Safety Certification Required for Vietnam Exports to the U.S.

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Sept. 17 – Beginning November 12, Vietnamese exporters to the United States will be required to apply for safety product certifications.

A safety certificate should be included with the product during shipment and must also be submitted to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and U.S. customs on request.

The new rule should ensure that all exported products are safe and not harmful to consumers. This will also allow the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to implement safety standards for dangerous substances like lead and phthalates.

Death, injuries and property damage from consumer product accidents in the United States amount to more than US$800 billion annually.

Richard W. O’Brien, the commission's director of Office of International Programs and Intergovernmental Affairs, told Thanh Nien News that President Bush had signed a revision of consumer product safety laws on August 14, 2008.

O’Brien said manufacturers and importers will announce their voluntary and mandatory standards, which must be certified by an approved independent third parties through a test of each product or a reasonable testing program.

Violation of the safety law could lead to manufacturers facing civil and criminal charges.