In November 2015, Vietnam and EU officially concluded negotiations on EVFTA Agreement. The FTA was signed on June 30 in Hanoi paving the way for its conclusion and increased trade with the EU and Vietnam.
According to the commitment, after the Agreement comes into effect, Vietnamese goods including shrimp products shall enjoy special preferential tax.
The EU mainly imports frozen raw shrimp and processed shrimp from Vietnam. According to the commitment, as soon as EVFTA comes into effect, import tax on raw shrimp HS code 03061100 (frozen green lobster; frozen HOSO, DP black tiger shrimp; fresh frozen PD shrimp; ice-chilled blue lobster; slipper lobster (whole, frozen, sawn ...) into the EU shall be 0% from the current level of 12.5%, tax on shrimp product HS code 03061710 (frozen PD tiger shrimp, frozen HOSO whole shrimp, tiger shrimp shell on), frozen /fresh tiger shrimp, frozen tiger prawn, frozen fresh HLSO tiger shrimp, IQF giant tiger shrimp, frozen meat shrimp ...) to 0% from the current 20%. Shrimp HS code 03061791, 03061792, 03061793, 03061799 shall reduce tax to 0% from the current 12%. Shrimp HS code 03061794 shall be reduced to 0% from the current 18% after 5 years from the entry into force of the Agreement.
For processed shrimp products, shrimp HS code 16052110 (paste shrimp) from the current 20% shall be adjusted to 0% after 7 years from the entry into force of the Agreement; Shrimp HS code 16052190 (other shrimp) from 20% to 0% after 7 years since the Agreement took effect.
Currently, the GSP tax rate that EU imposes to Vietnam for frozen raw shrimp (HS 030617) is 4.2%; Frozen processed shrimp (HS 160521) is 7%. However, Vietnamese products must meet EU origin standards to enjoy this tax. Vietnam has an advantage over the two rival countries, Thailand and China, because these two countries do not enjoy GSP tax of EU.
The EU accounts for about 30.6% of the total value of shrimp imports worldwide. EU shrimp imports range from US$6- US$8 billion per year.
According to data of the World Trade Center (ITC), in 2018, imports of shrimp into the EU reached more than US$7 billion; rose by 0.5% compared to 2017. Spain and France were the 2 largest shirmp importers of EU. Value of Spain's shrimp imports reached US$1.2 billion, down 2%; France reached 937.6 million, down 1% compared to 2017.
According to the statistics of Vietnam Customs, in the first 4 months of 2019, Vietnam shrimp exports to EU reached nearly US$184 million, down 25.7% year on year.
EU is still the largest shrimp importer of Vietnam, accounting for 21.7% of total shrimp export value of Vietnam to markets.
Shrimp exports to the EU in the first months of 2019 were partly reduced due to the increase in the world supply of shrimps, the decrease in shrimp export prices and the ongoing political and economic disturbances in the EU.
The UK, Germany and the Netherlands are the 3 largest single markets for importing Vietnamese shrimp in the EU. Export value to these 3 markets decreased by 2 digits in the first 4 months of this year.
In the EU market, Vietnam must compete primarily with India and Ecuador. While India tends to reduce shrimp exports to the EU due to quality problems. Ecuador tends to increase shrimp exports to this market after the FTA between Ecuador and EU takes effect.
With EVFTA, Vietnamese enterprises also face challenges of rules of origin and risks of trade defense measures. The shrimp export value of Vietnam to EU fell in the first 4 months of this year. However, with EVFTA that expected to take effect this year and the advantages of tariff that competitors such as India and Thailand are not available, the EU is still considered as a key market of Vietnamese shrimp exports in 2019.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
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