Revealing the 'key' to accelerating agricultural exports to the EU

Transparency of information and quality is one of the top requirements when exporting agricultural and food products to the EU market. For detailed regulations and requirements for each product, exporters should consult the competent authorities.

Information transparency and quality are top requirements

Sharing at the Conference on disseminating regulations and commitments on food safety and animal and plant quarantine in the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVAFTA) organized by the Vietnam SPS Office (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Phu Yen province on June 14 in Phu Yen, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office Ngo Xuan Nam said that up to now, Vietnam has participated in 19 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.

Of these, 16 have been officially signed and 3 are under negotiation. Many of these agreements are considered new-generation free trade agreements with many mandatory commitments. Many regulations on food safety and animal and plant disease safety (SPS) must be followed by Vietnam to meet the requirements of importing countries.

Mr. Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of Vietnam SPS Office (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), spoke at the conference.

Every month, the Vietnam SPS Office receives about 100 notifications and drafts on changes to SPS measures, including drafts on changes to pesticide and veterinary drug residue levels, quarantine objects, regulations on materials in contact with products, etc.

Emphasizing the importance of updating and disseminating SPS regulations to management agencies, enterprises, cooperatives and farmers, the leader of the Vietnam SPS Office stated the reason: "SPS regulations are mandatory regulations. If we violate them, we will be warned by import partners. This will affect and cause damage to businesses, especially affecting the entire industry and brands of Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market."

According to Mr. Luong Ngoc Quang, specialist of the Department of International Cooperation and Communications (Plant Protection Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), transparency in information and quality is one of the top requirements when exporting agricultural products and food to the EU market.

For the EU market, all shipments must meet the requirements that the products must not be on the list of plants and plant products banned or suspended from import into EU countries; not be contaminated with EU plant quarantine objects and almost not be contaminated with other pests; wooden packaging materials must meet international standards for wooden packaging materials (ISPM-15)...

"The EU is particularly concerned about fruit flies on fruit and vegetable products, so it is necessary to negotiate a treatment plan. In addition, when exporting fresh fruit products, cashew nuts, coffee... to the EU, the EU requires that the goods must meet the same standards and be equivalent to the standards currently applied in the EU," said Mr. Quang.

Recognizing that the EU is one of the key export markets for Vietnamese agricultural products, with many strict and scientific technical requirements, Mr. Nam emphasized: "Complying well with the requirements of the EU market will be an opportunity to bring Vietnamese agricultural products to many potential markets in the world".

In terms of recommendations for businesses, according to Mr. Nam, for products of plant origin, it is necessary to further strengthen compliance with EU regulations, especially the control of pesticide residues when many EU maximum residue levels (MRLs) are very low.

Businesses must closely follow and clearly understand market requirements.

Recently, the European Commission (EC) announced to remove Vietnamese instant noodle products from the list of inspections at border gates when imported into the EU.

Complying well with the requirements of the EU market will be an opportunity to bring Vietnamese agricultural products to many potential markets in the world. MINH DANG

Sharing a business perspective, Mr. Pham Trung Thanh, Head of External Relations Department of Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company, said that the EU's removal of control over Vietnam's instant noodle products is very good news for Vietnamese instant noodle manufacturing and exporting enterprises as well as other exporting enterprises to the EU market.

This affirms the confidence of EU importers in Vietnamese agricultural and food products.

According to Mr. Ngo Xuan Nam, the lesson here is the effective and synchronous coordination between state management agencies and enterprises in meeting the regulations and standards of the EU market.

From Acecook's experience, Mr. Thanh shared: "To meet EU import standards, businesses must closely follow market requirements. When participating in EVFTA, tariff barriers are almost gone but must face technical barriers.

Therefore, businesses must understand correctly and clearly. Notably, to meet the requirements, businesses need the support and coordination of state management agencies. With the EU market, just a small mistake by a business can cause the industry to face many difficulties."

Mr. Nam added that currently, the EU divides imported agricultural and food products into two categories, low-risk and high-risk. Of which, low-risk products, through your assessment, will not require systematic control at the border gate. On the contrary, high-risk products will require many control measures.

"For detailed regulations for each product, exporters should officially consult competent authorities or the Vietnam SPS Office for guidance," Mr. Nam emphasized.

Dan Thanh

Source : https://thanhnien.vn/he-lo-chia-khoa-but-toc-xuat-khau-nong-san-vao-eu-185240614121819415.htm