In October 2018, the European Council (EC) officially approved EVFTA. The agreement was signed in Hanoi on 30 June 2019.
After being effective, EVFTA will be considered as an opportunity for Vietnamese seafood enterprises to increase export value to this market. According to commitments in EVFTA, Vietnamese seafood exported to the EU will be completely eliminated tariff (except canned tuna and fish balls applying tariff quota of 11,500 tons) with the longest schedule of 7 years. Particularly, shrimp products will be more optimistic as import tax on this market will drop sharply from the first year, then gradually decrease to 0% in the following years.
The EU mainly imports frozen raw shrimp and processed shrimp from Vietnam. For frozen shrimp and prawn products, tax is reduced from the base rate of 20% to 0% as soon as the agreement comes into effect. Other shrimp products will reduce following a 3-5 year schedule, particularly processed shrimp will follow a 7-year tax reduction schedule.
Currently, the GSP tax rate that EU sets to Vietnam for frozen raw shrimp (HS 030617) of 4.2%; Frozen processed shrimp (HS 160521) enjoyed 7%. Vietnam has an advantage over the two rival countries, Thailand and China as these two countries do not enjoy GSP from the EU.
In addition to tax incentives, EVFTA also gives Vietnamese enterprises an opportunity to increase their competitiveness compared to competitors without FTA with the EU (such as India and Thailand). Enterprises can save production costs to increase competition as it is easier to access production services when Vietnam is committed to opening logistics, insurance, finance services ...
Enterprises also have conditions to participate in regional supply chains thanks to the investment movement of multinational corporations, ensuring a stable and transparent institutional and business environment (thanks to improving regulations and policies according to FTA terms).
However, there will be new challenges for Vietnam's fisheries sector when participating in EVFTA such as: conditions on technical barriers, quality standards, rules of origin, and more new and complex regulations, while Vietnam's products are less competitive in price compared to FTA partner countries...
Enterprises need to strengthen cooperation, focus on linkage chain to improve productivity, technological innovation, participate in global supply chains.
In the first 5 months of 2019, Vietnam shrimp exports to the EU reached 243.4 million, down 26.3% compared to the same period of 2018. The UK, Germany and the Netherlands are the 3 main importors for Vietnamese shrimp in the EU market. Shrimp exports to the UK in May have shown positive signs: an increase of 11.6% to over US$18 million.
With preferential tariffs and a favourable business environment, Vietnamese exporters will have an advantage over many other shrimp exporter such as India and Thailand. It is forecasted that EVFTA will contribute to increase the export of Vietnamese shrimp to the EU in 2019.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
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