EU: Open market for quality food

Quality and origin of food are of primary concern to European consumers - Photo: VGP

Export growth to EU market

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in the first quarter of 2025, agricultural and fishery exports to the EU accounted for 16.6% of the total market share, reaching a value of 2.61 billion USD, an increase of 37.8% over the same period in 2024. After 2 years of implementing the EVFTA, Vietnam's export turnover to the EU reached about 83 billion USD, with a growth rate of approximately 15%. In 2021 alone, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and the EU reached more than 57 billion USD, an increase of 14.5% over 2020, of which Vietnam exported more than 40 billion USD, with a trade surplus of 23.2 billion USD. The agricultural and fishery sector recorded an export turnover of 3.2 billion USD in 2021, an increase of 11.1% over the same period.

Key exports to the EU include seafood, coffee, cashews, wood and vegetables. Seafood reached $2.29 billion in the first quarter of 2025, up 18.1%, with shrimp and pangasius popular in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Coffee reached $2.88 billion, up 49.5%, mainly exported to Germany and Italy. Cashews reached $841.1 million, up 4.3%, with the Netherlands being the largest market. Wood and wood products reached $3.95 billion, up 11.6%, while vegetables and fruits reached $1.14 billion, down 11.3%.

The EVFTA, which took effect in August 2020, has opened up many opportunities for Vietnam to increase its exports to the region. However, the EU is also a "difficult" market with strict food safety and animal and plant quarantine (SPS) standards. To maximize its potential, Vietnam needs to meet strict requirements and develop an appropriate production strategy.

EVFTA has created a great advantage for Vietnam's agricultural and forestry sector by eliminating 99% of import tariffs in 7 years, with 70% of tariffs eliminated from the beginning. Import tariffs on shrimp have been reduced from 20% to 0%, coffee from 7.5% to 0% and cashew nuts from 12% to 0%, helping Vietnamese goods compete better with rivals such as Thailand or Brazil. Consumption demand in the EU is also a major driving force, with consumers favoring organic, sustainable products with clear origins. The trend of green consumption, circular economy and environmental protection in the EU opens up opportunities for FSC-certified wood products and ASC-certified seafood.

Exporting food to the EU requires careful study of EU regulations, especially on food safety, labeling and synthetic products - Photo: VGP

The EU is a market with high and strict food safety standards, with a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) to respond quickly when health risks are detected. Dr. Le Thanh Hoa, Director of the Vietnam National Enquiry Point and Notification Office for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Quarantine of Animals and Plants (Vietnam SPS Office), said that the EU pays special attention to the risk of microbial and chemical contamination in fruits and vegetables, and risks of food safety in aquatic products such as residues of banned antibiotics, parasiticides, toxins, heavy metals, additives and microbial contamination.

Enterprises exporting to the EU must achieve certifications such as ISO 22000, HACCP, food quality and safety standards (TCCS), and have regulations on traceability from raw materials to distribution and product recall.

Dr. Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office, emphasized that "novel food" products such as dried basil seeds and apple snail meat must undergo food safety assessment and be licensed under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. Vietnam has received a warning from RASFF about dried basil seeds and apple snail meat due to lack of licensing, leading to the risk of recall or import ban.

A typical example is breaded shrimp products containing eggs. Eggs are allergens and must be declared on the label according to Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. Failure to declare correctly can result in product recalls, causing economic damage and affecting the reputation of the industry. Furthermore, the EU only allows the use of eggs from approved countries such as the United States, Japan, and Brazil, forcing Vietnamese businesses to import eggs from these countries to meet the requirements.

To take advantage of the opportunities from EVFTA, Dr. Le Thanh Hoa recommends that businesses need to train and improve the capacity of managers, technicians and producers, and build growing areas and production processes that meet food safety requirements. Programs to monitor microbial hazards and pesticide residues need to be comprehensively implemented, not only in production but also in relation to labor and the environment. Mr. Hoa emphasized: "Complying with EU regulations will help Vietnamese goods to be exported to any market in the world."

Dr. Ngo Xuan Nam recommends that businesses carefully study EU regulations, especially on food safety, labeling and synthetic products. Businesses need to strictly control quality, avoid cross-contamination and ensure full declaration of allergens. The Vietnam SPS Office also recommends building information exchange channels between management agencies and businesses to ensure quarantine handling is in accordance with regulations.

With support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the efforts of businesses in improving quality, building brands and meeting green consumption trends, Vietnam can strengthen its position in the EU, aiming for agro-forestry and fisheries exports of 65-70 billion USD in 2025.

Do Huong

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/eu-thi-truong-rong-mo-voi-thuc-pham-chat-luong-10225041015545476.htm