Vietnam Requires GB/T 24148.2-2026 Impact Reports for Acrylic Photo Backdrops

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) revised its import control list on April 29, 2026, mandating impact resistance testing reports under China’s GB/T 24148.2-2026 standard for acrylic wedding photography backdrops (HS code 3926.90). This update directly affects exporters, importers, and manufacturers engaged in the photo studio equipment supply chain—particularly those sourcing from or shipping to China—and signals tightening technical compliance requirements for decorative plastic products entering Vietnam.

Event Overview

On April 29, 2026, the MOIT issued an amendment to Annex II of Circular No. 22/2026/TT-BCT, adding acrylic-based wedding photography backdrops (classified under HS 3926.90) to the list of goods subject to mandatory conformity assessment. Importers must now submit impact performance test reports issued by laboratories accredited by China’s CNAS, specifically referencing the national standard GB/T 24148.2-2026. The regulation takes effect on June 1, 2026; however, pre-clearance review for orders declared on or after April 29 has already commenced.

Which Segmented Industries Are Affected

Direct Trading Enterprises (Exporters & Importers)

Companies exporting acrylic backdrops from China to Vietnam—or acting as Vietnam-based importers—are now required to secure valid GB/T 24148.2-2026 test reports prior to customs clearance. Non-compliance may result in shipment delays, rejections, or requests for post-arrival testing at importer expense.

Manufacturing Enterprises (Acrylic Fabricators & Photo Prop Producers)

Factories producing acrylic backdrops for export to Vietnam must align production batches with the GB/T 24148.2-2026 specification—particularly regarding thickness, surface treatment, and edge finishing—since test results are tied to material composition and processing methods. Product redesign or process validation may be necessary if existing formulations do not meet the standard’s impact resistance thresholds.

Supply Chain Service Providers (Testing Agencies, Customs Brokers, Certification Consultants)

Service providers supporting cross-border trade must verify whether their current CNAS-accredited lab partners issue reports compliant with GB/T 24148.2-2026 (not earlier versions), and confirm report validity for Vietnamese customs. Brokers need updated documentation checklists; consultants must adjust compliance guidance for clients targeting the Vietnamese photo studio market.

What Relevant Enterprises or Practitioners Should Focus On and How to Respond Now

Monitor official implementation guidance from MOIT and Vietnam Customs

The Circular references GB/T 24148.2-2026, but no public Vietnamese translation or interpretation notice has been released. Enterprises should track MOIT’s official portal and Vietnam Customs’ circulars for clarifications on acceptable report formats, sample size requirements, and transitional arrangements—especially for orders submitted between April 29 and May 31.

Verify CNAS lab accreditation scope and report validity

Not all CNAS-accredited labs are authorized to issue GB/T 24148.2-2026 reports. Exporters must confirm that the issuing lab explicitly lists this standard within its CNAS accreditation certificate scope—and that the report includes full test parameters (e.g., pendulum impact energy, specimen conditioning, pass/fail criteria per Clause 6 of GB/T 24148.2-2026).

Review and update product documentation ahead of June 1

For shipments scheduled after June 1, ensure that commercial invoices, packing lists, and certificates of origin clearly identify the goods as ‘acrylic wedding photography backdrops (HS 3926.90)’—matching the description used in the test report. Mismatches in terminology or classification may trigger verification delays.

Assess lead time implications for testing and documentation

GB/T 24148.2-2026 impact testing typically requires 5–7 working days per batch. Companies placing new orders after April 29 should factor in this timeline when scheduling production and sea/air freight—especially given that pre-clearance review is already active.

Editorial Perspective / Industry Observation

Observably, this amendment reflects Vietnam’s broader shift toward aligning technical barriers with upstream manufacturing standards—not just safety or environmental norms, but performance-based specifications tied to end-use applications. Analysis shows the selection of GB/T 24148.2-2026 (a Chinese standard focused on impact resistance of methyl methacrylate polymers) suggests Vietnam is leveraging existing regional testing infrastructure rather than developing parallel domestic protocols. From an industry perspective, it is more accurately understood as a targeted regulatory signal—aimed at improving product durability in commercial photo studios—rather than a broad market access restriction. Still, because the requirement applies retroactively to declarations made after April 29, it functions operationally as an immediate procedural checkpoint for ongoing trade flows.

Current monitoring priorities include whether MOIT issues supplementary guidance on equivalency (e.g., acceptance of ISO 179-1:2019 reports with correlation data), and whether Vietnam’s General Department of Vietnam Customs publishes a standardized checklist for submission. These elements remain unconfirmed and warrant ongoing observation.

Conclusion: This regulatory update does not indicate a market closure, but rather introduces a new technical documentation layer for a specific decorative plastic product category. It underscores the growing importance of harmonized test reporting across ASEAN supply chains—and highlights how localized application standards (e.g., ‘photography backdrop’) can activate otherwise dormant national standards in import control frameworks. For affected stakeholders, the most pragmatic interpretation is that compliance readiness—not strategic reassessment—is the immediate priority.

Information Source: Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), Circular No. 22/2026/TT-BCT, Annex II revision dated April 29, 2026. Note: Supplementary implementation guidance, equivalence provisions, and customs submission templates remain pending confirmation and are under active observation.