According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), in the month since the coming into effect of the agreement from August 1 – 31, the authorised agencies issued over 7,200 sets of C/Os to eligible Vietnamese products allowing them ship to the EU.
The items granted C/Os of the EUR.1 form are mainly in relation to footwear, seafood, plastic products, coffee, textiles, bags, suitcases, vegetables, and rattan and bamboo products, amongst others.
Most import markets are countries with seaports and transshipment centres in the EU including Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, France, and the UK. In particular, many shipments have arrived in the EU market, been cleared and are enjoying preferential treatment.
According to the MOIT, some exporters were concerned that the background colour of the C/O is not green which may affect the enjoyment of preferential tariffs for exported goods into some EU markets, and the ministry immediately talked to the EU representatives regarding this matter.
The EU side had accepted the C/O with the current background colour as a sample that Vietnam developed with the EU.
This has also been notified by the EU to the customs authorities of member countries to ensure that the C/O in its current form as issued by Vietnamese authorised agencies will not be denied preferential tariff treatment.
