Ministry introduces new administrative procedures regarding radiation and nuclear safety

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has announced 39 newly-promulgated administrative procedures and 51 annulled ones in the field of radiation and nuclear safety.

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has recently issued Decision 248/QD-BKHCN, announcing 39 newly-promulgated administrative procedures and 51 annulled ones in the field of radiation and nuclear safety.

Taking effect on the effective date of Government Decree 332 of 2025 (January 1, 2026), Decision 248 enumerates the newly promulgated procedures which include 33 central-level procedures and six provincial-level procedures. The central-level procedures are for licensing of operation, import and transportation of radiation and nuclear materials, training of human resources and provision of technical assistance services for atomic energy facilities.

Particularly, the MOST’s Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety is responsible for managing the procedures for licensing the performance of radiation jobs involving the operation of accelerators, radiotherapy equipment and sterilization irradiation equipment, the use of radioactive sources, and the production and processing of radioactive substances.

The management of the import, export, packaging, transportation and transit of radioactive sources, radioactive wastes, nuclear materials and nuclear equipment are also subject to these procedures. The procedures for the treatment and storage of radioactive wastes and spent radioactive sources have been consolidated into a single category to serve management purpose.

At the provincial level, the new procedures focus primarily on the healthcare sector, where atomic energy is utilized in X-ray devices. Procedures for declaring medical diagnostic X-ray equipment and PET/CT scanners as well as the issuance, renewal, modification and extension of licenses for X-ray equipment and radiation worker certificates for radiation safety managers at medical facilities are delegated to provincial-level People’s Committees.

At the same time, the MOST abolishes 37 central-level procedures and 14 provincial-level procedures in the field.

The abolished procedures are mainly related to the licensing of radiation jobs for specific tasks such as the use of radioactive sources, production and processing of radioactive substances, temporary storage of radioactive sources, operation of irradiation equipment, and construction and decommissioning of radiation facilities.

- (VLLF)