Decree 25/2026/ND-CP on chemical industry development and chemical safety and security

DECREE

Detailing and providing measures for organizing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Chemicals regarding the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security

Pursuant to the Law No. 63/2025/QH15 on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals;

Pursuant to the Resolution No. 198/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly on a number of special mechanisms and policies for private economy development;

At the proposal of the Minister of Industry and Trade;

The Government hereby promulgates the Decree detailing and providing measures for organizing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Chemicals regarding the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Decree details Clause 15, Article 2; Clause 5, Article 4; Clause 5, Article 5; Clause 3, Article 6; Clause 5, Article 8; Clause 5, Article 33; Clause 3, Article 35; Clause 3, Article 36; Clause 2, Article 37; Clause 2, Article 38; Clause 5, Article 39; Clause 3, Article 42; Clause 4, Article 46 of the Law on Chemicals and measures for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Law on Chemicals regarding the responsibilities for State-level governance of the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security; the formulation, appraisal, approval, public disclosure, and implementation of the chemical industry development strategy; the establishment of safety distances for chemical plants; the inspection and dossiers of specialized chemical safety training; and the chemical incident prevention and response capacity building for the civilian sector.

Article 2. Subjects of application

Domestic authorities, organizations, and individuals, and foreign organizations and individuals carrying out chemical-related activities in the territory of Vietnam.

Article 3. Interpretation of terms

1. Principles of green chemistry mean a set of principles applicable to design, technology and equipment selection, and in the processes for production, use, and disposal of chemicals, with the aim of minimizing or eliminating the use and generation of hazardous chemicals.

2. Specialized chemical industrial park means an industrial park focused on production and service provision for chemical projects and chemical plants, which must have at least 60% of its industrial land area designated for attracting chemical projects and chemical plants, and projects that use products of the chemical industry manufactured within the industrial park itself as feedstock, solvents, or catalysts in their production processes.

Article 4. Responsibilities for State-level governance of the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security

1. The Government shall uniformly manage the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security nationwide.

2. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall act as the focal authority assisting the Government in performing the State-level governance of the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall, within their tasks and powers:

a) Promulgate within its competence, or submit to competent state authorities for promulgation of, legal documents; strategies, plans, projects, and schemes; and national-level programs and activities regarding the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security;

b) Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, ministerial-level authorities and provincial-level People's Committees in, organizing the formulation of the chemical industry development strategy, and submitting it to the Prime Minister for approval; guide and supervise the implementation of the strategy;

c) Organize the dissemination and education of the law regulations on the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security;

d) Receive and settle complaints, denunciations, petitions, and feedback related to the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

dd) Carry out international cooperation on the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

e) Perform the management of chemical safety in the civilian sector; coordinate with relevant authorities in the prevention of, response to, and remedy of chemical incidents as prescribed in this Decree;

g) Conduct specialized inspections of chemical-related activities within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

3. The Ministry of Health shall, within their tasks and powers:

a) Promulgate within its competence, or submit to competent state authorities for promulgation of, legal documents; plans, programs, projects, and schemes on the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security in the healthcare field;

b) Organize the dissemination and education of the law regulations on chemical safety and security in the healthcare sector;

c) Receive and settle complaints, denunciations, petitions, and feedback related to the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Health;

d) Carry out international cooperation on the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Health;

dd) Perform the management of chemical safety in chemical use activities within the healthcare sector;

e) Conduct specialized inspections of chemical-related activities within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Health.

4. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment shall, within their tasks and powers:

a) Promulgate within its competence, or submit to competent state authorities for promulgation of, legal documents; plans, programs, projects, and schemes on the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security in the agricultural and environmental fields;

b) Organize the dissemination and education of the law regulations on chemical safety and security in the agricultural and environmental fields;

c) Receive and settle complaints, denunciations, petitions, and feedback related to the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment;

d) Carry out international cooperation on the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment;

dd) Perform the management of chemical safety in chemical use activities within the agricultural and environmental sectors;

e) Conduct specialized inspections of chemical-related activities within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

5. The Ministry of Public Security shall, within their tasks and powers:

a) Promulgate according to its competence or submit to the competent state authorities for promulgation of legal documents; strategies, plans, projects, schemes; national-level programs and activities on the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Public Security;

b) Organize the dissemination and education of the law regulations on chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Public Security;

c) Receive and settle complaints, denunciations, petitions, and feedback related to the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Public Security;

d) Manage chemical safety in the field of security and social order and safety; direct the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue and Salvage forces to prepare forces, means, and equipment and formulate response plans when a chemical incident occurs; coordinate with the army and local authorities in evacuating people from dangerous areas and participating in rescue, salvage, and overcoming the consequences of chemical incidents;

dd) Conduct specialized inspections of chemical-related activities within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of Public Security.

6. The Ministry of National Defense shall, within their tasks and powers:

a) Promulgate according to its competence or submit to the competent state authorities for promulgation of legal documents; strategies, plans, projects, schemes; national-level programs and activities on the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of National Defense;

b) Organize the dissemination and education of the law regulations on chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of National Defense;

c) Receive and settle complaints, denunciations, petitions, and feedback related to the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of National Defense;

d) Manage chemical safety in the field of national defense; direct and coordinate with localities and relevant units in formulating plans, preparing forces, means, and equipment ready to perform the following tasks: emergency response to chemical incidents, carrying out search and rescue, and participating in response when a chemical incident occurs;

dd) Conduct specialized inspections of chemical-related activities within the scope of State-level governance of the Ministry of National Defense.

7. The National Civil Defense Steering Committee shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, and local authorities in, directing and inspecting the formulation of provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans, and the training, drill, and response to chemical incidents in localities.

8. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall, within its tasks and powers:

a) Promulgate within its competence, or submit to competent state authorities for promulgation of, regulations encouraging enterprises to apply sensor technologies, AI cameras, and early warning systems;

b) Formulate standards for data connection on chemical safety among enterprises, localities, and state authorities and submit them to the competent authorities for promulgation.

9. The Government Inspectorate shall manage the State-level governance of inspection, citizen reception, settlement of complaints and denunciations, and prevention and combat of corruption and negative practices in the chemical sector; perform inspection activities, citizen reception, settlement of complaints and denunciations, and prevention and combat of corruption, wastefulness, and wrongdoings in the chemical field as prescribed by the law regulations.

10. People's Committees at all levels shall, within their tasks and powers, perform the State-level governance of the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security within their localities as prescribed in this Decree and:

a) Perform management, inspection, and examination; receive and settle complaints, denunciations, petitions, and feedback on chemical-related activities in the localities as prescribed by the law regulations;

b) Decide, or report to the competent authorities for decision, on the allocation of the state budget and land funds for investing or supporting the investment in specialized chemical industrial parks as prescribed by the law regulations;

c) Based on the approved chemical industry development strategy, formulate details regarding the development of the chemical industry in their localities, in alignment with local socio-economic development objectives during the formulation and adjustment of local development master plans, and organize the implementation thereof.

11. Ministries, ministerial-level authorities, and other authorities and organizations shall, within their tasks and powers, assume the prime responsibility for, or coordinate with each other in, performing the State-level governance of the development of the chemical industry and chemical safety and security as prescribed by the law regulations.

Chapter II

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Article 5. Details of the chemical industry development strategy

The chemical industry development strategy shall contain the required details prescribed in Clause 2, Article 4 of the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals and the following:

1. Analysis and evaluation of natural conditions and the current status of the chemical industry development.

2. Analysis and forecast of domestic and international development trends; analysis of factors affecting the development of the chemical industry during the formulation period of the strategy.

3. Identification of viewpoints, objectives, and directions for the development of the chemical industry nationwide and across economic regions; priority fields for development in each period; and directions for the establishment of specialized chemical industrial parks suited to local natural and socio-economic conditions and compliant with chemical safety requirements.

4. Tasks, solutions, development programs, resources, and the organization of implementation thereof, and the inspection and supervision of the strategy's implementation.

Article 6. Formulation of the chemical industry development strategy

1. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, ministerial-level authorities, and provincial-level People's Committees in, organizing the formulation of the chemical industry development strategy.

2. During the process of organizing the formulation of the strategy, the Ministry of Industry and Trade shall seek opinions from relevant authorities and organizations on the details of the draft strategy. The draft strategy, except for details related to state secrets as prescribed by the law regulations, must be publicly disclosed on the web portal of the Ministry of Industry and Trade to seek various opinions from authorities, organizations, and individuals for at least 15 working days.

