The Ministry of Construction recently sent a document to the Vietnam Register regarding the implementation of conformity assessment activities for child safety devices used in automobiles, in accordance with National Technical Regulation QCVN 123:2024.

Accordingly, the Vietnam Register is tasked with proactively organizing conformity assessment, certification, and compliance announcement for child safety devices used in automobiles. It is also responsible for receiving, evaluating, and designating conformity assessment organizations that fully meet the requirements of National Technical Regulation QCVN 123:2024, Decree 37/2026, and other related regulations.

The Vietnam Register must publicize contact points for receiving applications, required documents, processing procedures, and resolution times, without imposing additional conditions or procedures beyond regulations.

A key challenge in implementing QCVN 123:2024 is the current lack of sufficient testing and certification organizations to meet the immediate demand for product assessment under the new regulation.

To address this situation, the Ministry of Construction permits the Director of the Vietnam Register to provisionally designate testing organizations under Decree 37/2026 if no organizations can promptly meet the requirements. The maximum period for this provisional designation is six months from the decision date.

A child seat model with 360-degree rotation. *Photo: Ho Tan*

The Ministry of Construction also requires the Vietnam Register to submit decisions and processing documents after issuance for ministerial oversight and inspection. Additionally, the Vietnam Register must proactively report any difficulties or obstacles arising during implementation. This ensures the new regulation is enforced synchronously and effectively, without disrupting the production, import, and supply of child safety devices in the market.

Previously, the Vietnam Register had sent a document to the Ministry of Construction, proposing solutions to address difficulties in certifying child safety devices used in automobiles.

Child safety seats are crucial devices for protecting vehicle occupants, especially young children. These products fall under the medium-risk goods category, thus requiring a compliance announcement at local specialized agencies, based on certification results from designated certification bodies.

However, for manufacturing, importing, and trading businesses to complete the compliance announcement procedures, child safety seats must undergo inspection, testing, and assessment, and be issued a certificate of conformity with QCVN 123:2024.

Meanwhile, there is significant business demand for compliance announcements, as the regulation becomes mandatory from 1/7/2026. However, no certification organizations are currently qualified to perform certification activities under the new regulation.

According to the Vietnam Register's proposal, the agency could provisionally designate the Vehicle Testing Center (VMTC) to test child seats, and the Vietnam Register itself could provisionally certify them for six months or until qualified organizations become available.

The Ministry of Construction's decision to task the Vietnam Register with proactively implementing transitional solutions will provide businesses with a basis for complying with the new regulations. This also ensures that child safety seat products for automobiles are quality-controlled before being released to the market, preventing unnecessary complications or bottlenecks during the initial phase of the new regulation's implementation.

According to the Road Traffic Safety Law, from 1/7, children under 10 years old and shorter than 1,35 m must use appropriate safety devices when traveling in automobiles, except when riding in commercial passenger transport vehicles. Among these devices, child safety seats are considered essential equipment for protecting children during car travel.

Doan Loan