Quality Management Innovation: Welcoming the Digital Age with a New Legal Framework

With the development of digital technology, from AI, blockchain to electronic labels and digital passports, product and goods quality management is entering a new phase. The draft Decree guiding the implementation of the Law on Product and Goods Quality has just been released for comments, demonstrating the determination to modernize the legal system, thereby increasing transparency in traceability and better protecting consumer rights.

Bộ Khoa học và Công nghệ•12/09/2025

On September 12, in Hanoi , the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality held a workshop to collect opinions on the Draft Decree detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality and the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of this Law, as well as regulations on product labels.

Speed up the completion of legal documents

Previously, on June 18, 2025, at the 9th Session, the 15th National Assembly passed Law No. 78/2025/QH15 - Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality. Then, on July 14, 2025, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1526/QD-TTg assigning the Ministry of Science and Technology to preside over the drafting of the Draft Decree, to be submitted to the Government before October 15, 2025.

Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai, Chairman of the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality spoke at the Workshop.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai - Chairman of the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality said that in recent years, the work of drafting legal documents has undergone many strong innovations, especially in shortening the drafting time. If previously it took about 2 years to draft a law, now within just three months, the Ministry of Science and Technology has completed and submitted to the National Assembly 5 draft laws, all of which have been approved. This shows great determination in modernizing the legal system, and at the same time poses an urgent requirement for the progress of completing guiding documents for implementation.

"This workshop was organized in a spirit of openness, aiming to fully absorb opinions from ministries, branches, associations and enterprises. This is an important basis for the Ministry of Science and Technology to continue perfecting the Draft Decree, ensuring consistency, feasibility and suitability with management practices," Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai emphasized.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai Huong, Head of Quality Management and Conformity Assessment Department at the Workshop.

Presenting the detailed content of the Draft, Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai Huong, Head of the Quality Management and Conformity Assessment Department, said that the draft Decree consists of 8 chapters, 99 articles, 16 forms and 5 appendices, including many important innovations.

A major change is the method of classifying goods according to risk level (high, medium, low) instead of according to traditional groups. Risk assessment is based on international standards ISO/IEC 31010, linked to factors: impact on human health, environmental impact, control capacity in the supply chain, along with warning information from WHO, FAO, OECD...

Notably, the Draft also proposes solutions for applying digital technology in quality management, gradually requiring the application of AI, blockchain, IoT, and big data. These technologies will be deployed in early warning systems, risk forecasting, online quality control, as well as creating electronic channels for receiving feedback and complaints, ensuring transparency and public feedback.

"We expect that the application of digital technology will help increase monitoring efficiency, shorten processing time, and support businesses in the process of complying with regulations," Ms. Huong emphasized.

Traceability and digital passport for products

Another notable new feature is the mandatory traceability regulation for high-risk products. Traceability information will be connected to the National Traceability Portal, ensuring transparency and convenience for management.

In addition, the Draft proposes to implement a digital product passport (DPP) – a form of electronic data that integrates information on origin, raw materials, production processes, certification of conformity, sustainability, etc. The application of DPP is prioritized for key export industries, especially high-risk products. The digital passport can be integrated with electronic labels, creating favorable conditions for both management agencies and businesses.

Mr. Bui Ba Chinh, Acting Director of the National Code and Barcode Center spoke at the Workshop.

Regarding product labels, the Draft opens up a flexible mechanism with electronic labels . According to Mr. Bui Ba Chinh - Acting Director of the National Code and Barcode Center, the national electronic label system (elabel.gov.vn) and the national product digital passport (dpp.gov.vn) will help make information transparent, ensuring quick and accurate traceability.

Electronic labels can be represented by QR codes, RFID or other digital technologies. Businesses must store data for at least 12 months from the date the product is discontinued, while ensuring traceability of change history. In e-commerce, the platform owner is responsible for publicly displaying product label information, ensuring that products delivered to consumers always have the correct label.

Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai, Chairman of the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality chaired the discussion session at the Workshop.

Delegates attending the Workshop, including representatives of ministries, branches, associations and the business community, focused on discussing new points as well as remaining issues, especially regulations on labeling of processed goods, how to record origin when products only undergo simple assembly and packaging stages in Vietnam, or the process of checking the quality of imported goods.

Concluding the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai affirmed that the completion of the Decree is not only a requirement for law enforcement, but also has important significance in building a modern national quality infrastructure (NQI), linked with digital transformation and international integration.

"We hope to receive many comments from the business community so that when the Decree is issued, it will truly come into effect, both improving the effectiveness of state management and facilitating production and business, and protecting the legitimate rights of consumers," Mr. Hai emphasized.

With innovations in risk management, digital technology application, traceability and electronic labels, the Draft Decree promises to be an important step forward, contributing to perfecting the legal corridor in the field of product and goods quality, meeting the requirements of digital economic development and international integration in the new period.