Vietnam’s seafood sector needs to work to meet strict food safetyrequirements in the EU to penetrate the potential market moresubstantially, asserted experts.
Although thevolume of Vietnamese seafood exported to the EU market has been rising,food safety violations have also increased, they noted at a conferenceon harmonising food safety and quarantine regulations of Vietnam and theEU in Ho Chi Minh City on June 4.
According toClaudio Dordi, technical assistance Team Leader at the European TradePolicy and Investment Support Project (EU-MUTRAP) in Vietnam, Vietnameseseafood is likely to become more competitive in the EU market as a freetrade agreement between Vietnam and the union is expected to be signedsoon, allowing Vietnamese exporters to enjoy remarkable tax reductions.
However, the technical standards in the market willremain unchanged, he said, suggesting that Vietnamese businesses shouldstay active in familiarising themselves with the regulations.
Vietnamese seafood has been listed among the top products in the EU,however, the number of warned and returned seafood batches have risen.In 2012, 64 seafood products were returned, a sharp rise from 2002’sfigure of 26. From 2010 to May this year, 183 seafood batches receivedwarning, with 41 batches in last year alone.
According to Le Thanh Hoa, Vice Director of the Vietnam Sanitary andPhytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam),most batches subject to warning failed to meet physical, chemical orbiological standards.
EU countries apply a commonGlobalGAP (good agriculture practice) standard on imported products,while Vietnamese seafood still produces at the lower VietGAP standard,he noted.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Tu Cuong, Head of theSeafood Development Committee at the Vietnam Fisheries Association, saidthere are a series of strict requirements from EU countries, includingthose on materials, chemical compositions and labels.
He advised businesses to change their production and business habitsto improve market credit while enhancing added value to their products.
Dordi also suggested Vietnamese seafood exporterspay more attention to labelling with a view to raising added value andpromoting Vietnam’s seafood trademark.
According tothe Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam’s standardsare lower than those of the EU; building a new standard system closer tothat of the EU would enhance trade collaboration with the EU.
After the conference, EU-MUTRAP experts are scheduled to draft areport detailing EU SPS policies and analysing shortages in Vietnam’sregulations to make recommendations on necessary adjustments in thefuture.-VNA
Although thevolume of Vietnamese seafood exported to the EU market has been rising,food safety violations have also increased, they noted at a conferenceon harmonising food safety and quarantine regulations of Vietnam and theEU in Ho Chi Minh City on June 4.
According toClaudio Dordi, technical assistance Team Leader at the European TradePolicy and Investment Support Project (EU-MUTRAP) in Vietnam, Vietnameseseafood is likely to become more competitive in the EU market as a freetrade agreement between Vietnam and the union is expected to be signedsoon, allowing Vietnamese exporters to enjoy remarkable tax reductions.
However, the technical standards in the market willremain unchanged, he said, suggesting that Vietnamese businesses shouldstay active in familiarising themselves with the regulations.
Vietnamese seafood has been listed among the top products in the EU,however, the number of warned and returned seafood batches have risen.In 2012, 64 seafood products were returned, a sharp rise from 2002’sfigure of 26. From 2010 to May this year, 183 seafood batches receivedwarning, with 41 batches in last year alone.
According to Le Thanh Hoa, Vice Director of the Vietnam Sanitary andPhytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam),most batches subject to warning failed to meet physical, chemical orbiological standards.
EU countries apply a commonGlobalGAP (good agriculture practice) standard on imported products,while Vietnamese seafood still produces at the lower VietGAP standard,he noted.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Tu Cuong, Head of theSeafood Development Committee at the Vietnam Fisheries Association, saidthere are a series of strict requirements from EU countries, includingthose on materials, chemical compositions and labels.
He advised businesses to change their production and business habitsto improve market credit while enhancing added value to their products.
Dordi also suggested Vietnamese seafood exporterspay more attention to labelling with a view to raising added value andpromoting Vietnam’s seafood trademark.
According tothe Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam’s standardsare lower than those of the EU; building a new standard system closer tothat of the EU would enhance trade collaboration with the EU.
After the conference, EU-MUTRAP experts are scheduled to draft areport detailing EU SPS policies and analysing shortages in Vietnam’sregulations to make recommendations on necessary adjustments in thefuture.-VNA