3. The authority assigned to formulate the strategy shall conduct a strategic environmental assessment as prescribed by the law regulations on environmental protection. The results of the strategic environmental assessment shall be incorporated into the strategy's explanatory report.

4. Where necessary, the authority assigned to formulate the strategy may select a strategy formulation consultant in accordance with the law regulations on bidding.

Article 7. Appraisal and approval of the chemical industry development strategy

1. Appraisal of the chemical industry development strategy

a) The appraisal of the strategy shall be carried out by a council. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall decide to establish the strategy appraisal council;

b) The strategy appraisal council operates on principles of collective deliberation. A strategy is eligible for submission to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval provided that at least 2/3 of the council members present at the appraisal meeting vote in favor of its adoption.

2. Approval of the chemical industry development strategy

a) The strategy dossier submitted for approval shall comprise: a statement to the Prime Minister; a draft of the written approval of the strategy; an explanatory report on the strategy, incorporating the results of the strategic environmental assessment; a report on the summary, explanation, and assimilation of opinions from authorities, organizations, and individuals regarding the strategy; a report on the appraisal results; a report on the explanation and assimilation of the appraisal opinions; and other relevant documents concerning the strategy (if any);

b) The reception and review of the strategy dossier submitted for approval and the approval of the strategy shall be carried out in accordance with the Working Regulations of the Government.

Article 8. Public disclosure of the chemical industry development strategy

1. The strategy must be publicly disclosed after being approved, except for details related to state secrets as prescribed by the law regulations.

2. The Government Office and the Ministry of Industry and Trade shall disclose the strategy and publicly post the Prime Minister's Decision approving the strategy on the web portals of the Government and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Article 9. Implementation of the chemical industry development strategy

1. After the strategy is approved, the Ministry of Industry and Trade shall formulate and promulgate an action plan to implement the strategy. Ministries, ministerial-level authorities, and local authorities shall organize the implementation of tasks and solutions under their assigned functions and tasks stated in the written approval of strategy and the action plan to implement the strategy.

2. The authority in charge of formulating the regional master plan shall, based on the approved chemical industry development strategy, formulate details regarding the development of the chemical industry following development directions for advantageous fields of the region and plans for development, arrangement, selection, and allocation of development resources within the region.

3. The authority in charge of formulating the provincial-level master plan shall, based on the approved chemical industry development strategy, formulate details regarding the development of the chemical industry following the development directions for important fields in the provincial-level locality, select options for organizing socio-economic activities, and formulate plans for the development of the system of economic zones, industrial parks, export processing zones, and high-tech parks within the provincial-level locality.

4. During the process of deciding on the investment policy or approving the investment policy of a chemical project, the competent authority deciding on the investment policy or approving the investment policy of the chemical project shall consider the project's conformity with the chemical industry development strategy.

5. Before March 15 annually, ministries, ministerial-level authorities, and provincial-level People's Committees shall update information on the results of implementing the tasks and solutions prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article into the Specialized Chemical Database.

6. Responsibilities for updating information on chemical projects into the Specialized Chemical Database

a) Prior to the completion of a plant and putting it into operation, the project owner shall update the project implementation status based on the progress of each construction investment stage;

b) Organizations and individuals operating chemical projects shall, after completing the plants and putting them into operation, periodically update the status of production and business activities before February 15 annually.

7. Funding for formulating, appraising, approving, and organizing the implementation of the strategy shall be covered by the state budget as prescribed by the law regulations on the state budget and other lawful capital sources.

8. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall prescribe the forms to update the information as prescribed in Clause 5 and Clause 6 of this Article into the Specialized Chemical Database.

Article 10. Adjustment of the strategy

1. The strategy shall be adjusted in the following cases:

a) There is a major change in the socio-economic development strategy, the national overall development master plan, or legal policies related to the details of the approved strategy;

b) There are changes related to the international commitments to which Vietnam is a party;

c) The adjustment is necessitated to meet the requirements for national defense and security;

d) It is required to be adjusted in accordance with the results of the mid-term or final supervision and evaluation of the strategy implementation, or under the direction of the competent authorities.

2. The sequence and procedures for adjusting the strategy shall comply with the regulations on formulating, appraising, and approving the strategy as prescribed in Article 6 and Article 7 of this Decree.

Chapter III

CHEMICAL PROJECT

Article 11. Principles of green chemistry in the design and selection of technology and equipment

1. During the design and selection of technologies and equipment, the project owner and the design consultant of a chemical project shall apply the following green chemistry principles:

a) Use production processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous waste;

b) Increase energy efficiency;

c) Conduct real-time analysis to monitor and control emissions;

d) Apply measures to minimize the potential for incidents.

2. During the process of design and selection of technologies and equipment, the project owner and the design consultant of a chemical project are encouraged to apply the following green chemistry principles:

a) Research and develop safer chemicals and products that offer equivalent functionality and efficacy but are less hazardous;

b) Research and develop chemicals and products designed to degrade after fulfilling their function;

c) Use less hazardous chemical syntheses, minimizing or eliminating the use and generation of chemicals that are hazardous to human health and the biological environment;

d) Use chemical syntheses and reactions that minimize the generation of intermediates;

dd) Use technologies or chemical reactions that optimize input materials (atom economy);

e) Use catalytic reagents to increase reaction efficiency;

g) Use biological or renewable feedstocks;

h) Minimize or eliminate the use of hazardous solvents and auxiliary chemicals, and use safer alternatives.

Article 12. Evaluation of compliance with regulations on safety distances for locations of chemical projects

1. For any chemical project to which the technical regulations on safety distances as prescribed in Article 28 of this Decree must be applied and of which the investment policy is subject to a decision by a competent state authority as prescribed by the law regulations on public investment:

a) The chemical project owner must report on the conformity of the project construction location with the regulations on safety distances in the investment policy proposal report or the pre-feasibility study report before submitting it to the competent state authority for decision on the investment policy;

b) The state authority that is competent to decide on the investment policy shall evaluate the compliance with regulations on safety distances for the location of the chemical project before deciding on such investment policy;

c) Point a and Point b of this Clause constitute part of the dossier, sequence, and procedures for deciding on the investment policy in accordance with the law regulations on public investment.

2. For any chemical project to which the technical regulations on safety distances as prescribed in Article 28 of this Decree must be applied and of which the investment policy is subject to approval by a competent state authority as prescribed by the law regulations on public investment:

a) The chemical project owner must report on the conformity of the project construction location with the regulations on safety distances in the investment project proposal report before submitting it to the competent state authority for approval by the investment policy;

b) The state authority that is competent to approve the investment policy shall evaluate the compliance with regulations on safety distances for the location of the chemical project before approving such investment policy;

c) Point a and Point b of this Clause constitute part of the dossier, sequence, and procedures for approving the investment policy in accordance with the law regulations on investment.

3. For any chemical project to which the technical regulations on safety distances as prescribed in Article 28 of this Decree must be applied and of which the investment policy is subject to neither the decision nor approval by any competent state authority as prescribed by the law regulations on public investment:

a) The organization or individual that is competent to decide on construction investment of the project as prescribed by the law regulations on construction must evaluate and take accountability for the compliance with regulations on safety distances for the location of the chemical project before approving the project or deciding on the investment;

b) The organization or individual that is competent to decide on construction investment must not approve the project or decide on the investment in cases where it is not compliant with the regulations on safety distances.

Article 13. Details of the construction investment feasibility study report and the techno-economic report on investment construction of a chemical project

1. The construction investment feasibility study report and the techno-economic report on investment construction of a chemical project shall be prepared in accordance with the law regulations on construction and must contain the following additional details:

a) Clarifications on the conformity of the details of the construction investment feasibility study report and the techno-economic report on investment construction with the standards, technical regulations, and regulations on chemical safety applied to the basic design;

b) Clarifications on the green chemistry principles applied to the design and selection of technologies and equipment within the selected technological, technical, and equipment plans.

