Under EU’s new regulations, Vietnam’s vegetables exported to the bloc would be subject to an increase of official controls at border control posts and control points from November 23.

Processing dragon fruits for exports at Tien Giang Province. Photo: Sinh Vu

The move was part of the EU’s Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/1900 of October 27 amending Implementing Regulation 2019/1793 on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the Union of certain goods from certain third countries.

For Vietnam, the frequency of identity and physical checks would go up by 50% for coriander leaves, basil, mint, parsley, okra, peppers, and 10% for dragon fruits.

The types of goods and products are scheduled to be reviewed at regular intervals not exceeding six months.

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) revealed increasing vegetables exported from Vietnam to the EU with an annual expansion rate of nearly 20%.

For the first eight months of 2021, the export turnover stood at US$88.5 million, mainly mangos, passion fruits, lychees, jackfruits, potatoes, or spices.

Last year, Vietnam’s exports of vegetables and fruits to the EU reached $150 million, or 0.36% of the EU’s total imports of vegetables, indicating the huge potential from this market for Vietnamese products.

In a recent conference in late October, Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said the country is in need of a national strategy for exporting vegetables and fruits to the EU so that the country could better take advantage of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and gain greater shares in this important market.