The Ministry of Science and Technology has issued Circular No. 30/2025/TT-BKHCN, stipulating criteria for used technological production lines, equipment, machinery, and tools imported to directly serve projects for the manufacturing, packaging, and testing of semiconductor chips, as well as for training, and R&D activities for digital technology products and services.
The Circular is applicable to organizations and enterprises participating in or related to the import of used technological production lines, equipment, machinery, and tools that serve training and R&D activities for digital technology products and services; or that directly serve semiconductor chip manufacturing, packaging, and testing projects.
Under the new circular, used technological production lines are permitted for import when they meet the following criteria:
First, they must not be included in the list of used, obsolete, poor quality, or environmentally polluting technological production lines announced by the exporting country.
Second, a technology within the production line must not belong to the list of technologies prohibited or restricted from transfer in accordance with the laws on technology transfer.
Third, they must be manufactured according to standards that comply with the regulations of the National Technical Regulations (QCVN) regarding safety, energy saving, and environmental protection.
Fourth, the remaining capacity (calculated by the quantity of products created by the technological line in a unit of time) or performance must reach 85% or more compared to the design capacity or performance.
Fifth, the consumption level of raw materials, materials, and energy must not exceed 15% compared to the design specifications.
Sixth, for cases where technological production lines are imported to serve training, and R&D activities for digital technology products and services as prescribed in Clause 4, Article 21 of the Law on Digital Technology Industry, the criteria specified in items 4 and 5 above do not apply.
The Circular also stipulates that used equipment, machinery, and tools are permitted for import when they meet certain criteria, such as: they must not belong to the list of used, obsolete, poor quality, or environmentally polluting machinery, equipment, and tools announced by the exporting country; and a technology incorporated in the machinery, equipment, and tools must not belong to the list of technologies prohibited or restricted from transfer in accordance with the laws on technology transfer; among others.
Circular No. 30 takes effect from January 4, 2026.
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