Decree 127/2026/ND-CP: Quality Management and Development Policy for Halal Products and Services
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Based on:127/2026/NĐ-CP - Government Official Gazette
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Decree 127/2026/ND-CP, effective from June 1, 2026, establishes Vietnam's first comprehensive legal framework for quality management and development of Halal products and services. It applies to organizations and individuals that manufacture, import, export, or trade Halal products and services (food, tourism, transport, storage, etc.), as well as Halal testing and certification bodies. Businesses must declare the applicable Halal standard before placing products on the market, ensure raw materials are free of Haram or Najis elements, control cross-contamination during production, packaging, and transport, and clearly mark «HALAL» on labels (unless the product already carries a Halal certification mark). Halal certification is in principle voluntary, becoming mandatory only when a specialized regulation requires it for specific products. Domestic Halal certification bodies must obtain an operating registration certificate from the Ministry of Science and Technology and must employ at least two Muslim lead assessors holding a university degree and relevant professional certificates. Certification results from foreign bodies are recognized in Vietnam if covered by a mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) or unilaterally accepted by the Ministry. The decree also sets out inspection and administrative penalty procedures, and support policies for small and medium enterprises: one-time subsidies for testing and certification costs for key export producers, trade promotion support at international Halal fairs, and a national Halal database. Businesses producing or exporting food, cosmetics, or tourism services aimed at Muslim markets (the Middle East, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.) should review their production processes and prepare standard-declaration dossiers ahead of the June 1, 2026 effective date.
Scope and Application
Decree 127/2026/ND-CP (issued April 6, 2026, effective June 1, 2026) governs quality management and support/development policies for Halal products and services in Vietnam, covering: quality requirements, labeling, traceability, testing, Halal certification, inspection, violation handling, and support policies.
It applies to: organizations and individuals that manufacture, import, export, or trade Halal products and services for circulation in Vietnam; Halal testing and certification bodies; and relevant state management agencies. Products manufactured for national defense and security purposes are excluded.
Quality Management Principles and Applicable Standards
Halal quality management must be consistent, transparent, and non-discriminatory, harmonized with international standards (OIC, SMIIC, Codex Alimentarius), and based on risk assessment with full supply-chain traceability.
Applicable Halal standards include: national standards (TCVN, developed with participation from the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and Muslim experts), international/regional/Islamic-country standards (mandatory for export goods per contract, or optional for domestic consumption), or self-declared internal standards where no equivalent standard exists yet. Organizations and individuals must declare the applied standard before market circulation, retain standard documentation at the production site, and are fully responsible for the accuracy of the declaration.
Requirements for Halal Products and Services
Halal products circulated in Vietnam must: meet the declared standard; use Halal raw materials and additives (free of Haram or Najis; animal-derived materials must be slaughtered per Halal procedures); maintain hygiene and prevent cross-contamination during production, packaging, storage, transport, and display; and comply with goods-labeling and measurement laws. Exported goods must additionally comply with the importing country's regulations or trade contract terms.
Labeling and Traceability
Halal product labels must clearly display «SAN PHAM HALAL» (Halal Product) or «HALAL» in uppercase Latin letters, in a visible, legible, and indelible position. Labeling is not required if the product already carries a Halal certification mark, or if it is a raw material/additive not sold directly to consumers (in which case Halal status must be stated in technical documents or contracts). Products in the high-risk category are subject to mandatory traceability per a roadmap issued by the competent state authority.
Testing and Certification
Testing bodies must hold an operating registration certificate covering Halal test parameters, and must ensure objectivity, independence, and cross-contamination control of test samples. Halal certification is, in principle, voluntary, becoming mandatory only when specialized regulations require it for specific products.
Domestic Halal certification bodies must: be legally established; meet TCVN 13888 (or an equivalent international standard); employ at least two full-time Muslim lead assessors holding a university degree, certification-system or product-certification assessor training, Halal-knowledge certification, and at least 20 assessor-days of relevant experience. Registration dossiers (new, amended, or reissued) are filed with the Ministry of Science and Technology via the one-stop service, postal service, or the National Public Service Portal. Certificates are revoked for serious violations (falsified dossiers, fraudulent certification results, repeated administrative violations, etc.); revoked bodies may only reapply after at least 6 months and after remedying the violation.
Certification results and Halal marks from foreign bodies are recognized in Vietnam if covered by a mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) to which Vietnam is a party, or unilaterally recognized by the Ministry of Science and Technology (via IAF/APAC accreditation under ISO/IEC 17065, or based on sector-specific management needs).
Inspection and Administrative Penalties
Business inspections cover: compliance with Halal conditions in production, standard declaration, labeling, use of the Halal certification mark, and traceability records. Inspections of certification bodies cover: maintenance of registered operating conditions, scope compliance, assessment procedures, and certification records. Inspection procedures follow Decree 217/2025/ND-CP on specialized inspection; violations are handled under the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations and related sector-specific decrees.
Support Policies for the Halal Industry
The State supports: negotiating and signing international MRAs (led by the Ministry of Science and Technology); trade promotion at international Halal fairs and exhibitions (funded through the National Trade Promotion Program); Muslim-friendly tourism promotion (led by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism); one-time subsidies for testing and certification costs for key export producers; building a National Halal Database integrated with the national standards/measurement/quality database; and workforce-development support for SMEs under existing SME-support law.
State Management Responsibilities
The Ministry of Science and Technology is the focal agency: developing national standards, issuing/revoking certification-body registration certificates, operating the National Halal Database, leading international cooperation, and conducting specialized inspections. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports international treaty negotiation and overseas promotion. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and provincial People's Committees coordinate management within their assigned sectors.
Effective Date
The Decree takes effect from June 1, 2026. Registration dossiers filed with provincial People's Committees before the effective date but not yet resolved will be transferred to the Ministry of Science and Technology for continued processing.