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) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
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