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“Freeway” bringing Vietnamese agricultural products to Europe

Mr. Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, EVFTA is “freeway” For Vietnamese agricultural products to enter the vast market of 27 European country.

Speaking at the Workshop "Enterprises manufacturing and trading agricultural products - Action to approach EVFTA" organized by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 30/7, Mr. Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) identify, is the document regulating trade relations between Vietnam and the EU, Vietnam - EU free trade agreement (in the EVF) referring to the exchange of goods, origin, quality specifications, tax table for each item ....

“In which, in the agricultural sector, apart from the contents integrated with general regulations, the chapter is reserved 6 Given the content of food safety and phytosanitary measures, exchange research is definitely needed, assess and find solutions to overcome difficulties, possible obstacles of businesses in the agricultural sector ”, Vice Chairman of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized.

So, Mr. Hoang Quang Phong highly appreciated the idea of ​​organizing seminars for businesses in the agricultural sector, help businesses access information and exchange more on the technical aspects affecting businesses operating in the agricultural sector..

Vice Chairman of VCCI expects that the information will help businesses to be proactive and take advantage of positive aspects and the Agreement will bring., avoid possible risks in the process of business cooperation with businesses in this important economic sector.

In fact, EVFTA comes into effect, Tariff and non-tariff barriers will be gradually eliminated among member countries. However, in fact, Non-tariff barriers are not completely rejected, opposite, tend to be used in more sophisticated forms as tariffs progress 0% as committed by EVFTA, including sanitary and epidemiological measures (SPS) and technical barriers to vegetables and fruits for export (XK) sang 27 EU countries.

Exchange with businesses, Dr. Le Thanh Hoa, Deputy Director of Processing and Agricultural Development Department, Director of SPS Vietnam Office said, SPS are those related to food safety, animal and plant quarantine, barriers will be increasingly complicated with newly signed FTAs, especially with EVFTA.

Whereby, Fruit and vegetable products must meet all general food regulations under the EU Comprehensive Food Law (EU General Food Law), This law also has traceability requirements. Types of plants and plant products, including vegetables originating from unspecified areas, contaminated by harmful organisms will not be allowed to import into the EU.

With that, EU regulations on quality control of food safety and hygiene also exist 7 principles should be followed in order to prevent hazards in the production of finished products.

For fresh vegetables, The EU often requires exporters to have a certificate of global good agricultural practices (GlobalGAP) or other food safety certifications. In addition to quality assurance and food safety, GlobalGAP is also concerned with ensuring environmental and social standards by reducing the amount of chemicals used, be responsible for occupational health and safety. GlobalGAP is developed from EurepGAP. The range of EurepGAP includes: produce fruit, vegetable, potato, salad, Cut flowers and livestock.

General provisions on control, check the product: All products imported into the EU are inspected for compliance with the relevant EU food laws..

In food safety policy, The EU also sets criteria for bacterial contamination of food (Food contains microorganisms, toxin, its metabolites), regulations on the maximum residue of pollutants in specific products or product groups.

Shipments imported into the EU must have a certificate of plant hygiene and safety to show product status, inspection measures and signatures of national plant protection agencies before sending goods.

Same idea, Mr. Pham Dong Quang, Former Deputy Director of Science Department of Ministry of Agriculture also pointed out 5 Challenges for Vietnamese agricultural products when exporting to the European Union market (ME). Specifically, first, are rules of origin of goods. If not guaranteed the rules of origin, Vietnam's exports to the EU are only favored with most favored nation tariffs (MFN) or universal tariff incentives (GSP), not taxable 0% in EVFTA.

Monday, food safety regulations (ATTP), animal and plant quarantine. EU requirements are very strict about food safety, quarantine of plants and animals while domestic production is still small, scatter, missing link, Awareness of compliance of farmers is not high ...

Tuesday, intellectual property rights protection. Wednesday, Fair trade sustainable development. Thursday, procedures of conditions for export to the EU. Vietnam and EU committed to apply a common system of procedures, import conditions for products from any area of ​​the other party.

Therefore, The expert stressed that it is necessary to study and master the EU regulations on food safety and technical standards, ensure traceability as well as organize production with high technology, improve product quality, good preservation stage, Apply safe production process according to GlobalGAP international standards, HACCP…

At the Workshop, Experts agree that, besides grasping the rules, enterprises should proactively engage processing enterprises, preservation, Export to raw material areas.

Focus on building and protecting images, brand reputation of vegetables and fruits as well as popular planning, widely Vietnam vegetable brand to EU-27 market in many forms.

Strengthen building good relationships, sustainably with EU-27 importers to help Vietnamese businesses cope well with vegetable market barriers of this market..

Improve human resources with high quality, staff need to master the quality standards of vegetables and fruits, Capable of strictly controlling the production process, Plant quarantine process, EU food safety ...

“Organic production is still the way forward, Specially to enter EU market. We are actually one step slower, The Thai organic program was issued more recently 10 year, We recently issued a decree on organic agriculture. We need to accelerate this way. ”, Deputy Director of Department of Processing and PTTTNS assessed.

(Source: Business Forum Newspaper)