Resolution 36/2026/NQ-CP, issued today (July 31), shifts strongly toward self-declaration and post-inspection mechanisms, shortening processing times and administrative procedures for residents and cooperatives.

Connecting with the national database

Under the new regulations, for organizations and individuals not registering for export to markets with code requirements, the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee must notify the issuance of growing area codes or packaging facility codes within a time limit not exceeding 3 working days from the receipt of complete dossiers. If not granted, the competent agency must respond in writing and clearly state the reasons.

For cases registering for export to markets with code requirements, the resolution time frame is not more than 10 working days. During this period, the Commune-level People's Committee organizes inspections of compliance with the technical requirements of the importing country prior to notifying code issuance or executing subsequent steps if the import market requires approval.

Alongside shortening processing times, Resolution 36/2026/NQ-CP also alters procedure execution toward greater simplicity.

Instead of processing through multiple focal points, organizations and individuals submit dossiers requesting code issuance directly to the Commune-level People's Committee where the growing area or packaging facility is located via the National Public Service Portal. In cases where the system encounters technical incidents or residents cannot submit electronic dossiers, localities still receive physical dossiers and update them onto the system once the public service portal resumes operation.

Another new point is that the identification of growing areas is made more flexible. Plot locations are determined according to unique identification numbers within the national land database. However, if a land plot does not yet possess or cannot exploit a unique identifier, registrants are permitted to self-declare area and location. The Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee will direct the verification of information during physical inspections or post-inspections.

The resolution also clarifies that growing area codes are issued solely for one determined crop type according to the location of one or multiple land plots, and do not establish or substitute land use rights of organizations or individuals. Concurrently, it encourages organizations, individuals, cooperatives, and collaborative groups to link production in order to form concentrated, large-scale raw material areas to be granted growing area codes.

For growing areas or packaging facilities already granted codes, the resolution adds provisions allowing registration for additional export markets while maintaining existing granted codes. In cases of changes to the names of representative organizations or individuals, or changes in administrative boundaries, re-issuance is resolved within a time limit of two working days from dossier receipt.

Another important change is that data on growing area codes and packaging facility codes will be managed centrally on the database system of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, while connecting with the agricultural product traceability system and other databases according to regulations. Localities bear responsibility for publicly disclosing the operational status of each code, including active, awaiting approval, temporarily suspended, or revoked, for organizations and individuals to look up.

Requirements for management remain uncompromised

The resolution stipulates that code issuance and management are executed on the principle of self-declaration and self-responsibility by organizations and individuals; state management agencies shift their focus to post-inspection, oversight, violation handling, and origin traceability. Pre-inspection applies solely to cases where importing countries maintain requirements regarding growing area codes or packaging facility codes.

For cases granted codes under abbreviated procedures, Commune-level People's Committees must organize post-inspections within a maximum time limit of 3 months from the date of code issuance. Code registration applicants bear legal responsibility for the completeness, accuracy, and truthfulness of information declared in dossiers.

For growing area and packaging facility codes that were issued, approved, or converted prior to the effective date of Resolution 36, these groups continue to utilize their existing granted format.

Technical requirements serving exports continue to execute under international treaties, agreements, protocols, or official requirements from competent authorities of importing countries; these requirements do not give rise to renewed domestic code issuance procedures.

The simplification of procedures takes place against a backdrop where management demand for growing area codes is increasingly large. According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, from the deployment of Decree 38/2026/ND-CP through July 15, the entire country granted 481 growing area codes and 349 packaging facility codes serving the export of commodities such as pomelos, mangoes, jackfruit, dragon fruit, bananas, coconuts, and durians... to markets including China, the United States, South Korea, the EU, New Zealand, and numerous other nations.

Additionally, the Department reviewed and streamlined numerous administrative procedures, assisting in reducing processing times by 47% and compliance costs by 34% for procedures within crop production and plant protection sectors. Resolution 36 on growing area codes is viewed as a subsequent step along this roadmap, as it continues decentralization, procedure digitization, and shifts management methods strongly from pre-inspection to post-inspection.

Source: Bao Nong nghiep va Moi truong