On January 17, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam announced that the Law on Chemicals (No. 69/2025/QH15) officially took effect on January 1, 2026. To support the implementation of the Law on Chemicals, two ministerial circulars have been formally promulgated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, both taking effect on January 17, 2026.
Circular No. 01/2026/TT-BCT of the Ministry of Industry and Trade
This Circular provides detailed regulations and guidance for certain articles of the aforementioned Decree No. 26/2026/NĐ-CP. Its core contents include:
- Detailed listing of the forms, formats, and procedures used for various administrative procedures (such as the issuance, re-issuance, adjustment of various licenses and certificates; formulation of prevention and control plans; establishment of logs/records; new chemical registration, etc.).
- Specification of the essential content that a chemical safety technical data sheet must contain:
- Identification of the chemical and supplier information;
- Hazards identification of the chemical;
- Composition/information on ingredients;
- First-aid measures;
- Fire-fighting measures;
- Accidental release measures (prevention and response);
- Handling and storage requirements;
- Exposure controls/personal protection requirements;
- Physical and chemical properties of the chemical;
- Stability and reactivity of the chemical;
- Toxicological information;
- Ecological information;
- Disposal considerations;
- Transport information;
- Regulatory information;
- Other necessary information.
- Clarification of chemical classification principles: Organizations and individuals producing or importing chemicals are obligated to classify chemicals according to the guidance in Appendix XV of this Circular or based on the classification principles of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), Revision 2 (2007) or later.
- Requirement for organizations trading in chemicals subject to special control to establish purchase/sale control slips via the designated system within 10 days after delivery, effective from January 1, 2026.
Circular No. 02/2026/TT-BCT of the Ministry of Industry and Trade
This Circular details and guides the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Chemicals and the Government's Decree No. 25/2026/NĐ-CP. Its main contents include:
- Standardization of forms used for the issuance, re-issuance, adjustment, and revocation of certificates for chemical professional consultancy.
- Clarification of the content and measures for chemical accident prevention and response plans, as well as the forms used for appraising and approving such plans.
- Specification of the content, procedures, forms, and documentation for chemical accident response drills.
The Vietnam Chemicals Agency recommends that all organizations and individuals engaged in chemical activities proactively study and accurately understand the requirements of the new regulations, strictly comply with them, and promptly conduct self-assessment and rectification in accordance with the regulations to ensure compliant operations.
