The call was made at a conference that the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency held yesterday to seek ways for Vietnamese companies to optimise business advantages and expand further into the EU market.
Negotiations for the EU-Viet Nam FTA began in 2012 and are entering the final round. The agreement, which creates opportunities for Viet Nam to boost exports to a market of about 500 million consumers, is to be signed by year-end.
A representative of the European Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam (Eurocham) said negotiated reductions in tariff barriers alone will increase Vietnamese exports to the EU by 30 to 40 per cent.
The Eurocham official said the EU followed strict sanitary, phyto-sanitary, environmental and technical standards, and that consistency in the quality and safety of Vietnamese products would lead to an increase in exports.
Martin Buckle, an expert of the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries under the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at the conference that EU importers were keen to develop business relationships with companies that took the time and effort to invest in quality.
He pointed out that increasingly stringent standards were applied to all food products being exported into the EU, including the hazard control system (HACCP), the new food safety management system (ISO 22000) and the European Union's new pesticide residue levels.
According to the Department of Processing and Trade for Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Products and Salt Production, the EU is a large potential market for Vietnamese agricultural products.
To tap the potential, especially after the FTA is signed, Vietnamese companies must carefully study the EU's strict quality requirements for imports, as well as the tastes of each sub-market in the EU, to set up appropriate export strategies.
Vietnamese companies should also pay attention to social and environmental responsibilities, the department added.
Official figures showed that the total value of goods traded between Viet Nam and the EU reached 27.6 billion euro (US$35.48 billion) in 2013, of which 77 per cent were Vietnamese exports.
Viet Nam's exports to the EU accounted for 19 per cent of the country's total export turnover, making the EU the country's second biggest trade partner.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
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