The Prime Minister has agreed to postpone the implementation of Circular No. 20/2014/TT-BKHCN of July 15 on import of used machinery, equipment and technology chains.
The move to reconsider the circular was made as domestic importers of used machinery said they may risk bankruptcy if the circular takes effect on September 1 as scheduled.
Experts also voiced concerns over provisions that imported machinery, equipment and technology chains must be less than five years old and their quality must be 80 percent as good as brand-new ones.
According to the circular, the rule for imported machinery and equipment less than three years old is applied to those used for agricultural production, beverage production and postal services only.
Though Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan had said the country encouraged the import of modern and hi-tech machinery, second-hand machinery must meet strict requirements of quality, safety and energy conservation along with environmental protection standards.
On the other hand, the circular overlaps with regulations on product and commodity quality and some relevant decrees.
Professor Nguyen Mai, a senior economist, said the most important thing was that domestic companies need to know how to use technology appropriate to their development period. It was unrealistic to expect anyone to decide whether the quality of used machinery is 80 percent as good as a new one.
According to Ministry of Science and Technology, this move is aimed at preventing the inflow of obsolete machinery and equipment which would turn the country into a landfill for the world’s discarded technologies.-
