Vietnamese exporters prepare for EU technical barriers
(VOVWORLD) - With the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Vietnamese businesses’ major concerns center around the technical barriers in place for exports to EU countries, particularly agricultural products.
 Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh |
At a conference on EVFTA’s major commitments in agriculture in HCMC on Wednesday, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said Vietnam ranks 27th in the world in export revenue and 15th in agricultural exports. Vietnamese products are available in 180 countries and territories around the world.
When the EVFTA comes into effect, 99% of import tariff lines will be removed in 7 to 10 years, the highest rate among FTAs that Vietnam has signed to date. The EU allocates an annual quota of 80 thousand tons of rice for Vietnam with a zero percent tax.
Do Ha Nam, Chairman and General Director of Intimex Group, told the conference that businesses are concerned about technical barriers to export to the EU: “Plant quarantine agencies have to introduce lists of specific chemicals used in agriculture. We need measures in place to prevent the illegal import of unsafe chemicals such as herbicide. The EU will ban a number of these chemicals and we must take that into consideration, lest our products be rejected.”