, adequately and accurately warnings about risks of causing food unsafety, and prevention for consumers according to law provisions.

Article 25. Community supervision of food safety

Organizations and individuals shall participate in the detection of food products violate the regulations on food safety and notify such information to the central specialized management agencies or local specialized agencies, and at the same time inform the local functional agencies.

Article 26. Food safety inspection and supervision by central specialized management agencies and local specialized management agencies

1. The central specialized management agencies or local specialized management agencies shall take samples for supervising food safety of agricultural, forestry, aquatic and salt products within the whole production chain according to the current regulations and standards, with focus on the products and the high risk stages that have been identified in the risk profile, report on assessment of risks and results of assessment of classification of food safety conditions of the facilities.

2. Based on the classification results of establishments, the central specialized management agency or the local specialized management agency shall apply appropriate supervision frequency to check food safety conditions of establishments in each chain in accordance with technical regulations and standards.

3. Forms of inspection include:

a) Inspection and assessment of classification of conditions for assurance of food safety;

b) Specialized inspection and examination the compliance with law’s provisions as planned.

c) Irregular and specialized inspection upon signs of violations of regulations on food safety.

4. For facilities engaged in production or stage-based production, which fail to ensure food safety, the central specialized management agency, the local specialized management agency shall concentrate resources, intensify the inspection and supervision and apply appropriate measures to protect consumers health;

5. For the determined Hazard – Food pair which have to make risk assessment but have not been compile the Risk profile or the report on risk assessment has not been completed, the central specialized management agency, the local specialized management agency in charge shall develop and implement the program on monitoring hazards for the food production and trading chains, strengthen inspection at the production stage with great capability of causing food unsafe; increase frequency of collection and monitoring of samples for the determined Hazard – Food pair;

6. For the Hazard – Food pair has analyzed risks; the central specialized management agency shall guide the implementation of risk management measures. In case of necessity, the central specialized management agency shall propose in writing the promulgation of regulations on management of food safety risk to the Ministry.

Article 27. Preventive plans for emergency response to food safety incidents

The central specialized management agency and local specialized management agencies shall set up a preventive plan for response to food safety incidents in the annual plan for regular activities, which including the following contents:

1. Prediction on food safety incidents likely to occur;

2. Handling plan for each type of incident: Clear the stage and source of implementation;

3. Assignment the implementation of each handling plan;

4. Implementation funds

Article 28. Organizing the handling and overcoming of incidents on food safety

When food safety incidents occur, central specialized management agencies, local specialized management agencies shall trace origins and recall products that fail to ensure food safety in accordance with regulations of the Circular No. 03/2011/TT-BNNPTNT dated January 21, 2011 and the Circular No. 74/2011/TT-BNNPTNT dated October 31, 2011 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Chapter IV

RESPONSIBILITIES OF RELEVANT PARTIES

Article 29. Responsibilities of the prime agency for analysis of risks of food safety

1. Annually, to synthesize proposals to the central specialized management agencies, draw up plans for analysis of risks of food safety and draw up plans for implementation of funding estimates and submit them to the Ministry for approval;

2. To sum up the needs for, draw up plans and preside over the organization of training and coaching on analysis of food safety risks for the staffs in charge of managing food safety risks of the relevant units;

3. To participate as the prime agency in networks on assessment of food safety risks of the country and abroad;

4. Annually, to synthesize and report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the results of food safety risk analysis of central specialized management and relevant cooperating agencies.

Article 30. Responsibilities of central specialized management agencies

1. Annually, formulate operational plan and budget estimate for implementation and send to the prime agency. The detailed plan shall comprise the following contents: the predictive list of the Hazard - Food pair need to be compile the Risk profile; the risk assessment report; the training and communication plan; estimated budget and other contents as required by management requirements. At the same time, propose the list in order of priority to apply the model of management of food safety to the production and trading chain for some products and groups of products under its assigned management.

2. To compile relevant technical documents, guide the uniform application;

3. Establish the Professional Council and the Specialized Committee;

4. Establish a database on the network of expert assessment of risks of food safety for the group of foods under their management;

5. Establish a database on food safety issues for the group of foods that are assigned to manage;

6. Identify the Hazard – Food pair required to prepare the Risk profile and report on assessment of food safety risk; organize formulation of the Risk profile and make the report on assessment of the determined Hazard – Food pair;

7. To closely cooperate with and provide sufficient information for the Specialized Committee when conducting risk assessment of the determined Hazard - Food pair;

8. To select and decide on measures to manage food safety risks for the determined Hazard – Food pair, in case of necessity, to propose the promulgation of the documents on regulations on measurements to manage food safety risks for submission to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for promulgation;

9. To coordinate in analyzing food safety risks when requested with the group of products managed by other central specialized management agencies.

10. To organize the management of food safety of the food production and trading chain as assigned to manage;

11. To set up the preventive plans for response to food safety incidents; to organize the process of handle and remedy incidents related to food safety;

12. Send annual reports on the analysis of food safety risks to the prime agency and report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the management of food safety in the production and trading chain of the assigned to manage food group.

13. Assess and propose measures to improve the effectiveness of food safety management according to the food production and business chain as assigned in Article 5 of this Circular.

Article 31. Local specialized management agency

1. Provide information about food safety issues that need analyzing risks to relevant prime agencies and central regulatory agencies;

2. To inspect and supervise food safety on the production chain and food trading assigned to manage;

3. Conduct the control and supervision of the food production chain determined, strengthened control at production stage which potential to be out of control in order to limit the risk in accordance with the assignment of the central specialized management agency.

Article 32. Facilities that produce and trade agricultural, forestry, aquatic and salt for use as food

1. On the periodic or ad hoc basis, or upon detection of any product that may cause unsafety of food, facilities shall submit reports to central or local specialized agencies on control of food safety, handling measures, recall of unsafety products and result of implementing resolve measurement of the facilities.

2. To supply information on food safety control and other relevant information at the request of central or local specialized management agencies for assessment of food safety risks and management of food safety by chain.

3. To apply measures to manage food safety risks at the facilities and apply measures to remedy food safety incidents under the guidance of the central specialized agency or according to the regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

4. To set up and implement programs on management of food quality and safety for the production and trading of food at the facilities according to regulations.

Article 33. Coordinating agencies

1. To supply information on food safety relevant to activities of analyzing risks of food safety to focal agencies and central specialized management agencies;

2. Send expert to participate in the Professional Council and the Specialized Committee at the request of the central specialized management agency;

3. To participate in other activities related to food safety analysis at the request of the central specialized management agency.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 34. Effect

This Circular takes effect on February 20, 2013.

Article 35. Amendment and supplementation

Any difficulties or problems arising in the course of implementation should be reported to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for consideration, amendment and supplementation./.

The Minister

(signed)

Cao Duc Phat