Seafood enterprises propose to remove obstacles from exporting to the EU

VCN - Seafood enterprises are facing inadequacies in applying for material certification (S/C) and food safety certificates (H/C), which affects the production and export of seafood to the EU.
Seafood enterprises have more opportunities to expand market share in China Seafood enterprises have more opportunities to expand market share in China
Decrease in exports affects the profits of seafood enterprises Decrease in exports affects the profits of seafood enterprises
Green seafood enterprises are the best choice for sustainable exports Green seafood enterprises are the best choice for sustainable exports
The enterprise bought yellowfin tuna but could not obtain an S/C certificate. Photo: TH.
The enterprise bought yellowfin tuna but could not obtain an S/C certificate. Photo: TH.

Difficulties in getting S/C

According to Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of VASEP, on February 13, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 81/QD-TTg promulgating the "Action plan to combat illegal fishing, not reported and not obeyed the law, preparing to work with the Inspection Delegation of 4th European Commission". Therefore, VASEP Association and member seafood businesses have updated and understood the contents of Decision 81 to implement the Prime Minister's direction well.

However, in the implementation process, enterprises have encountered inadequacies in the issue of certification of raw materials (S/C) and certificates of food safety (H/C) for the production and export of seafood to the EU.

Specifically, there are shortcomings in the procedure for applying for an S/C certificate, which prevents businesses from obtaining this certificate according to regulations. For example, the enterprise bought yellowfin tuna but could not obtain an S/C certificate. According to the explanation of the fishing port management board, if the small-size tuna is really yellowfin, then the port management board will issue the S/C certificate. However, large fish are not yellowfin tuna, so the fishing port does not issue S/C certificates.

However, VASEP and businesses did not find any specific regulations regulating the distinction or classification of yellowfin tuna by size, as explained by the fishing port management.

The enterprise buys fish according to the actual quantity at the port and applies for the S/C according to the quantity purchased, but the fishing port management board does not issue the S/C according to the actual quantity and only issues it according to the less quantity because the fishing port explains the big amount of fishing is not reasonable.

The main fishing profession for enterprises that purchase swordfish from ships with fishing licenses is tuna fishing. However, during the fishing process, in addition to tuna as the main fishing material, the ship can still exploit other types of fish, such as swordfish, filet, and mackerel.

However, the fishing port did not issue an S/C certificate for the swordfish shipment. In addition, some fishing ports stopped issuing S/C certificates for raw material batches of long-term fishing vessels (over 1 month) – parameters through the records.

Enterprises said that, from February 16, 2023, the Regional Center for Agro-Forestry and Fisheries Quality 4 (NAFIQAD 4) issued an official letter No. 67/TTCL4-CL to the Directorate of Fisheries to verify the suitability of the contents of the Fishing certificate and fishing log. However, in the meantime, the Directorate of Fisheries has not had a reply to NAFIQAD 4 or a general guideline to send to the units, so the fishing port management board has stopped issuing the S/C.

Removing obstacles to seafood exports to the EU

In addition to difficulties in applying for S/C papers, seafood enterprises also face inadequacies in the procedures for applying for food safety certificates (H/C) for some shipments of exploited seafood for export to the EU.

For example, some businesses face problems when they cannot obtain H/C papers for shipments with raw materials from long-term fishing vessels. According to Document No. 67/TTCL4-CL of NAFIQAD 4 to the Directorate of Fisheries, NAFIQAD 4 has doubts: the time from the start of fishing to the loading and unloading of raw materials when the fishing vessel docks is long (from 3 to 5 months) ), no conveying operation will not guarantee food safety; The time on the S/C paper and the mining log is different.

According to the explanation of some businesses around the above issue, the time on the S/C paper is determined from when the ship starts leaving the port to when the ship returns. The time on the log is when the ship begins to cast the first fishing net to collect the last net.

As such, the time on the S/C paper and the mining log will often not match (and the time on the S/C will be longer than on the mining log). Besides, according to the fishing industry's characteristics, mining is trawling with large ships, and the time to go to sea to exploit is more than 1 month (sometimes from 2-5 months).

Besides, due to some peculiarities, such as, ships operating in remote areas, so the travel time is long. When the boat reaches the fishing area, but there is no fishing channel, the ship will spend time exploring without casting the net. In some localities, the ships often exploit in groups or teams. At that time, 1 ship will be assigned to go to sea first to explore the fishing area with fishing channels to notify other ships to come out later. With the above characteristics of the profession, there are cases where the time on the S/C and the mining log has a long-time difference. And despite the long seagoing time, the ship declared differently at a later time, so the time for storing raw materials on the ship was not long.

In addition, when Vietnam has no legal regulations on how long to exploit the sea to be exported, the assessment of the responsiveness of the shipment (if necessary), the authorities consider the use of specific measures to evaluate (food safety indicators).

