Chương IX Luật an toàn thực phẩm 2010: Thông tin, giáo dục, truyền thông về an toàn thực phẩm

Chapter IX

INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION ON FOOD SAFETY

Article 56. Purposes and requirements of information, education and communication on food safety

1. Information, education and communication on food safety aims to raise public awareness about food safety, and change backward behaviors, customs and practices in production, trading and living which cause food unsafely, contributing to protecting human health and life; and about business ethics and responsibility of food producers and traders towards consumer health and life.

2. Information, education and communication on food safety must be:

a/ Accurate, prompt, explicit, simple and practical;

b/ Suitable to the nation's traditions, culture and identity, religions, social ethics, beliefs, customs and practices;

c/ Suitable to each category of targeted subjects.

Article 57. Contents of information, education and communication on food safety

1. Providing, propagating and disseminating knowledge and law on food safety.

2. Providing information on causes and ways of identifying food poisoning risks, food-borne diseases and measures to prevent and remedy food safety incidents.

3. Providing information on exemplary models of safe food production or trading; recall of unsafe foods, and handling of establishments that seriously violate the law on food safety.

Article 58. Entities eligible to access information, education and communication on food safety

1. All organizations and individuals have the right to access information, education and communication on food safety.

2. Priority will be given to the following entities in accessing information, education and communication on food safety:

a/ Food consumers;

b/ Managers and executive officers of food production or trading establishments; food producers and traders;

c/ Fresh and raw food producers and traders and small-scale food producers and traders; inhabitants in extreme socio-economic difficulty-hit areas.

Article 59. Forms of information, education and communication on food safety

1. Through competent state agencies in charge of food safety.

2. In the mass media.

3. Integration in teaching and learning activities at educational institutions of the national education system.

4. Through cultural and community activities and activities of mass organizations and social organizations, and other forms of public cultural activities.

5. Through food safety-related inquiry points at line ministries.

Article 60. Responsibilities in information, education and communication on food safety

1. Agencies, organizations and units shall, within the ambit of their tasks and powers, conduct information, education and communication on food safety.

2. The Minister of Health, line ministers and heads of concerned ministerial-level agencies shall direct concerned agencies in providing accurate and scientific information on food safety; and promptly give responses to untruthful information on food safety.

3. The Minister of Information and Communications shall direct mass media agencies in regularly providing information and communication on food safety and integrating programs on information and communication on food safety into other information and communication programs.

4. The Minister of Education and Training shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Minister of Health, line ministers and heads of concerned ministerial-level agencies in. combining education about food safety with other educational contents.

5. People's Committees at all levels shall organize the provision of information, education and communication on food safety to local people.

6. Mass media agencies shall prioritize in terms of schedule and length of broadcasts to provide information, education and communication on food safety on radios and televisions: and reserve appropriate spaces for articles and broadcasts on food safety in printed newspapers, televisions or online newspapers under regulations of the Minister of Information and Communications. Information, education and communication on food safety in the mass media is free of charge, unless it is provided under separate contracts with programs or projects or financed by domestic or foreign organizations or individuals.

7. The Vietnam Fatherland Front, mass organizations and social organizations shall, within the ambit of their responsibilities, conduct the work of information, education and communication on food safety.