In November 2015, Vietnam and the EU formally concluded the negotiation of the EVFTA Agreement. The text has now been published and the legal review of the Agreement is ongoing. The agreement is expected to take effect in early 2018.
As committed, after the agreement comes into force, Vietnamese goods, including shrimp products, will enjoy special preferential tariffs.
The EU mainly imports frozen raw shrimp and processed shrimp from Vietnam. According to the commitments, as soon as EVFTA comes into effect, the tax of raw shrimp HS code 03061100 (chilled green lobster, HOSO black tiger shrimp, frozen DP shrimp, fresh/frozen PD shrimp, frozen whole shrimp, etc.) exporting to the EU will be subject to the tax of 0% from the current level of 12.5%, the tax of shrimp HS code 03061710 (frozen PD black tiger shrimp, frozen HOSO whole black tiger shrimp, frozen shrimp headed and shell-on, frozen/fresh black tiger shrimp, frozen black tiger shrimp meat, frozen/fresh HLSO black tiger shrimp, frozen/fresh IQF black tiger shrimp, frozen whiteleg shrimp meat, etc.) will enjoy the tax of 0% from the current level of 20%.
Exports of processed shrimp and shrimp products HS code 16052110 (pasteurized shrimp) will be subject to the tax of 0% from the current level of 20% after 7 years from the date of the agreement coming into force; shrimps HS code 16052190 (other shrimps) will also enjoy the tax of 0% from the level of 20% after 7 years from the date of the agreement coming into force.
The EU accounts for about 30.6% of total shrimp import value of the world. EU shrimp imports range from US$6-8 billion per year. In the last 10 years (2007-2016), shrimp imports into the EU increased from US$5.6 billion to US$6.7 billion in 2016.
According to International Trade Center (ITC) data, in the first 10 months of 2017, shrimp imports into the bloc reached over US$5 billion; down 7.6% over the same period in 2016. The UK and France were the two largest buyers of shrimp in the EU. The UK shrimp imports totaled US$700.2 million, down 0.6%; those into France hit US$776.3 million, up 2.6% over the same period in 2016.
According to the data of Vietnam Customs, in November 2017, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU market showed the highest growth among the major importing markets of Vietnam shrimp with a 71% increase to eye US$86.4 million.
The Netherlands, the UK and Germany were the three largest single importers of Vietnam shrimp in the EU. Exports to these three markets grew strongly, in which sales to the Netherlands and the UK rising by 93% and 87% respectively; exports to Germany recorded the 3-digit growth of 114%.
In the first 11 months of 2017, the EU was the largest importer of Vietnam shrimp, accounting for 22.2% of the total value of Vietnam shrimp exports to markets. In this period, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to EU reached US$780.2 million; increasing by 42.4% over the same period of 2016.
EU is a notable importing market of Vietnam shrimp in the first 11 months of 2017 with the high growth and high demand. The value of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU currently reported the positive growth as EU consumers prefer value-added seafood products and increased imports to meet the demand of year-end festivals.
On the EU market, Vietnam has to compete mainly with India and Ecuador. While India tends to reduce shrimp exports to the EU as it is subject to a 50% border check, Ecuador and Vietnam are increasingly boosting exports to this market.
(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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