Licensing imports of seeds via national online portal

Regarding institutional reforms, the Department of Crop Production (DCP) issued a decree on sanctioning administrative violations related to crop production based on the evaluation of the Ministry of Justice. At the same time the department submitted to the MARD over issuing the Circular amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No.16/2013/TT-BNNPTNT dated February 28, 2013 on the protection of new varieties of plant.

The department also consulted the relevant ministries and agencies to develop the strategies for crop production to 2030 with a vision towards 2040 and submit to the Government.

In the 2020-2021 period, the DCP was assigned to build 29 criteria and technical standards for the crop production sector. So far, the department in coordination with the relevant agencies has fulfilled dossiers and sent them to the competent agencies for earning acceptance certificates for a series of plant varieties like coffee, orange, pomelo and banana.

The department is working with the Ministry of Science and Technology to draft the law amending and supplementing a number of articles related to crops of the Law on Intellectual Property

Regarding administrative reforms, the department published five administrative procedures on the MARD’s Public service portal and one on the National public service portal and ASEAN online portal, creating favorable conditions for accessing and proceeding administrative procedures as required.

To facilitate administrative procedure proceedings via the one-stop-shop mechanism, since May 29,2021 the DCP has adopted software for licensing the imports of crop seeds (including GMO seeds) that are not approved for circulation in Vietnam to be used in researches, tests or introduced at exhibitions or international exchanges.

According assessments, the DCP promptly made administrative reform plan for 2021and disseminate documents related to administrative reforms to its affiliate agencies, basically meeting the MARD’s plan.

However the implementation of several online public services exposed a number of shortcomings which obstruct individuals, businesses and officers in charge in dealing with administrative procedures.

In the last months of 2021, the DCP continues to implement the National program on State administrative reforms and the MARD’s plan on administrative reforms in the 2016-2021 period as well.