15-Working-Day Approval Made Mandatory as Vietnam Launches Green Building Materials Carbon Footprint Portal on July 15

I. GMT-P Goes Live: Carbon Footprint Pre-registration Becomes Mandatory for Imported Building Materials

According to an announcement by Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), the Green Materials Traceability Portal (GMT-P) officially commenced operation on 15 July 2026.

Under the new regulation, all imported steel structure modules, prefabricated components, and green building materials must complete carbon footprint pre-registration through the GMT-P platform and obtain a unique registration ID before the cargo arrives at a Vietnamese port.

Shipments without a valid registration ID will be detained by Vietnam Customs and will not be released for customs clearance.

II. Major Compliance Challenge: No ERP Integration, Manual Submission Required

At present, the GMT-P platform is not integrated with the ERP systems commonly used by Chinese exporters.

As a result, all carbon footprint documentation, including the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report prepared in accordance with ISO 14040, must be uploaded manually.

Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade recommends allowing at least 15 working days for the review process. Given the lengthy manual procedures and strict documentation requirements, exporters are advised to work closely with Vietnamese buyers to prepare and submit all compliance documents well in advance, thereby avoiding port storage charges and customs delays.

III. Regulatory Background: Vietnam Strengthens Origin and Label Verification

The implementation of GMT-P is part of a broader tightening of Vietnam's import compliance regime.

Earlier this month, Vietnam Customs under the Ministry of Finance issued Official Letter No. 17552/CHQ-GSQL, placing 18 categories of goods under enhanced supervision for origin fraud, labeling violations, and illegal transshipment.

The circular requires dual verification of HS Codes and Certificates of Origin (C/O) for raw materials and semi-finished products imported from China and other Asian countries. Customs authorities may also verify whether manufacturers' production capacity is consistent with their imported raw materials.

Timber products, steel products, and construction materials have been classified as high-risk commodities.

IV. Combined Compliance Impact

The mandatory carbon footprint registration under GMT-P, together with stricter origin verification under Official Letter No. 17552/CHQ-GSQL, creates dual compliance challenges for Chinese exporters of construction materials.

The first challenge is a significantly longer lead time. The 15-working-day carbon registration review, combined with customs origin verification, may substantially extend the overall import clearance process.

The second challenge is a higher compliance threshold. Preparing an LCA report requires comprehensive lifecycle carbon emissions data, posing considerable difficulties for exporters with limited carbon management capabilities, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

Industry Recommendations

Chinese exporters of steel structures, prefabricated components, and green building materials are advised to:

• Establish an information-sharing mechanism with Vietnamese buyers and initiate LCA preparation as early as possible, allowing sufficient time for approval before shipment arrival.
• Review all origin-related documentation to ensure consistency, traceability, and compliance, including raw material records, production documentation, and manufacturing capacity data.
• Consider engaging professional customs brokers or carbon consulting firms to assist with GMT-P submissions and documentation preparation, reducing the risk of customs delays caused by procedural errors.