January 19, 2024 | Viet Nam News |
The European Union (EU) has announced temporary increases in official controls and emergency measures for certain goods entering the bloc, including durians from Vietnam. Durians, both chilled and fresh, will now undergo identity and physical checks on 10% of consignments due to potential contamination by pesticide residues, according to data from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed. Other Vietnamese products facing increased controls include peppers, instant noodles, okra, and dragon fruit, with varying check frequencies based on contamination risks or other conditions. The EU is implementing more than 100 changes for goods from 27 countries, and the new regulations will take effect in early February. Vietnam's export revenue of agricultural products to the EU was $5.34 billion in 2023, accounting for 4-5% of the EU's annual $160 billion worth of agricultural imports. Despite the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement being in effect for two years, Vietnam's utilization of the trade deal has been estimated at only 12.1%, prompting a need for improved compliance with EU standards.