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) 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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