Enterprises need to meet EU market regulations

The high requirements of the EU are both a challenge and an opportunity for Vietnamese agricultural, forestry and fishery products to increasingly meet international standards.

Speaking at “Promoting the export of Vietnamese agricultural, forestry and fishery products to the EU market”, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang emphasized that good political-diplomatic relations and the Vietnam – EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) are important foundations for Vietnam to exploit the potential of the EU market, especially in the context of current tense trade competition.

The EU is the world’s third largest consumer market for agricultural, forestry and fishery products, but the market share of Vietnamese agricultural, forestry and fishery products in the EU is still modest, accounting for only about 3% of the total market share of the bloc, although Vietnam is among the world’s leading exporters of coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, rice, seafood and tropical fruits.

Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang suggested that delegates discuss frankly about solutions to increase the export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products to the EU in a stable and sustainable manner in the context of the EU increasingly strengthening strict regulations on green standards, environment, combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU)…

Representatives of localities, associations and enterprises agreed with Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang’s opinion on the need to change the mindset from raw exports to high-value exports, from large quantities to sustainable quality, in line with the high standards of the EU market, strengthening the building of national brands and green, clean products, meeting the tastes of European consumers, especially increasing the cultural content and Vietnamese stories in each product.

The delegates’ statements showed that although the EU is a very potential market, our businesses do not have enough capacity to meet the EU’s technical, environmental and sustainable production standards, and the brand recognition of Vietnamese products in the EU market is not high.

Vietnamese representative agencies assessed that the European market has high and stable purchasing power, prefers organic products, which is suitable for Vietnam’s strengths, but we are facing the risk of competition from other countries with the same product lines and need to innovate methods of promotion and trade promotion.

Ambassador, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to Belgium-EU Nguyen Van Thao said that the EU’s high requirements are both a challenge and an opportunity for Vietnamese agricultural, forestry and fishery products to increasingly meet international standards.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that, with the policy of “taking people and businesses as the center of service”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to accompany localities, associations, and businesses to access the EU market more effectively and will continue to discuss with EU authorities to remove obstacles and make the most of the opportunities that the EVFTA brings.

Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang suggested that Vietnamese representative agencies should proactively support businesses in accessing timely and complete information on regulations and needs of the EU market; further strengthen product promotion activities in diverse, creative forms and with connections between localities in Europe, maximize resources and distribution channels of Vietnamese people abroad; promote technical cooperation and green transformation, support the Vietnamese agriculture, forestry and fishery sector to meet green and sustainable standards.

Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang hopes that localities and enterprises will proactively coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to actively promote the building of the Vietnamese national brand, associating each product with stories about the country and people of Vietnam in the journey to bring Vietnamese agricultural products to the world.

Source: Haiquanonline