2. The appraisal of the construction investment feasibility study report and the techno-economic report on investment construction of a chemical project shall comply with the law regulations on construction and must cover the following additional details:

a) An evaluation of the conformity of the details of the construction investment feasibility study report and the techno-economic report on investment construction with the standards, technical regulations, and regulations on chemical safety, within the scope of appraising the compliance with technical regulations and the application of standards as prescribed by the law regulations;

b) An evaluation of the application of green chemistry principles in the design and selection of technologies and equipment for the project.

Article 14. Investment size and disbursement progress for projects in the key fields of the chemical industry

1. Investment projects in the fields as prescribed at Point a, Point b, and Point c, Clause 1, Article 6 of the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals, which have investment sizes as prescribed in Clause 2 of this Article and disburse at least 1/3 of the investment sizes within a period of 03 years from the date their investment registration certificates , investment policy approvals or investment policy decisions are issued, shall enjoy special investment incentives and support in accordance with the law regulations on investment and other relevant law regulations, including: incentives regarding corporate income tax, import tax, land, land rental, and land use tax; incentives in contractor selection; support for the development of technical and social infrastructure systems; support for access to land and production and business premises; human resources training and development; financial and investment credit support; support for science, technology, technology transfer, innovation, digital transformation, market development, and information provision; and other forms of investment incentives and support.

2. The investment sizes for the projects prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article are prescribed as follows:

a) The total investment of VND 160 billion or more, for projects on manufacturing pharmacochemical products as medicinal materials;

b) The total investment of VND 4,600 billion or more, for projects on manufacturing basic chemical products within the key fields of the chemical industry; petrochemical products; pharmacochemical products as raw materials for health supplements; or hydrogen and ammonia produced from renewable energy sources;

c) The total investment of VND 10.000 billion or more, for projects on manufacturing rubber products, except for inner tubes and tires; manufacturing high-nutrient fertilizers; investing in specialized chemical industrial parks; or investing in chemical plant sites with the main objective of manufacturing chemicals and chemical industry products.

3. Where necessary, the competent authorities issuing the investment registration certificates, the investment policy approvals, or the investment policy decisions shall seek opinions from the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the conformity of the investment projects in the key fields of the chemical industry as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 6 of the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals.

4. Competent persons and project owners may choose to apply one of the following forms: order placement, restricted bidding, contractor appointment, or other suitable forms as prescribed by the law regulations to implement the investment projects prescribed in Clause 1, Article 6 of the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals, provided that publicity, transparency, quality, progress, efficiency, and accountability are ensured.

Chapter IV

CHEMICAL-RELATED SPECIALIZED CONSULTANCY

Article 15. Conditions for organizations providing construction consultancy for chemical projects

An organization providing construction consultancy for chemical projects shall meet the conditions prescribed at Point a, Point b, Clause 1, Article 8 of the Law on Chemicals No. 69/2025/QH15 and have at least 01 individual involved in providing the consultancy who:

1. Possess a bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher degree in a chemistry major on the list provided in Appendix III to this Decree.

2. Have a work history as follows:

a) In cases where he/she is involved in providing the consultancy for chemical projects with construction works of Grade I or higher: Have held a position related to engineering, technology, or chemical safety at chemical projects for 07 years or more, or have been involved in providing consultancy for chemical projects with construction works of Grade I or higher;

b) In cases where he/she is involved in providing the consultancy for chemical projects with construction works of Grade II: Have held a position related to engineering, technology, or chemical safety at chemical projects for 04 years or more, or have been involved in providing consultancy for chemical projects with construction works of Grade II or higher;

c) In cases where he/she is involved in providing the consultancy for chemical projects with construction works of Grade III or lower: Have held a position related to engineering, technology, or chemical safety at chemical projects for 02 years or more, or have been involved in providing consultancy for chemical projects.

Article 16. Criteria for individuals providing consultancy on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects to be issued with specialized chemical consultancy certificates

1. An individual providing consultancy on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects shall be issued with a specialized chemical consultancy certificate if he/she:

a) Possesses a bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher degree in a chemistry major on the list provided in Appendix III to this Decree;

b) Has the required work history as prescribed in Clause 2 of this Article.

2. The required work history for an individual providing consultancy on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects is prescribed as follows:

a) In case of applying for a Class A1 certificate: The applicant must have been involved in chemical technology and engineering jobs for 07 years or more; and have performed jobs related to consulting on the selection of technologies and equipment for 02 chemical projects with construction works of Grade II or higher;

b) In case of applying for a Class A2 certificate: The applicant must have been involved in chemical technology and engineering jobs for 04 years or more; and have performed jobs related to consulting on the selection of technologies and equipment for 02 chemical projects with construction works of Grade III or higher;

c) In case of applying for a Class A3 certificate: The applicant must have been involved in chemical technology and engineering jobs for 04 years or more.

3. The scope of work for an individual providing consultancy on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects is prescribed as follows:

a) If the individual holds a Class A1 specialized chemical consultancy certificate: He/she is allowed to perform jobs related to consulting on the selection of technologies and equipment for all chemical projects;

b) If the individual holds a Class A2 specialized chemical consultancy certificate: He/she is allowed to perform jobs related to consulting on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects with construction works of Grade II or lower;

c) If the individual holds a Class A3 specialized chemical consultancy certificate: He/she is allowed to perform jobs related to consulting on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects with construction works of Grade III or lower.

4. The required work history prescribed in Clause 2 of this Article shall comprise jobs that have been duly inspected and accepted in accordance with applicable regulations within the 10-year period preceding the date of application for the consultancy certificate. In cases where the jobs fall within the scope of the required work history but were completed more than 10 years prior, the applicant may apply for a consultancy certificate of 01class lower as prescribed.

Article 17. Criteria for organizations providing consultancy on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects

1. They must meet the criteria prescribed at Point a, Clause 2, Article 8 of the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals;

2. An organization performing jobs related to consulting on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects with construction works of Grade I or higher shall employ at least 02 full-time consultants holding Class A1 specialized chemical consultancy certificates, in accordance with the law regulations on labor.

3. An organization performing jobs related to consulting on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects with construction works of Grade II shall employ at least 01 full-time consultant holding a Class A1 or Class A2 specialized chemical consultancy certificate, in accordance with the law regulations on labor.

4. An organization performing jobs related to consulting on the selection of technologies and equipment for chemical projects with construction works of Grade III or Grade IV shall employ at least 01 full-time consultant holding a Class A1, Class A2, or Class A3 specialized chemical consultancy certificate, in accordance with the law regulations on labor.

5. They must install software for design and selection of technologies and equipment.

Article 18. Conditions for individuals providing consultancy on chemical safety and security to be issued with specialized chemical consultancy certificates

1. An individual providing consultancy on chemical safety and security shall be issued with a specialized chemical consultancy certificate if he/she:

a) Possesses a bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher degree in a chemistry major on the list provided in Appendix III to this Decree;

b) Has held a position related to chemical safety for a period equivalent to the standard tenure required of a theoretical knowledge trainer holding a university degree or higher, as prescribed by the law regulations on occupational safety and health;

c) Has the required professional experience respective to the specific consultancy he/she provides, as prescribed in Clause 2 of this Article.

2. The required professional experience and scope of work for an individual providing consultancy on chemical safety and security are prescribed as follows:

a) An individual may be issued with a Class B specialized chemical consultancy certificate to provide consultancy for national-level chemical incident response drills and perform the consultancy jobs as prescribed at Point c, Point d, Point dd, Point e, Point g, and Point h of this Clause if he/she has experience being involved in the formulation of at least 05 provincial-level drill programs;

b) An individual may be issued with a Class B specialized chemical consultancy certificate to provide consultancy for the formulation of national-level chemical incident prevention and response plans and perform the consultancy jobs as prescribed at Point c, Point d, Point dd, Point e, Point g, and Point h of this Clause if he/she has experience being involved in the formulation of at least 02 provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans that have been approved and promulgated within the last 02 years up to the date of applying for the certificate;

c) An individual may be issued with a Class B specialized chemical consultancy certificate to provide consultancy for chemical incident response drills of chemical facilities if he/she has experience being involved in the formulation of at least 02 drill programs of chemical facilities;

d) An individual may be issued with a Class B specialized chemical consultancy certificate to provide consultancy for chemical incident response drills at the provincial level and of chemical facilities if he/she has experience being involved in the formulation of at least 02 provincial-level drill programs;

dd) An individual may be issued with a Class B specialized chemical consultancy certificate to provide consultancy for the formulation of chemical incident prevention and response plans of chemical projects and chemical facilities if he/she has experience being involved in the formulation of at least 02 chemical incident prevention and response plans of chemical facilities that have been approved within the last 02 years up to the date of applying for the certificate;

e) An individual may be issued with a Class B specialized chemical consultancy certificate to provide consultancy for the formulation of provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans if he/she has experience being involved in the formulation of at least 02 provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans that have been approved within the last 02 years up to the date of applying for the certificate;

g) An individual may be issued with a Class B specialized chemical consultancy certificate to provide consultancy for specialized chemical safety training for subjects in Group I, Group II, and Group III prescribed in Clause 3, Article 29 of this Decree if he/she has experience acting as a trainer or participating in supporting the training for at least 05 specialized chemical safety training programs within the last 02 years up to the date of applying for the certificate;

h) An individual who only meets the criteria prescribed at Point a and Point b, Clause 1 of this Article may be issued with a Class B specialized chemical consultancy certificate to perform consultancy jobs regarding the formulation of chemical incident prevention and response measures; chemical classification and labeling; preparation of chemical safety data sheets; and registration of new chemicals.

