Businesses advised to avoid basic mistakes when exporting farm produce to EU

Vietnamese enterprises should avoid basic mistakes when exporting food and agricultural products to the European Union (EU), heard a consultancy session for exports to Belgium and the EU which was held by the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade on November 22.

Processing oysters for export to the EU. (Photo: VNA)
Processing oysters for export to the EU. (Photo: VNA)

Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Belgium and the EU Tran Ngoc Quan said that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is a huge advantage for Vietnamese businesses. Therefore, he advised them to do business methodically, establish sustainable relations, and not engage in commercial frauds or transshipment of goods for other countries to seek unfair profit.

Currently, the EU is a big importer of agricultural products in the world. However, this market has high requirements in terms of quality, food hygiene and safety, and those related to the environment and labour.

Vietnamese exporters were recommended to pay more attention to the union’s new regulations on farm produce and food, including those related to maximum residue limits (MRL) and marketing.

It was necessary to learn about the European Green Deal - a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission (EC) with the overarching aim of making the European Union climate neutral in 2050 – so as to improve Vietnamese businesses’ export capacity, experts said.