PM allows exports of medical face masks

Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved the export of medical face masks and protective clothing, as long as domestic demand, including reserves, is met first.

These products could only be exported to countries that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Phuc asked.

PM Phuc urged the ministries of health and industry and trade to take early actions so producers could export medical face masks and protective clothing as many countries are facing shortages of these products in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Health must propose amendments to the Government’s Resolution 20/NQ-CP dated February 28 to facilitate exports of these products.

Under the resolution, medical face masks can only be exported for international aid and assistance provided by the Government, with export volume capped at 25 percent of the producers’ total output.

With the Prime Minister’s move, producers can now export medical face masks without a cap on the export volume, providing domestic demand is met.

Ministry of Health statistics show that there are about 68 companies producing medical face masks and protective clothing in Vietnam. Some garment companies are also investing in producing medical face masks, besides cloth face masks, such as Garment 10 Corporation Joint Stock Company and TNG Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company.

The Vietnam Trade Office in the European Union warned that the mass production of medical face masks and protective clothing without following any technical standards would cause oversupply and damages if the products could not be exported.

The trade office said producers must note that to export medical face masks and medical protective clothing to the EU, CE marking was compulsory. CE marking indicates that a product had been assessed by the manufacturers and deemed to meet EU safety, health and environmental protection requirements.

Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Import-Export Department, urged face mask producers to pay attention to meeting quality and safety requirements of import markets and obtain certificates to be able to export./.