Article 19. Criteria for organizations providing consultancy on chemical safety and security

1. They must meet the criteria prescribed at Point a, Clause 2, Article 8 of the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals.

2. An organization providing consultancy on chemical safety and security shall employ at least 01 consultant undertaking the consultancy task who holds a specialized chemical consultancy certificate appropriate for the undertaken task as prescribed in Article 18 of this Decree;

3. They must have the necessary technical equipment and vehicles suitable for providing the consultancy: personal protective equipment appropriate to the hazardous properties of various types of chemicals; and vehicles and equipment for practical exercises or chemical incident response drills.

Article 20. Certificates of chemical-related specialized consultancy

1. A specialized chemical consultancy certificate (hereinafter referred to as a consultancy certificate) may be issued to a Vietnamese citizen, a Vietnamese national residing overseas, or a foreigner legally working or temporarily residing in Vietnam to provide the consultancy as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 8 of the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals.

2. The newly issued or modified consultancy certificates shall be valid for 05 years from the date of issue. The validity period of a consultancy certificate issued to a foreigner shall be determined based on the remaining period stated in the work permit or temporary residence card issued by the competent authorities, but shall not exceed 05 years.

The validity period of a reissued consultancy certificate shall be determined based on the validity period stated in the most recently issued consultancy certificate.

3. The specifications and details of the consultancy certificate are prescribed in Form No. 01 provided in the Appendix to this Decree.

4. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall guide the designation of consultancy certificate codes.

Article 21. Cases of issuance of new or modified specialized chemical consultancy certificates, re-issuance and revocation thereof

1. A specialized chemical consultancy certificate may be issued to an individual in one of the following cases:

a) A consultancy certificate may be newly issued in the following cases: the certificate is issued for the first time; the certificate's validity period has expired, or a request for re-issuance is made for a certificate that is still valid but does not fall under Point b of this Clause;

b) A consultancy certificate may be re-issued in the following cases: the consultancy certificate is still valid but is lost or damaged; personal information is changed or supplemented; incorrect information is recorded due to the fault of the certificate-issuing authority;

c) A modified consultancy certificate may be issued in cases where the class or group of the original consultancy certificate is changed;

d) A foreign individual who has been issued with a consultancy certificate as prescribed at Point a of this Clause, but whose work permit or temporary residence card expires before the validity period of his/her consultancy certificate, shall undergo the procedures for the issuance of a new consultancy certificate after his/her work permit or temporary residence card is renewed in order to continue providing consultancy in Vietnam.

2. A consultancy certificate shall be revoked in any of the following cases:

a) The holder no longer meets the criteria to be issued with a consultancy certificate as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 16 and Clause 1, Article 18 of this Decree;

b) The holder used forged documents or made untruthful declarations in the dossier of application for the consultancy certificate;

c) The holder leases, lends, or allows another person to use the consultancy certificate;

d) The holder tampers with or falsifies the consultancy certificate;

dd) The consultancy certificate is issued ultra vires; or to an ineligible holder;

e) The consultancy certificate is issued when the holder fails to meet the criteria as prescribed;

g) The holder commits violations leading to a functional authority proposing the revocation of his/her consultancy certificate;

h) The holder no longer needs to use his/her consultancy certificate and requests the competent certificate-issuing authority to revoke it.

3. An individual whose consultancy certificate has been revoked may apply for a new consultancy certificate after a period:

a) Of 24 months from the date of the decision to revoke the consultancy certificate in the cases prescribed at Point b, Point c, Point d, and Point g, Clause 2 of this Article;

b) As stated in the decision imposing the penalty of deprivation of the right to use the consultancy certificate or suspension of operations in the cases prescribed at Point h, Clause 2 of this Article.

Article 22. Dossiers of application for issuance of new or modified specialized chemical consultancy certificates, and re-issuance thereof

1. A dossier of application for issuance of a new consultancy certificate shall comprise:

a) A written application for the issuance of a consultancy certificate, which shall be the original in cases where it is submitted directly or via postal service; or an image file taken from the original in cases where it is submitted online;

b) A 4 x 6 cm color portrait photo file of the applicant for the consultancy certificate, taken against a white background within the last 06 months;

c) An authenticated copy of the diploma, or a certified electronic copy file as prescribed by the law regulations, issued by a lawful training institution and appropriate to the field and class of the consultancy certificate applied for. In cases where the diploma does not specify or unclearly specifies the training major, an academic transcript or diploma appendix shall be submitted as a basis for checking and evaluation (in cases where the individual is a foreigner or a Vietnamese national residing overseas, a diploma issued by a foreign training institution shall be a consular authenticated copy accompanied by a Vietnamese translation notarized or authenticated in accordance with the law regulations of Vietnam; in other cases, a diploma issued by a foreign training institution shall be recognized by the Vietnamese education system);

d) Documents proving the work duration in relevant positions, which are authenticated copies, or certified electronic copy files as prescribed by the law regulations, of one or more of the following documents: the decision on appointment, reappointment, employment, job rotation, or designation; the working contract or employment contract; the payroll or a document proving the period of social insurance contributions; or a certificate of work history;

dd) Documents proving experience being involved in suitable jobs, which are authenticated copies or certified electronic copy files, as prescribed by the law regulations, of one or more of the following documents: the decision on work allocation (task assignment) by the organization to the individual, or written confirmation by the legal representative of the project owner, who takes accountability for the truthfulness of the confirmation regarding the jobs that the individual has completed as declared; economic contracts and records of acceptance testing of the declared jobs;

e) Authenticated copies or certified electronic copy files, as prescribed by the law regulations, of residence documents or work permits in Vietnam if the applicant is a foreigner or a Vietnamese national residing overseas.

2. A dossier of application for re-issuance of a consultancy certificate shall comprise:

a) A written application for the re-issuance of a consultancy certificate, which shall be the original in cases where it is submitted directly or via postal service; or an image file taken from the original in cases where it is submitted online;

b) A 4 x 6 cm color portrait photo file of the applicant for the consultancy certificate, taken against a white background within the last 06 months;

c) The original consultancy certificate, of which the re-issuance is applied for. In cases where the consultancy certificate is lost, a commitment from the applicant for the re-issuance is required.

3. A dossier of application for issuance of a modified consultancy certificate shall comprise:

a) A written application for issuance of a modified consultancy certificate, which shall be the original in cases where it is submitted directly or via postal service; or an image file taken from the original in cases where it is submitted online;

b) A 4 x 6 cm color portrait photo file of the applicant for the consultancy certificate, taken against a white background within the last 06 months;

c) The documents prescribed at Points c, d, dd, and e, Clause 1 of this Article.

4. The individual shall pay fees as prescribed by the law regulations on fees and charges upon submission of the dossier of application for issuance of a new or modified consultancy certificate or for re-issuance of the consultancy certificate, unless the re-issuance is necessitated by information in the certificate being incorrectly recorded by the certificate-issuing authority.

Article 23. Sequence, procedures, and competence for issuance of new or modified specialized chemical consultancy certificates, re-issuance and revocation thereof

1. An individual shall submit 01 dossier of application for issuance of a new or modified consultancy certificate, or for re-issuance of the consultancy certificate to the authority that is competent to issue consultancy certificates via one of the following methods:

a) Directly at the Single-Window division;

b) By postal service;

c) Online at the public service portal.

