Over 100 notifications on changes to SPS measures every month

Successfully meeting regulations and building a national brand

A conference on the "Dissemination of regulations and commitments on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) in the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)" was organized on the morning of November 23.

Mr. Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office, reported that the Office receives around 100 notifications and drafts on changes to SPS measures on a monthly basis. These notifications include drafts on changes to residue levels of plant protection substances, veterinary drugs, inspection targets, and regulations on contact between materials and products.

Consequently, updating and disseminating information on market regulations regarding sanitary and phytosanitary measures under Free Trade Agreements such as CPTPP, UKVFTA, EVFTA, RCEP is crucial.

This activity has been implemented widely across the northern, central, central highlands, southeastern, and Mekong Delta provinces.

To date, Vietnam has participated in 19 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, including 16 formally signed agreements and 3 agreements under negotiation.

As a result, there are many new-generation free trade agreements with mandatory commitments and regulations on sanitary and phytosanitary that Vietnam must adhere to in order to meet the requirements of importing countries.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, effective since January 1, 2022, encompasses various ASEAN countries, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Accordinglty, participants of the Agreement, including Vietnam, must adhere to numerous commitments, including those related to SPS.

"The updating and dissemination of SPS regulations to management agencies, businesses, cooperatives, and farmers are crucial. SPS regulations are mandatory, and violations can have adverse impacts and damages to businesses, subsequently affecting entire sectors and the credibility of Vietnamese agricultural products on the global market," emphasized Mr. Nam.

Regarding agricultural developments in Hanoi, Mr. Nguyen Manh Phuong, Deputy Director of the Hanoi city's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that the city's agricultural sector has established multiple reputable brands, including Dong Phu organic rice, Tam Hung high-quality rice, Dong Anh glutinous rice with yellow flowers, Van Duc - Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Chuong My, Me Linh vegetables, Me Linh roses, Phuc Tho lilies, Dien Chuong My pomelos, Dai Thanh - Quoc Oai late-ripening lychees among many others.

Several products from Hanoi have been exported to demanding markets, such as Van Duc vegetables to Japan and late-ripening lychees to the United States. The city has evaluated over 2,000 OCOP (products, including 4 five-star products, 14 potential five-star products, over 1,000 four-star products, and 780 three-star products.

In addition to these advantages, the Director of the city's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also highlighted the difficulties facing Hanoi's agricultural sector during the global integration process.

Agricultural, forestry, and fishery products are the primary targets of trade barriers set by importing countries to protect domestic production. Accordingly, there are increasingly stringent requirements imposed on quality and food safety, as well as the traceability of product origin and environmental protection.

Based on the potential market for agricultural products, Mr. Nguyen Manh Phuong proposed strengthening the development of high-quality, transparent, and responsible product brands. He also emphasized the need to address technical barriers, fully implement regulations on production unit codes, packaging facility codes, origin traceability, and establish regional and national brands.

Numerous new regulations requiring updates

Participants of the conference were updated on food safety regulations in key markets around the world. Mr. Lo Xuan Quyet, Head of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Office in Hangzhou, China, shared insights into the trends of this densely populated market.

According to Mr. Quyet, Vietnam is one of the top ten countries and territories with the highest number of agricultural and food products subject to warnings. Accordingly, high-alert product categories include seafood, fruit and vegetables (excluding coffee), dairy products, and various types of cakes.

Regarding future trends in the Chinese market, Mr. Quyet highlighted that Chinese consumers, especially those residing in urban areas, are exhibiting a growing interest towards products that prioritize health, high-quality standards, and possess transparent origins.

Furthermore, the Chinese market is trending towards standardizing regulations and management, monitoring systems for quality, food safety, and origin traceability in accordance with international standards.

In response to the updates, Mr. Quyet recommended Vietnamese China-bound exporting businesses to organize production in accordance with both domestic and importing country standards. He emphasized the need to enhance quality management and the monitoring of food safety to fully utilize the vast potentials of this market.

Regarding the RCEP agreement, Mr. Dao Van Cuong, Representative of the Vietnam SPS Office, stated that this major trade agreement represents one of the largest free trade blocs worldwide. Multiple studies have indicated that Vietnam stands to benefit significantly from the RCEP.

Mr. Cuong noted that the regulations imposed by a number of RCEP member markets focus on plant inspection requirements to eliminate the risk of spreading diseases through trade activities.