During the March 21-24 visit, through a series of meetings, the Vietnamese minister pushed for the EU’s lifting of a yellow card, which was imposed on Vietnam on October 23, 2017 due to its failure to meet requirements on IUU fishing prevention.
In his meeting with European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella, Cuong reported current implementation of the EU’s recommendations on anti-IUU fishing in Vietnam, highlighting concerted efforts of the entire nation and challenges facing the attempt.
Cuong expressed his hope for improved cooperation between Vietnam and the EU in fighting IUU fishing, and carrying out the Voluntary Partnership Agreement in line with the EU's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade, as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
The minister also had a working session with European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan, during which he stressed the EU’s significant role to Vietnam’s farming sector in terms of partnership, investment and knowledge-technical transfer.
Highlighting the importance of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he suggested both sides soon ratify the pact to boost trade, particularly of agro-fishery-forestry products.
Cuong asked the EU to take into consideration practical conditions of developing countries like Vietnam during its assessment and inspection of seafood safety control system.
Regarding measures to implement the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, both host and guest agreed to hold more dialogues to discuss the document content and how to implement the SPS regulations in the EVFTA.
Both commissioners acknowledged and lauded Vietnam’s drastic efforts in increasing laws and policies to counter IUU fishing and monitor food safety. They said the efforts will help stimulate the growth of bilateral comprehensive partnership and facilitate the EVFTA signing and ratification.
The EU side announced that it will send a technical team to Vietnam in May to access the country’s actions against IUU fishing.
In another meeting with Alain Cadec, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries, the Vietnamese official introduced measures Vietnam has employed to deter IUU fishing and asked for support of the EU and Cadec to make the process more effective.
While in Brussels, the minister also met Belgium's Federal Minister for Agriculture Denis Ducarme to beef up farming cooperation with the European country.
Both ministers agreed to promote investment collaboration in agriculture, with Cuong suggesting the Belgian side assist Vietnam in meeting standards and regulations of the country and the EU.
Denis Ducarme said Belgium prioritises joint works with Vietnam, expressing his belief that bilateral farming engagements will expand in the future.
Source: VNA
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a relatively sluggish first quarter, Vietnam's exports of fish cakes and surimi showed a clearer recovery in the second quarter, particularly in June. Export value in the first six months of 2026 reached USD 148 million, down 2% year on year. However, the newly imposed 12.5% additional U.S. tariff on Vietnamese goods, intensifying competition in Northeast Asia, and increasingly stringent traceability requirements in the EU are making the outlook for the second half of the year more uncertain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In June 2026, Vietnam's shrimp exports reached nearly USD 458 million, up 24% year-on-year. In the first six months of 2026, export value totaled USD 2.35 billion, an increase of 14.2% compared with the same period last year. Growth was driven mainly by the Chinese market and the strong performance of lobster exports, while shrimp exports continued to face pressure from U.S. tariffs and rising logistics costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program is designed as a specialized B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers, providing opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood exporters, gain the latest market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A project titled "Sustainable Shrimp Industry Governance" has been launched in Ca Mau Province with the aim of supporting the transition of the province's shrimp industry toward higher quality, lower emissions, stronger governance capacity, improved supply chain traceability, and the development of a sustainable shrimp brand that meets the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Khanh Hoa Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Center for Marine Aquaculture Research and the Van Hung Public Service Center, recently organized a training course on disease-free golden pompano seed production. The program is part of a National Agricultural Extension Project aimed at developing industrial-scale seed production models to support sustainable marine aquaculture.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The application of high technology in shrimp farming is delivering positive results in the coastal areas of Vinh Long Province, contributing to improved production efficiency and creating significant potential for further industry expansion. However, to fully capitalize on this potential, the province is focusing on aquaculture zoning, infrastructure investment, and promoting modern, sustainable production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Đồng Tháp Province has intensified efforts to curb illegal fishing by strengthening vessel monitoring, law enforcement and seafood traceability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood businesses need solutions to overcome bottlenecks such as labor shortages, difficulty accessing capital, high input costs, and administrative procedures in order to maintain production, adapt to market fluctuations, and effectively exploit export opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The FTA would widen access to markets with strong demand for premium food products in line with the country’s strategy of shifting exports towards increasing added value.
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