2. From the date it receives a complete and valid dossier as prescribed in Clauses 1, 2, and 3, Article 22 of this Decree, the authority that is competent to issue consultancy certificates shall evaluate the satisfaction of the criteria and issue the consultancy certificate. In cases where the consultancy certificate is not issued, the authority that is competent to issue consultancy certificates must notify the individual in writing and clearly state the reasons.

3. The time limit for issuance of consultancy certificates is prescribed as follows:

a) 10 working days in case of issuance of new consultancy certificates;

b) 05 working days in case of re-issuance;

c) 10 working days in case of issuance of modified consultancy certificates.

4. In case of revocation of consultancy certificates:

a) The authority that is competent to revoke consultancy certificates shall issue a revocation decision within a time limit of 10 working days from the date it receives an inspection or examination conclusion from the competent authority which includes a proposal for revocation, or from the date it detects or has grounds to determine that the consultancy certificate falls under one of the cases of revocation prescribed in Clause 2, Article 21 of this Decree. In cases where the certificate is not revoked, a written notice shall be sent to the authority, organization, or individual proposing the revocation, clearly stating the reasons for non-revocation;

b) The authority that is competent to revoke consultancy certificates shall send the decision on revocation of the consultancy certificate to the individual whose certificate is revoked;

c) The individual whose consultancy certificate is revoked must return the original consultancy certificate to the authority issuing the revocation decision within a time limit of 05 working days from the date it receives the revocation decision;

d) The authority issuing the revocation decision shall destroy the consultancy certificate by cutting across 1/2 (one half) of the certificate.

5. The authorities that are competent to issue new or modified consultancy certificates, or to re-issue specialized chemical consultancy certificates shall update information on the consultancy certificates that are issued, re-issued, modified, or revoked into the specialized chemical database.

6. The provincial-level People's Committee of the locality where the individual registers his/her permanent residence shall issue new and modified specialized chemical consultancy certificates, re-issue and revoke them.

7. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall guide the forms used for issuance of new and modified specialized chemical consultancy certificates, and re-issuance and revocation thereof.

Article 24. Rights and obligations of individuals applying for issuance of consultancy certificates

1. The individual applying for a consultancy certificate has the following rights:

a) To request the provision of information on the issuance of the consultancy certificate;

b) To complain about and report violations of the law regulations on the issuance of the consultancy certificate.

2. The individual applying for a consultancy certificate has the following obligations:

a) To make truthful declarations in the dossier of application for the consultancy certificate as prescribed in this Decree; to take legal accountability for the declarations in the dossier; to provide information upon the request of the competent authorities;

b) To practice solely within the scope of the consultancy certificate and comply with the law regulations on chemicals and other relevant law regulations;

c) To refrain from letting others rent, borrow, or use the consultancy certificate;

d) To refrain from tampering with or falsifying the consultancy certificate;

dd) To present the consultancy certificate and obey the inspection and examination requests of the competent authorities.

Chapter V

SAFETY AND SECURITY IN CHEMICAL-RELATED ACTIVITIES

Article 25. Assurance of physical and technical infrastructure required for chemical-related activities

1. Workshops and warehouses shall meet the safety requirements for chemical-related activities as prescribed by technical regulations, national standards, and relevant legal documents.

2. Equipment, means of production, packaging, and containers used for chemical-related activities shall meet the following requirements:

a) Equipment and means of production used for chemical manufacturing shall be selected to minimize the risks of chemical incidents and environmental pollution, and to ensure fire safety;

b) Technical equipment shall meet general safety requirements appropriate to the specific types of chemicals and technological processes, and shall accommodate the production capacity and storage scale. Machinery, equipment, and materials subject to strict occupational safety and health requirements, as well as measuring and testing equipment, shall be inspected, calibrated, adjusted, and maintained as prescribed by the applicable law regulations on the inspection of machinery and equipment;

c) Chemical packaging and containers shall be tightly sealed, sturdy, appropriate to the types of chemicals, leak-proof, and durable enough to withstand the impacts of the chemicals, weather, and normal handling during storage, loading, unloading, and transportation.

Used packaging and containers shall be stored separately. Prior to refilling, the refilling facility shall inspect the chemical packaging and containers, and clean the used packaging and containers to eliminate the risk of reactions or explosions during the refilling process. Used packaging and containers that are not reused shall be collected and treated as prescribed by the law regulations on environmental protection;

d) Chemical packaging and containers shall bear labels displaying all the information required by the law regulations on chemical labeling. Chemical labels shall be clear, legible, and durable enough to withstand the impacts of the chemicals, weather, and normal handling during storage, loading, unloading, and transportation.

3. Fire safety equipment, chemical incident prevention and response equipment, and personal protective equipment used in chemical-related activities shall meet the following requirements:

a) The fire safety systems of workshops and warehouses shall satisfy the requirements prescribed by the law regulations on fire safety;

b) Chemical incident prevention and response equipment shall strictly and fully meet the requirements of the approved chemical incident prevention and response plan, or the chemical incident prevention and response measures promulgated at the chemical facility;

c) Personal protective equipment shall be provided in the correct types, quantities, and quality in compliance with the law regulations on occupational safety and health, and shall be appropriate to the types of chemicals involved.

4. Organizations and individuals using chemicals for essential consumer and domestic needs shall ensure safety in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Article 26. Safety and security in transportation of chemicals

Vehicles, equipment, and tanks used for transportation of chemicals shall meet the following requirements:

1. Vehicles, equipment, and tanks used for transportation of chemicals shall be registered, inspected, and licensed for the transportation of hazardous chemicals as prescribed by the law regulations on the transportation of dangerous goods.

2. Vehicles, equipment, and tanks used for transportation of chemicals shall meet the general safety requirements as prescribed by national standards and technical regulations; and shall be selected to minimize the risks of chemical incidents and environmental pollution, ensuring fire safety appropriate to the types of chemicals and the scale of chemical transportation.

3. Chemical packaging and containers shall be tightly sealed, sturdy, appropriate to the types of chemicals, leak-proof, and durable enough to withstand the impacts of the chemicals, weather, and normal handling during loading, unloading, and transportation. Used packaging shall be stored separately. Used packaging and equipment that are not reused shall be collected and treated as prescribed by the law regulations on environmental protection.

4. Chemical packaging and containers shall bear labels displaying all the information required by the law regulations on chemical labeling. Chemical labels shall be clear, legible, and durable enough to withstand the impacts of the chemicals, weather, and normal handling during loading, unloading, and transportation.

5. Personal protective equipment and chemical incident response equipment for drivers and vehicle escorts shall be equipped in the correct types, quantities, and quality as prescribed in the formulated measures for chemical incident prevention and response during transportation, and comply with the law regulations on occupational safety and health.

6. Prior to the transportation of chemicals, the transport vehicles shall be inspected to ensure they are safe to be on roads; and used chemical packaging and containers shall be cleaned to eliminate the risk of reactions or explosions during chemical transportation.

7. The measures for chemical incident prevention and response during chemical transportation shall be kept in hard or electronic copy on the vehicle throughout the transportation process.

Article 27. Professional requirements for persons in charge of chemical safety

1. An organization or individual that produces chemicals must employ a person in charge of chemical safety who possesses a bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher degree in a chemistry major on the list provided in Appendix III to this Decree.

2. An organization or individual that trades in chemicals, stores chemicals, uses chemicals, treats chemical waste, destroys chemicals, or disposes of chemicals must employ a person in charge of chemical safety who possesses an intermediate degree or higher in a chemistry major on the list provided in Appendix III to this Decree.

3. An organization or individual that transports chemicals shall comply with the law regulations on the transportation of dangerous goods.

4. An organization or individual that conducts research and testing on chemicals shall comply with the law regulations on science and technology.

Article 28. Establishment of safety distances for chemical plants

1. Line ministries shall formulate and promulgate technical regulations on safety distances for hazardous chemical production and storage facilities within the fields under their management.

2. Responsibilities for establishing safety distances:

a) Investment projects involving the production and storage of hazardous chemicals must establish safety distances from residential areas, public facilities, national defense structures, military zones, security structures, cultural-historical relics, scenic places, protected areas, and areas for exploitation of water sources for domestic use;

b) Organizations and individuals must not construct houses and other structures within the safety distance prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article, except for special-purpose structures for the purposes of ensuring security, national defense, traffic infrastructure, and energy security. Provincial-level People's Committees shall decide to approve the construction of special-purpose structures within the safety distance.

