HÀ NỘI — The Government has issued a new decree regulating the fines imposed for violations in the livestock breeds, feed and fishery products sectors.

It will be effective June 22 this year and will replace Decree 119/2013/NĐ-CP dated October 9, 2013, on administrative fines in the domain of veterinary medicine, livestock breeds and livestock feeds.

According to the new decree, the fines imposed for using banned substances on animals while producing, processing and selling livestock feed will be changed.

The current Decree 119/2013/NĐ-CP imposes fines between VNĐ5 million (US$220) and VNĐ100 million ($4,400) on these violations.

In the new decree, these will increase to VNĐ50 million - VNĐ100 million on the use of banned substances on animals and fishery products, depending on the products’ values.

The violating individuals or organisations will be forced to dispose the banned substances or feed and products containing banned substances.

The operations of the breeding facilities will be suspended from six to 12 months.

The current regulation suspends the violating facilities’ operations for one to three months only.

The new decree also mentions the highest level of administrative punishment imposed for livestock breeds’ violations — VNĐ50 million for individuals and VNĐ100 million for organisations.

The maximum fine level for violations in livestock feed and fishery products applicable to infringing individuals will be VNĐ100 million and applicable to infringing organisations will be VNĐ200 million ($8,800).

Besides violations in using banned substances, the violations stated in the decree include the use of anti-biotic in livestock breeds and fishery products; and management and preservation of livestock’s genes, among others. — VNS