Recently, many ministries and branches have well directed the provision of guidance for goods labeling under the Regulation on goods labeling, issued together with the Prime Minister�s Decision No. 178/1999/QD-TTg of August 30, 1999, initially ensuring that customers are provided with necessary information on goods circulated on the market, thus contributing to creating the basis for combating fake goods activities, creating an environment for fair competition and protecting legitimate interests of producers and customers as well.

However, in a number of ministries and branches, the guidance and inspection of the implementation of this Regulation remain slow, general and incompatible with the provisions of the already promulgated Regulation on goods labeling.

In order to well, promptly and timely implement the Regulation on goods labeling, issued together with Decision No. 178/1999/QD-TTg of August 30, 1999 and Decision No. 95/2000/QD-TTg of August 15, 2000, the Prime Minister hereby instructs:

1. The ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies and the heads of the agencies attached to the Government, within their respective responsibilities, to expeditiously revise, supplement and finalize documents detailing the labeling of separate and specific goods in compatibility with the Regulation on goods labeling.

2. The concerned ministries, branches and People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities to coordinate with the Ministry of Trade in expeditiously taking necessary measures in order to popularize and guide the Regulation on goods labeling to specialized State management agencies, the provincial/municipal Services, departments, branches and localities as well as production and business individuals, organizations and enterprises throughout the country.

3. As from January 01, 2001, production and business individuals, organizations and enterprises are forbidden to print or import goods labels which are not compatible with the Regulation on goods labeling already promulgated under the Prime Minister�s decisions.

State management functional agencies shall have to enhance the inspection and control of the labeling of goods circulated on the market and handle the violating cases in strict accordance with current legal documents.

4. The goods with old labels printed before January 01, 2001 and kept in stock must be declared by the production and business individuals, organizations and enterprises and inspected and certified by central and local branch-managing agencies before they are permitted for continued circulation, but such goods must be stuck with additional auxiliary labels in Vietnamese with the information not available on the old labels, as prescribed by the Regulation on goods labeling.

5. For goods being foodstuff, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and chemicals with the expiry dates inscribed before March 01, 2000, which have been packed in durable merchandise packings of metal, glass, ceramics or porcelain, with old labels directly printed on such goods or merchandise packings, which can not be replaced with new labels, if their use duration has not expired, they are permitted for continued circulation until the expiry dates, but must be added with the information contents not available on goods� old labels.

6. For goods made in Vietnam for export, for which foreign customers request separate labeling of goods, in the immediate future, the customs offices shall be assigned to settle the customs procedure clearance, but such goods must be added with the following contents: "Made in Vietnam" or "products of Vietnam"; other contents may be inscribed at the importing customers� request.

7. The Ministry of Trade to monitor the implementation of the Regulation on goods labeling throughout the country; synthesize the implementation situation and report it to the Prime Minister for supplement or adjustment of current regulations so that they conform with and meet the enterprises� production and business requirements.

The ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the heads of the agencies attached to the Government and the presidents of the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall have to organize the implementation of this Directive.

Prime Minister
PHAN VAN KHAI