According to the Circular, a used technology line may be imported when it satisfies the following criteria:
- It is not on the List of used, obsolete, low-quality technology lines that cause environmental pollution, as announced by the exporting country.
- Its technology is not on the List of technologies banned from transfer or restricted from transfer in accordance with the law on technology transfer.
- It is manufactured according to standards:
+ In conformity with national technical regulations on safety, energy efficiency, and environmental protection;
+ In cases where there is no national technical regulation applicable to the imported technology line, the technology line must be manufactured according to standards conforming to the technical targets of Vietnam’s national standards or national standards of one of the G7 countries or the Republic of Korea on safety, energy efficiency, and environmental protection.
- Its capacity (calculated as the quantity of products created by the technology line within a unit of time) or remaining efficiency must reach at least 85% of the design capacity or efficiency.
- Consumption of raw materials, materials, and energy must not exceed 15% of the design level.
- For technology lines imported for training, research, and development of digital technology products and services under Clause 4 Article 21 of the Law on Digital Technology Industry 2025, the criteria prescribed in Clauses 4 and 5 Article 4 of Circular 30/2025/TT-BKHCN shall not apply.
At the same time, used equipment, machinery, and tools may be imported when they satisfy the following criteria:
- They are not on the List of used, obsolete, low-quality machinery, equipment, and tools that cause environmental pollution, as announced by the exporting country.
- Their technology is not on the List of technologies banned from transfer or restricted from transfer in accordance with the law on technology transfer.
- They are manufactured according to standards:
+ In conformity with national technical regulations on safety, energy efficiency, and environmental protection;
+ In cases where there is no national technical regulation applicable to the imported equipment, machinery, and tools, such equipment, machinery, and tools must be manufactured according to standards conforming to the technical targets of Vietnam’s national standards or national standards of one of the G7 countries or the Republic of Korea on safety, energy efficiency, and environmental protection.
- Equipment age (calculated in years from the year of manufacture to the year of import of the used machinery, equipment, and tools) must not exceed 20 years. The year of import is the year the goods arrive at a Vietnamese border checkpoint.
- For machinery, equipment, and tools imported for training, research, and development of digital technology products and services under Clause 4 Article 21 of the Law on Digital Technology Industry 2025, the criteria prescribed in Clause 4 Article 5 of Circular 30/2025/TT-BKHCN shall not apply.
See more details in Circular No. 30/2025/TT-BKHCN effective as of January 1, 2026.
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Above are the summary and notification of new documents for customers of THU VIEN PHAP LUAT. For more information, please send an email to [email protected].
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