Reduce procedures for importing automobiles.

Vehicles imported from markets with emission regulations equivalent to or higher than Vietnam's, such as the EU and Japan, will not require the original Certificate or Inspection Report.

This is the latest amendment to the draft Circular regulating the inspection of technical safety and environmental protection quality of imported motor vehicles, which the Vietnam Register Department released for public comment on the afternoon of September 12th. Compared to the previous version, this draft has received high consensus from the business community and associations.

Paperwork barriers for imported vehicles will be reduced.

The most positive change, according to Mr. Dau Anh Tuan, Head of the Legal Department of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), is that imported cars will no longer be bound by the requirement to have the original Certificate of Quality from the manufacturer or the Quality Inspection Certificate from the manufacturer.

Specifically, unused motor vehicles of the same type that have been registered for circulation in countries with emission levels equivalent to or higher than Vietnam's current levels (such as the EU, G7, etc.); or vehicles of the same type with emission levels equivalent to or higher than Vietnam's regulations, that have been registered for circulation abroad... will not require the original copies of the two aforementioned documents.

"We appreciate the drafting agency's responsiveness, as this latest draft of the Circular has made positive changes. Policies are needed to ensure that Vietnamese people in rural and remote areas also have the right to use high-quality, reasonably priced cars, guaranteeing the legitimate rights of consumers," Mr. Tuan said.

However, in this draft, the Ministry of Transport has not included regulations on genuine warranty and maintenance as proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade as a condition for repealing Circular 20/2011.

According to the head of the Vietnam Registering and Inspection Department, the draft Circular regulating the inspection of technical safety and environmental protection quality of imported motor vehicles is part of the Ministry's annual review, amendment, and lawmaking program. Regarding the Ministry of Industry and Trade's proposal on genuine warranty and maintenance, he stated that there have been no directives on its development yet. Therefore, the fate of Circular 20 from the Ministry of Industry and Trade remains uncertain, but with the amendments to regulations on the safety and quality of imported vehicles, businesses now find it easier to adapt.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tuan, Director of Thien An Phuc Co., Ltd., the biggest obstacle for car import businesses like his is that the original copies of the two aforementioned documents have been revised to better reflect reality. Specifically, manufacturers usually thoroughly inspect vehicles according to the technical standards of the country of origin before they leave the factory, so the vehicles are naturally guaranteed to be of high quality and meet requirements. This was not the case before, as these documents were only considered the "birth certificate" of the vehicle. Besides information about the name and manufacturer, there was no other information. Therefore, this "technical barrier" is no different from a barrier to the business operations of enterprises.

"We are very pleased that the drafting agency has taken into account and listened to the opinions of businesses by making this regulation more 'open'. Although there are still a few points regarding emissions and vehicle recalls that need clearer and more detailed regulations, basically businesses feel more at ease," Mr. Tuan said.

Responding to expectations from the participating business community, Mr. Tran Ky Hinh, Director of the Vietnam Register, affirmed that the draft Circular aims to create a level playing field for importers, bridging the gap of "discrimination" between importing and domestic assembly businesses. Furthermore, the regulations are technical in nature and do not hinder the business operations of enterprises.

"For cars, whether domestically produced or imported, before being brought into Vietnam, each country has certain standards issued by the State, and these technical standards must be met before they can be sold or circulated," said Mr. Tran Ky Hinh.

The Director of the Vietnam Registering and Inspection Department also emphasized the view that the State controls traffic safety using many tools, and this is only one of the "gateways" to control the quality and load capacity of imported vehicles.

"We must control quality, and whatever control we implement must be tailored to Vietnam's context, which is a small, fragmented market. The market is currently limited; if it grows larger in the future, suppliers will have to seek us out," shared the Director of the Vietnam Register.

The head of the Vietnam Registering and Inspection Department expects the draft Circular to be finalized soon so that it can be issued by the end of 2016 and take effect starting in 2017. "The longer it takes for this Circular to be issued, the more disadvantaged car import businesses will be," Mr. Ky Hinh stated.

According to VOV.VN