Vietnam Law on Chemicals Takes Effect: Chemical Regulation Enters a New Phase

On 9 June 2026, the Vietnam Paint and Printing Ink Association (VPIA) held its annual meeting in Ho Chi Minh City. Phung Manh Ngoc, Director General of the Chemicals Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, pointed out that the Law on Chemicals took effect on 1 January 2026 and that efforts must now focus on advancing government-enterprise coordination for its implementation. This means that Chinese chemical, paint, printing ink and related raw material enterprises entering the Vietnamese market will need to re-align their compliance pathways in accordance with the new requirements on licensing, declaration and distribution management.

I. Background

Law on Chemicals No. 69/2025/QH15 has been in force since 1 January 2026, replacing the previous framework. The supporting Decrees No. 24, 25 and 26/2026/ND-CP and Circulars No. 01 and 02/2026/TT-BCT, which took effect on 17 January 2026, further refine the requirements on the production, operation, import and export, declaration, and control of hazardous chemicals. Pursuant to Resolution No. 19/2026/NQ-CP, four categories of chemical-related administrative procedures have been delegated to the provincial People's Committees, with multiple time limits compressed to 3-5 working days, improving compliance efficiency.

II. Four Key Compliance Priorities Directly Affecting Import and Export Operations

In its industry dialogue with VPIA, the regulator identified the four types of issues most frequently raised by enterprises, which are also the areas Chinese exporters should pay closest attention to:

1. Import/export licensing mechanism for chemicals: check the newly added licensing requirements and declaration criteria, and confirm whether the products concerned fall within the scope of licensing control.
2. Online declaration process for chemicals: declarations must be completed through the designated system; enterprises should be familiar with the online declaration criteria and data requirements.
3. Purchase and sale control of hazardous chemicals: such transactions are subject to more detailed control, and downstream distribution chains need to be adjusted accordingly.
4. Interface between regulatory documents: some normative documents overlap and are not yet uniformly enforced; during the transition period, attention should be paid to official clarifications and enforcement guidelines.

III. Market Opportunities: Import Reliance on Raw Materials Opens Up Supply Space

The Vietnamese paint and printing ink industry is highly dependent on imported chemical raw materials, mainly solvents, resins, pigments and various auxiliaries. Against the backdrop of rising crude oil and petrochemical derivative prices and persistently high global logistics costs, local enterprises face significant cost pressure and have a strong demand for stable and competitively priced raw material supply. Chinese exporters of solvents, resins, pigments and auxiliaries face a clear supply gap and room for substitution.

IV. Transition Period Assessment

Director General Phung Manh Ngoc frankly acknowledged that the new law will need a period of adaptation as it is rolled out; paint and printing ink products have complex compositions and flexible categories that change with each order, creating a gap with the more detailed control requirements of the new rules, and short-term fluctuations in enforcement interpretation cannot be ruled out. Overall, Vietnam's chemical regulation will see stricter compliance in the short term while interpretations are still being calibrated, but will benefit transparency and efficiency in the medium to long term.

ChemRadar Insights

The four compliance directions above are both the priorities recognized by Vietnam's regulator and the areas where enterprises are most likely to stumble under the new rules. Rather than responding reactively during the transition, it is better to reconcile each item early, clarify product classification, declaration pathways and licensing boundaries, so as to navigate the break-in period smoothly and turn compliance preparedness into a first-mover advantage in entering the market.

CIRS Services

1. In-depth interpretation of regulations and compliance strategy
2. Mandatory import declaration
3. Application for controlled chemical licenses/qualifications
4. Chemical customs clearance support
5. Preparation of Vietnamese-language SDS and labels
6. Preparation and implementation guidance for chemical accident emergency response plans

Further information

Gov.