Vietnam: Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Notifies Draft Amendment to Biosafety Regulations

The Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) has issued a notification regarding a Draft Decree amending and supplementing existing regulations on nature conservation and biodiversity. This draft includes proposed revisions to Decree 69/2010 on Biosafety for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and GMO products. Notably, the amendments provide guidance for the revised Biodiversity Law, currently under review by the Vietnam National Assembly, including definitions for genetic technologies and gene-edited organisms, and a self-declaration process that would exempt gene-edited organisms from GMOs regulatory requirements. This report summarizes the key changes in the draft decree, focusing on provisions that may significantly impact on the regulation of GMOs and gene-edited crops.