Chapter VI

SPECIALIZED CHEMICAL SAFETY TRAINING

Article 29. Those who must undergo specialized chemical safety training

1. Organizations and individuals conducting chemical-related activities shall organize specialized chemical safety training for the subjects prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article periodically every 02 years, except for the use of chemicals for essential consumer and domestic needs, and the transportation of chemicals by motorized road vehicles and inland waterway vehicles. The specialized chemical safety training may be conducted by the organizations and individuals themselves or through consultancy organizations. Organizations, individuals, and consultancy organizations shall bear legal accountability for the quality of the specialized chemical safety training.

2. Persons who have been trained shall undergo retraining in the following cases: when there is a change in the types of chemicals, technology, physical infrastructure, or production plans related to their working positions; when the trained persons change their working positions; after the trained persons fail 02 examinations; or upon the expiration of the 02-year period since the most recent training.

3. Those who must undergo specialized chemical safety training are prescribed as follows:

a) Group 1, including:

Heads of organizations and facilities directly engaged in chemical-related activities; heads of subordinate departments, divisions, or branches, workshop managers, or equivalent positions in charge of chemical-related activities;

Deputies of the heads prescribed at Point a, Clause 3 of this Article who are assigned the task of managing chemical-related activities.

b) Group 2, including:

Persons in charge of chemical safety of organizations and individuals engaged in chemical-related activities;

Persons directly supervising chemical safety at the workplace; and storekeepers involved in chemical-related activities or equivalent positions.

c) Group 3, including:

Employees directly involved with chemicals;

Medical staff at chemical facilities (if any).

4. Based on the specific conditions of their chemical facilities, organizations and individuals shall proactively organize separate specialized chemical safety training, or combine the specialized chemical safety training with training on occupational safety and health, fire safety, or other training courses prescribed by specialized law regulations, but shall ensure compliance with the regulations on details of training, trainers, and training duration prescribed in Article 30, Article 31, and Clause 1, Article 32 of this Decree.

Article 30. Details of specialized chemical safety training

1. The details of specialized chemical safety training must be appropriate to the working position of the trained person; and the nature, types, and hazard levels of chemicals at the chemical facility.

2. Training details for Group 1:

a) The law regulations regarding chemical-related activities;

b) Hazardous factors in chemical-related activities of the facility;

c) Plans for coordination with the competent authorities to mobilize internal and external resources of the facility to respond to and recover from incidents.

3. Training details for Group 2:

a) The law regulations regarding chemical-related activities;

b) Hazardous factors in the chemical-related activities of the facility; and preventive measures according to the approved chemical incident prevention and response plan or the promulgated chemical incident prevention and response measures;

c) Chemical safety management procedures; and techniques for ensuring safety when working with or being exposed to hazardous chemicals;

d) Hazardous properties of chemicals; chemical safety data sheets of the hazardous chemicals involved in the chemical-related activities of the facility; chemical classification and labeling; and arrangement of chemicals;

dd) Response procedures for typical hazardous chemicals: notification procedures, response techniques, response materials, personal protective equipment, and plans for collection, neutralization, and decontamination;

e) Practical exercises at the chemical facility: identifying hazardous chemicals through chemical labels and warning pictograms; using and storing personal protective equipment used for chemical incident response; and using chemical incident response equipment and materials.

4. Training details for Group 3:

a) Hazardous factors in the chemical-related activities of the facility; and preventive measures according to the approved chemical incident prevention and response plan or the promulgated chemical incident prevention and response measures;

b) Chemical safety management procedures; and techniques for ensuring safety when working with or being exposed to hazardous chemicals;

c) Hazardous properties of chemicals; chemical safety data sheets of the hazardous chemicals involved in the chemical-related activities of the facility; chemical classification and labeling; and arrangement of chemicals;

d) Response procedures for typical hazardous chemicals: notification procedures, response techniques, response materials, personal protective equipment, and plans for collection, neutralization, and decontamination;

dd) Practical exercises at the chemical facility: identifying hazardous chemicals through chemical labels and warning pictograms; using and storing personal protective equipment used for chemical incident response; and using chemical incident response equipment and materials.

Article 31. Specialized chemical safety trainer

1. In cases where an organization conducts the specialized chemical safety training by itself, the specialized chemical safety trainer shall possess a bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher degree in a chemistry major on the list provided in Appendix III to this Decree, and have a work history related to chemical safety activities at the organization conducting the training as prescribed at Point b, Clause 1, Article 18 of this Decree.

2. In cases where an organization or individual conducts the specialized chemical safety training through a consultancy organization, the trainer of the consultancy organization shall hold a specialized chemical consultancy certificate which includes specialized chemical safety training. The consultancy organization providing specialized chemical safety training shall meet the criteria prescribed in Article 19 of this Decree.

Article 32. Duration, examinations, and dossiers of specialized chemical safety training

1. The duration for specialized chemical safety training is prescribed as follows:

a) The duration of the first cycle of specialized chemical safety training shall be at least 08 hours, including the examination time;

b) The duration of specialized chemical safety training from the second cycle onwards shall be equal to 50% of the duration of the first cycle, unless otherwise retraining on specialized chemical safety is required as prescribed in Clause 2, Article 29 of this Decree.

2. Regulations on examinations:

a) The examination shall be appropriate to the training;

b) The maximum examination time shall be 02 hours;

c) To pass the examination, a trainer shall achieve an average score or higher.

3. A dossier of specialized chemical safety training shall comprise:

a) Details of a training course;

b) A list of trainees with the following information: full names, dates of birth, titles, positions, and signatures confirming training participation;

c) Information about the trainers, including: full names, dates of birth, educational levels, trained majors, and work history, accompanied by supporting documents;

d) Details and results of the specialized chemical safety training examination;

dd) The decision recognizing the specialized chemical safety training examination results, issued by the training organization.

4. Organizations and individuals shall retain the full dossiers prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article for a minimum period of 03 years from the date of issuance of the decision recognizing the specialized chemical safety training examination results, and shall present them upon the request of state regulatory authorities.

Chapter VII

PREVENTION OF AND RESPONSE TO CHEMICAL INCIDENTS

Article 33. Chemical incident prevention and response plans

1. The List of chemicals for which chemical incident prevention and response plans shall be promulgated is promulgated in Appendix IV to the Government's Decree No. 24/2026/ND-CP dated January 17, 2026, prescribing the lists of chemicals falling within the scope of regulation of the Law on Chemicals.

2. Project owners, organizations, and individuals conducting activities related to hazardous chemicals shall formulate chemical incident prevention and response plans for all hazardous chemicals involved in the activities of their project, and submit them to the competent authorities for appraisal and approval if falling into one of the following cases:

a) They involves at least 01 Schedule A chemical or 01 Schedule B chemical mixture in Appendix IV to the Government's Decree No. 24/2026/ND-CP dated January 17, 2026, prescribing the lists of chemicals falling within the scope of regulation of the Law on Chemicals, with the maximum quantity stored at any given time greater than or equal to the quantity threshold prescribed in the Appendix;

b) The total ratio of the quantity of hazardous chemicals stored to the prescribed threshold is greater than or equal to 1 in the cases not prescribed at Point a, Clause 2 of this Article.

The total ratio of the quantity of hazardous chemicals stored is calculated as follows:

qx₁/QUX₁ + qx₂/QUX₂ + …….. qX_i/QUX_i ≥ 1

Where:

qx_i = the maximum quantity stored at any given time of Schedule A or Schedule B hazardous chemical i in Appendix IV to the Government's Decree No. 24/2026/ND-CP dated January 17, 2026, prescribing the lists of chemicals falling within the scope of regulation of the Law on Chemicals.

QUX_i = the maximum storage threshold at any given time for Schedule A or Schedule B hazardous chemical i in Appendix IV to the Government's Decree No. 24/2026/ND-CP dated January 17, 2026, prescribing the lists of chemicals falling within the scope of regulation of the Law on Chemicals.

3. A chemical incident prevention and response plan shall contain the following details:

a) Information on properties, quantities, scale of chemical-related activities and storage, technologies for chemical production and use, and geographical, demographical, and environmental characteristics and conditions of the locality where chemical-related activities take place.

