In particular, free trade agreements with Russia and Europe will help Vietnam exports with reduced tax.
Currently, Vietnam is negotiating with the EU in the framework of FTA known as EVFTA. Reportedly, the most recent, the 11th negotiation round took place in Brussels, Belgium in from 19th to 23rd January 2015. Significant progress has been made in this session. Tax on pangasius as well as other seafood was agreed to be strongly cut. The European countries are demanding markets with tariff barriers and strict regulations of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) on imported seafood. Enterprises, therefore, expect much from this FTA to boast pangasius exports to these markets.
It is expected that the negotiation will finish this year. Currently, average tariff on frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304) is 6.88%, and tariff on frozen pangasius fillets is 5.5%. In 2014, Vietnam pangasius exports to the EU valued at US$ 344.29 million, down nearly 11% compared to 2013. The EU now accounts for 19.5% of total Vietnam pangasius export turnover. Despite declines in recent years, Vietnam, holding over 95% of the market share, maintained its position as the leading pangasius and catfish provider and in top 12 frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304) to the EU in 2014.
With EVFTA, tariff and non-tariff barriers will be lifted, giving processors from Vietnam more opportunities to expand markets, import materials from the third for processing and re-exporting to the EU.
Beside exempting most taxes (90% of all taxes) in 7 years, EVFTA will support Vietnamese businesses with investments and technical transfer to sustainably access the EU market and attract foreign more investments into Vietnam. According to experts, as tax rates stay lower than 3% or 4%, Vietnam will get more benefits against other competitors. Currently, frozen fish fillets from Vietnam exported to the EU are levied at 5.5%, which will decrease after EVFTA takes effect.
Negotiation for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Customs Union, including 3 countries namely Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, is also expected to end negotiation rounds this year. At least 80% of goods from Vietnam exported to Russia, including fisheries products will be tax-exempted. Currently Russia is imposing tax of 5.63% on frozen pangasius fillets from Vietnam. In 2014, Vietnam pangasius exports to Russia valued US$ 33.24 million, down from 2013. Russia accounts for 1.88% of the of total pangasius export turnover of Vietnam. Meanwhile, exports to Belarus and Kazakhstan both increased from 2013, valued at US$ 2.09 million and US$ 3.14 million, respectively. The proportion of exports to these markets was not high. The former accounted for 0.12% and the latter made up 0.18%.
In brief, Vietnam seafood exports will benefit from the FTAs, at least for the European market and Customs Union as taxes are lower while China, Thailand, Norway are still subject to high tariffs.
(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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