Hanoi, February 25, 2025 – The Europe Today: Vietnam is intensifying its efforts to comply with the European Union’s (EU) stringent food safety regulations, ensuring the continued success of its agricultural exports in one of the world’s largest markets.
On Monday, the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), held an online conference to address the urgent need for compliance with EU food safety standards for agricultural exports.
Việt Nam has witnessed substantial growth in agricultural exports to the EU, particularly in products such as coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, tropical fruits, and seafood. The EU, a market of over 450 million consumers, represents a significant opportunity for Vietnamese agricultural products, which benefit from the country’s favorable climate and diverse produce, including dragon fruit, mangoes, passion fruit, lychees, and longan.
The increasing trend of green consumption and organic food in the EU is further opening doors for Vietnamese exporters. However, stringent EU food safety standards present both opportunities and challenges for businesses.
Stricter Compliance Requirements
The EU enforces rigorous food safety regulations to safeguard consumer health. One of the primary mechanisms for monitoring compliance is the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), which enables swift responses to food supply chain risks.
Exports to the EU must adhere to both Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures—including food safety inspections, food additives, and quarantine regulations—and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), which impose strict pesticide residue limits.
Despite Việt Nam’s advantages in agricultural production, the majority of exports to the EU remain raw products with limited added value, branding, and traceability in accordance with EU standards. Additionally, many businesses remain unfamiliar with evolving EU regulations, particularly regarding ‘novel foods’ and ‘mixed products.’ Compliance with EU Regulation 2015/2283 and Regulation (EC) 2022/2292 remains a challenge for companies lacking clear guidance on the export requirements for these products.
New Sustainability Standards
Beyond food safety, sustainability requirements will further impact Vietnam’s agricultural exports. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), set to take effect in 2025, will restrict imports of products linked to deforestation. This regulation is expected to significantly affect key Vietnamese exports such as coffee, rubber, and wood, underscoring the need for sustainable sourcing practices.
Call for Enhanced Support
General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, Đặng Phúc Nguyên, has urged authorities to provide clearer and more accessible guidance on production, packaging, and export processes.
Ngô Xuân Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office, emphasized the importance of increased information dissemination to farmers, cooperatives, and exporters. Ensuring full compliance with food safety regulations is crucial to avoiding trade disruptions.
Authorities must strengthen inspection processes at production, processing, and packaging stages and implement stricter border controls to minimize the risk of rejected shipments. Additionally, businesses must ensure their certifications align with EU standards to prevent costly setbacks.
Lê Thanh Hòa, Deputy Director of the Department of Quality, Processing, and Market Development under MARD and Director of the Vietnam SPS Office, stressed the need for close supervision of supply chains, raw material sources, production, and transportation to meet EU food safety standards. He also highlighted the necessity of regulating the use of pesticides, antibiotics, and chemicals in agricultural and seafood production.
Furthermore, enhancing control at border checkpoints, improving pre-export product testing, and enforcing traceability and quality management systems such as HACCP, GlobalGAP, ASC, and BRC are essential to strengthening compliance.
Rising EU Warnings and Trade Risks
In the first two months of this year, Vietnam received 16 warnings from the EU, compared to 114 warnings in 2024—a number that doubled from 2023. These warnings were primarily related to environmental pollutants, pathogenic microorganisms, pesticide residues, and unauthorized ‘novel foods.’
If such violations persist without corrective action, the EU may impose even stricter trade barriers, further complicating market access for Vietnamese agricultural exports. Strengthening compliance efforts and ensuring adherence to evolving EU regulations will be critical for sustaining and expanding Vietnam’s presence in the European market.