Human resources and equipment for chemical incident prevention and response.

Assessments of the impacts of the above conditions on the chemical incident prevention and response;

b) Forecasts of risks and chemical incident scenarios; determination of the impacted scope; estimation of consequences; and classification of chemical incidents;

c) Solutions for chemical incident prevention at chemical storage areas and high-risk locations; and solutions for the storage and prevention of chemical loss;

d) Solutions for chemical incident response at high-risk locations, including the following details:

Zoning of hazardous areas, and plans for deploying forces and means based on topographical and meteorological conditions.

Response techniques and materials for the identified incident scenarios.

Methods for using personal protective equipment appropriate to the hazardous properties of each specific type of chemical involved in the incident.

A plan for coordination with forces outside the facility.

A plan for the evacuation of people and properties.

dd) A chemical incident prevention and response drill plan.

e) A plan for remedying the consequences of chemical incidents as prescribed by relevant law regulations.

4. The details prescribed at Point b, Point c, and Point d, Clause 3 of this Article are the primary details of a chemical incident prevention and response plan.

5. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall detail Clause 3 of this Article.

Article 34. Appraisal of a chemical incident prevention and response plan

1. A dossier of application for appraisal of a chemical incident prevention and response plan shall comprise:

a) A written application for appraisal of the chemical incident prevention and response plan, made using the form prescribed in Clause 8 of this Article;

b) A chemical incident prevention and response plan shall be made into 09 copies.

2. Sequence and procedures for appraisal and approval of a chemical incident prevention and response plan:

a) The organization or individual applying for appraisal of a chemical incident prevention and response plan (the applicant) shall prepare 01 dossier of request and send it to the appraising authority via postal service, in person, or through the online public service system. The timing of the dossier submission shall comply with Clause 3 of this Article;

b) In cases where the dossier is incomplete and invalid, within 03 working days from the date it receives the dossier, the appraising authority shall notify the applicant of the return of the dossier and clear reasons;

c) Upon receipt of a valid dossier, the appraising authority shall organize the appraisal of the plan within 15 working days. The appraisal of the plan shall be conducted by an appraisal council as prescribed in Clause 4 of this Article;

d) The appraising authority shall send a notice of the appraisal results to the applicant within 05 working days from the date the appraisal is concluded. The notice of appraisal results shall clearly present the appraisal council's conclusion on whether the plan is eligible or ineligible for the next steps, and the requirements for the applicant.

In cases where the plan is ineligible for the next steps, the applicant shall revise and resubmit the plan for appraisal.

In cases where the plan is eligible for the next steps, the applicant shall satisfy the appraisal council's requirements stated in the notice of appraisal results;

dd) By the time of approval of the plan as prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article, the applicant shall send a report on the satisfaction of the appraisal council's requirements as stated in the notice of appraisal results, along with 01 electronic copy and 07 printed copies of the modified and supplemented plan to the appraisal council via the appraising authority;

e) No later than 20 working days from the date it receives the report from the applicant, the appraisal council shall conduct an on-site inspection of the satisfaction of the requirements stated in the notice of appraisal results, report on the inspection results, and conclude with a proposal for approval or non-approval of the plan;

g) No later than 10 working days from the date it receives the inspection report from the appraisal council, the plan-approving authority shall consider and approve the plan. In cases where the plan is not approved, a written response shall be provided, clearly stating the reasons. The template of the decision approving the plan is prescribed in Appendix II to this Decree;

h) Based on the approved plan, the appraising authority shall attest on the flyleaf of the plan and send the approval decision accompanied by the plan to the organization or individual and relevant local authorities and units in the locality where the project is implemented, including: the provincial-level People’s Committee; the provincial-level specialized regulatory authority; the provincial-level state regulatory authority in charge of fire safety; the provincial-level state regulatory authority in charge of the environment; the Management Board of the industrial park, export processing zone, or economic zone in cases where the project location is within an industrial park, export processing zone, or economic zone; and the commune-level People’s Committee in cases where the chemical incident prevention and response plan is approved by the provincial-level People’s Committee.

3. Timing for appraisal and approval of a chemical incident prevention and response plan

a) For an investment project, the project owner must submit the chemical incident prevention and response plan for appraisal before the conclusion on appraisal of the construction investment feasibility study report or the techno-economic report on construction investment is available.

After completing the construction work, the project owner shall report to the strategy appraisal council to inspect the fulfillment of the requirements stated in the appraisal result notice and propose the approval of the plan. The project owner may only put the work into operation after the chemical incident prevention and response plan is approved;

b) In the cases not prescribed at Point a of this Clause, the project owner, organization or individual must submit the chemical incident prevention and response plan to the competent state authority for appraisal and approval before proceeding with chemical storage.

4. Organization and operation of the chemical incident prevention and response plan appraisal council:

a) The appraisal council shall be established by the plan-approving authority. The appraisal council shall comprise representatives of the appraising authority, state regulatory authorities, and experts in relevant fields;

b) The organizational structure of the appraisal council shall comprise: the chairperson of the council, the vice chairperson of the council (if any), the reviewer(s), the secretary, and other members. The total number of council members shall be at least 07 persons and at most 09 persons;

c) The appraisal council shall evaluate and appraise the plan, conduct on-site inspections on the satisfaction of the requirements stated in the notice of appraisal results, and take accountability for the appraisal and inspection conclusions. The appraisal council shall terminate its operation and automatically dissolve after the plan is approved;

d) The appraisal council shall operate on principles of collective deliberation among the members of the council and prepare meeting minutes using the prescribed template. The evaluation of the plan shall be conducted through evaluation forms;

dd) The appraisal council shall only convene a meeting when at least 2/3 of its members, including the chairperson or vice chairperson and at least 01 reviewer, are present. Only the council members present at the appraisal council’s meeting may cast votes to evaluate the plan;

e) Regarding the plan appraisal meetings, the chairperson of the council, or the vice chairperson of the council in cases where the chairperson of the council is absent, shall conclude the appraisal of the plan on the following principles: the plan shall be passed without requiring modifications or supplements if at least 2/3 of the council members present at the meeting agree to pass it, and the remaining members all agree to pass it on the condition that modifications or supplements are required; the plan shall not be passed if more than 1/3 of the council members present at the meeting do not agree to pass it; in other cases, the plan shall be passed on the condition that modifications or supplements are required;

g) Regarding the inspection of the satisfaction of the requirements stated in the notice of appraisal results, the chairperson of the council, or the vice chairperson of the council in cases where the chairperson of the council is absent, shall conclude on the following principles: recommending the approval of the plan if at least 2/3 of the council members participating in the inspection vote in favor for its approval; recommending the non-approval of the plan if less than 2/3 of the council members participating in the inspection vote in favor for its approval.

5. Responsibilities of organizations and individuals whose chemical incident prevention and response plans have been approved:

a) During chemical-related activities, the organizations and individuals shall strictly meet the requirements set forth in the approved plan;

b) Organizations and individuals shall retain the approved chemical incident prevention and response plans at the chemical facilities as a basis for implementing safety control at such chemical facilities, and shall present them to competent authorities upon request;

c) Project owners, organizations, and individuals conducting chemical-related activities shall update the chemical incident prevention and response plans on the national database no later than 30 days from the date of issuance of the decisions approving the chemical incident prevention and response plans, unless otherwise for national defense and security purposes.

6. Competence to appraise and approve chemical incident prevention and response plans

a) The Ministry of Public Security assumes the prime responsibility for, and coordinates with relevant state authorities in, organizing the appraisal and approval of chemical incident prevention and response plans in the field of security and social order and safety;

b) The Ministry of National Defense assumes the prime responsibility for, and coordinates with relevant state authorities in, organizing the appraisal and approval of chemical incident prevention and response plans in the field of national defense;

c) The Ministry of Industry and Trade assumes the prime responsibility for, and coordinates with relevant state authorities in, organizing the appraisal and approval of chemical incident prevention and response plans in the civilian sector prescribed at Point a, Clause 2, Article 33 of this Decree;

d) The provincial-level People's Committees of the localities where the chemical projects and chemical facilities are located shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with relevant state authorities in, organizing the appraisal and approval of chemical incident prevention and response plans in the civilian sector prescribed at Point b, Clause 2, Article 33 of this Decree.

7. Project owners, organizations, and individuals shall pay appraisal fees prescribed by the law regulations on fees and charges when submitting dossiers of application for appraisal of the chemical incident prevention and response plans.

8. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall prescribe the corresponding forms and templates prescribed in this Article.

Article 35. Chemical incident prevention and response measures

1. Organizations and individuals that must formulate the measures:

a) Organizations and individuals storing hazardous chemicals, unless otherwise prescribed in Clause 2, Article 33 of this Decree, must formulate chemical incident prevention and response measures, and issue decisions promulgating the measures before officially operation;

b) Organizations and individuals transporting hazardous chemicals must formulate measures for chemical incident prevention and response during transportation and carry them along during the transportation of hazardous chemicals;

c) Organizations and individuals prescribed at Point a of this Clause shall update the chemical incident prevention and response measures on the national database no later than 30 days from the dates the measures are promulgated.

2. A chemical incident prevention and response measure must include the following details:

a) Identification, zoning, and formulation of regular inspection plans for locations with a high risk of chemical incidents;

b) Solutions for chemical incident prevention; and solutions for the storage and prevention of chemical loss;

c) On-site response measures, equipment, and forces;

d) Chemical incident scenarios and situations, and plans for responding to chemical incident scenarios;

dd) Plans for coordination with external forces for chemical incident response.

3. A measure for chemical incident prevention and response during transportation must include the following details:

a) Information on the project owner, the carrier, and the transport vehicles; and information on the hazardous chemicals being transported;

b) Forecasts of risks and chemical incident scenarios; and on-site response measures, equipment, and forces;

c) Plans for inspecting and monitoring the transport vehicles; and solutions for chemical incident prevention;

d) Plans for coordination with external forces for chemical incident response.

4. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall detail Clause 2 and Clause 3 of this Article.

Article 36. Implementation of chemical incident prevention and response plans and chemical incident prevention and response measures

1. Organizations and individuals engaged in chemical-related activities are obligated to fully implement the approved chemical incident prevention and response plans or the issued chemical incident prevention and response measures.

2. Organizations and individuals storing hazardous chemicals on the list of chemicals, for which chemical incident prevention and response plans must be promulgated, in Appendix IV to the Government's Decree No. 24/2026/ND-CP dated January 17, 2026, prescribing the lists of chemicals falling within the scope of regulation of the Law on Chemicals, shall organize chemical incident response drills annually, and shall update information about such drills onto the specialized chemical database.

3. Project owners, organizations, and individuals conducting chemical-related activities shall adjust their chemical incident prevention and response plans in the following cases:

a) They expand the scale, or change the technological lines, or the production, use, and storage equipment of their projects or chemical storage facilities, and fall under the cases prescribed in Clause 2, Article 33 of this Decree;

b) They add more types or increase the maximum quantity stored at any given time of hazardous chemicals on the list of chemicals for which chemical incident prevention and response plans must be formulated.

4. The formulation, appraisal, and approval of the adjusted plan shall be carried out in the same manner as the first time.

5. Project owners, organizations, and individuals whose chemical incident prevention and response plans have been approved, who expand the scale or change the technological lines, or the production, use, and storage equipment of their projects or chemical storage facilities, but which do not involve hazardous chemicals on the list of chemicals for which chemical incident prevention and response plans must be formulated, shall formulate and promulgate measures for the changed items.

6. In cases where organizations and individuals that have promulgated chemical incident prevention and response measures undergo changes during investment and operation related to the matters set forth in the chemical incident prevention and response measures, but do not fall under the cases prescribed in Clause 2, Article 33 of this Decree, such organizations and individuals shall supplement and modify the measures.

7. In cases where organizations and individuals that have promulgated chemical incident prevention and response measures undergo changes during investment and operation leading them to fall under the cases prescribed in Clause 2, Article 33 of this Decree, such organizations and individuals shall formulate chemical incident prevention and response plans and submit them to the competent authorities for appraisal and approval.

8. The modified components of the project or chemical facility may only be put into operation after the amended plan has been approved or the amended measures have been issued.

9. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall provide specific guidelines regarding the details, organization processes, and dossiers of chemical incident response drills prescribed in this Article.

Article 37. Provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans

1. A provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plan shall contain:

a) A summary of the natural and social characteristics and conditions, and an assessment of the impacts of the aforementioned factors on chemical incident prevention and response within the provincial-level locality;

b) An overview of chemical-related activities within the provincial-level locality. An assessment of the situation of chemical incidents and the chemical incident response capacity of the provincial-level locality;

c) Solutions for chemical incident prevention and response within the provincial-level locality;

d) Plans for remedying the consequences caused by chemical incidents as prescribed by the law regulations on environmental protection and other relevant law regulations;

dd) Plans for deploying and implementing the prevention plan and chemical incident response drills within the provincial-level locality.

2. The provincial-level People's Committees shall assign specialized authorities affiliated with them to coordinate with relevant authorities in their localities to draft the plans and seek opinions from relevant authorities. The affiliated specialized agencies shall assimilate the opinions given and provide relevant explanations, finalize the draft provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans, and submit them to the provincial-level People's Committees for consideration and promulgation.

Within a time limit of 15 working days from the date they receive the draft provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans as prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article, the provincial-level People's Committees shall consider and promulgate the provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans.

3. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall detail Clause 1 of this Article.

4. Provincial-level People’s Committees shall:

a) Chairpersons of provincial-level People's Committees and Heads of relevant authorities shall deploy the implementation of the promulgated provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans;

b) Direct the functional authorities in the provincial-level localities to guide, urge, and inspect the chemical facilities in such localities in formulating chemical incident prevention and response plans or measures appropriate to the scale, production conditions, and properties of the chemicals; and shall inspect the chemical incident response capacity of the chemical facilities;

c) Strengthen the management, inspection, and examination of the implementation of the law regulations, especially the licensing for the production, trading, and use of chemicals and explosive materials by facilities, organizations, and individuals in the localities under their management, strictly in accordance with the Law No. 69/2025/QH15 on Chemicals and the law regulations on the management and use of weapons, explosives, and combat gears, to prevent chemical, fire, and explosion incidents from occurring;

d) Organize provincial-level chemical incident response drills with the participation of responsible authorities in the localities under the promulgated plans.

Article 38. Chemical incident prevention and response capacity building for the civilian sector

1. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and sectoral authorities in, formulating national-level chemical incident prevention and response plans and periodically organizing national-level chemical incident response drills.

2. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating projects to upgrade infrastructure for the purposes of practical exercises, training, and capacity building in chemical incident prevention and response, and submit them to the Prime Minister for approval.

Article 39. Treatment of toxic remnants of war

1. The National Steering Committee for overcoming the consequences of chemical and explosive remnants of war in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as the Steering Committee) shall conduct research and propose directions and solutions to the Prime Minister for resolving important, interdisciplinary issues concerning the treatment of toxic remnants of war.

2. The Steering Committee shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with relevant authorities and provincial-level People's Committees in, formulating plans and programs to deploy the treatment of toxic remnants of war and submitting them to the Prime Minister for approval.

3. The Steering Committee shall formulate regular and ad-hoc reports on the treatment of toxic remnants of war.

4. The Steering Committee, provincial-level People's Committees, and relevant authorities prescribed at Clause 2 of this Article shall implement the approved plan for treatment of toxic remnants of war.

Chapter VIII

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 40. Transitional provisions

1. Organizations and individuals providing specialized chemical consultancy under contracts or agreements signed before the effective date of this Decree shall continue to provide the consultancy under such contracts or agreements.

2. Organizations and individuals that promulgated prevention and response measures for chemical incidents before the effective date of this Decree, but subject to Point b, Clause 2, Article 33 of this Decree, must formulate chemical incident prevention and response plans and submit them to the competent authorities for appraisal and approval before December 31, 2026.

3. People’s Committees of provinces and municipalities that formulated and promulgated provincial-level chemical incident prevention and response plans before the effective date of this Decree shall continue to implement such plans.

Article 41. Effect

1. This Decree takes effect from the date of signing for promulgation.

2. Ministers, Heads of Ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Government-attached agencies, Chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces and municipalities, and the subjects of application hereof shall be responsible for implementing this Decree.

* All Appendices are not translated herein.