According to Mr Truong Dinh Hoe, the above-arising inadequacies are affecting the export situation of enterprises, and in the context of the goal of good implementation of current regulations on anti-IUU fishing, removing the yellow card of the Government. Currently, VASEP has reported to the relevant authorities and proposed to consider and remove the shortcomings as mentioned above to well implement current regulations and open up the chain of marine exploitation, processing and export to the EU.

By Le Thu/Phuong Linh

Related News

Changing the way looking for markets, seafood businesses expect to increase orders

Changing the way looking for markets, seafood businesses expect to increase orders

VCN - Proactively promoting trade, looking for partners in foreign markets, seafood export businesses expect to increase orders from new ways of doing things.
Vietnamese goods are becoming more and more "qualified"!

Vietnamese goods are becoming more and more "qualified"!

VCN - To conquer Vietnamese consumers and be ready to export to demanding markets, many businesses have "joined hands" to build sustainable supply chains and improve the quality of Vietnamese goods.
Improve competitiveness and sustainable development of the seafood industry

Improve competitiveness and sustainable development of the seafood industry

VCN - In early 2024, seafood exports have prospered. This is the driving force that helps seafood businesses hope for a stronger recovery this year. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Sac, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) shared with Customs Magazine.

Latest News

ASEAN, RoK agree on transposition of AKFTA product specific rules

ASEAN, RoK agree on transposition of AKFTA product specific rules

ASEAN member states and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have reached a consensus on the transposition of ASEAN-RoK Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) Product Specific Rules from the Harmonised System Codes HS 2017 to HS 2022.
Opportunities for digital technology businesses to go global

Opportunities for digital technology businesses to go global

Finding solutions and directions to promote and develop Vietnamese digital technology enterprises is an important task, which will promote the stability and sustainability of the country's economy, heard a recent conference.
Vietnam, China eye stronger border trade

Vietnam, China eye stronger border trade

Border provinces of Vietnam and China should continue close coordination and enhance trade promotion between the two sides, stressed the recent talks between the management boards of the economic zone of the northern province of Ha Giang and the Malypo border economic cooperation zone of China’s Yunnan province.
Business environment reform needs further promotion: expert

Business environment reform needs further promotion: expert

Resolution 02 issued by the Government creates pressure for the ministries, sectors and localities to make changes for the business community as well as the socio-economic development.

More News

Singapore is the largest foreign investor in VN in Q1

Singapore is the largest foreign investor in VN in Q1

The disbursed FDI rose by 7.1 per cent in the first quarter to reach $4.63 billion, a signal that the disbursement will continue the positive trend, the agency said.
Thai Binh boosts investment, trade cooperation with Germany

Thai Binh boosts investment, trade cooperation with Germany

A delegation from the northern province of Thai Binh, led by Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Khac Than, visited several localities and business organisations in Germany from March 25 to 27, in a bid to enhance trade cooperation with and attract direct investment from the European nation.
Lifting obstacles to develop industrial parks

Lifting obstacles to develop industrial parks

VCN - Attracting investment and developing industrial zones (IZs) and economic zones (EZs) is one of the important contents to implement the policy of developing a multi-component, open, attract investment and resources from all economic sectors to develop the country. In addition to the results achieved, there still limitations that need to be removed to draw investments to develop industrial parks and economic zones, including financial problems for industrial parks.
Unlock capital flows and create favorable conditions for investors

Unlock capital flows and create favorable conditions for investors

VCN - Talking with the press, Dr. Ngo Cong Thanh (Photo), Provisional Executive Committee member of the Vietnam Industrial Park Finance Association (VIPFA), said that it is necessary to open up capital flows and create conditions for investors to access key factors. Facilitate production and business factors and innovate investment promotion activities to more effectively develop industrial parks.
More than 300 businesses, manufacturers to attend VGMF 2024

More than 300 businesses, manufacturers to attend VGMF 2024

More than 300 domestic and foreign businesses and manufacturers will attend the Vietnam Global Manufacturing Forum 2024 (VGMF2024) to explore investment and business cooperation opportunities.
Connecting with FDI firms helps boost wood exports: insiders

Connecting with FDI firms helps boost wood exports: insiders

Strengthening linkages and cooperation between foreign-invested and domestic enterprises will contribute to promoting the sustainable development of the Vietnamese wood industry, according to insiders.
Doosan Vina exports nearly 2,000 tonnes of modules to US

Doosan Vina exports nearly 2,000 tonnes of modules to US

The Doosan Enerbility Vietnam (Doosan Vina) specialising in heavy industries announced on March 26 that it has just exported a batch of nine modules weighing nearly 2,000 tonnes to the Golden Triangle Polymers company in Texas, the US.
Wood processing enterprises strive to increase the proportion of individually designed goods

Wood processing enterprises strive to increase the proportion of individually designed goods

VCN - Many wood and furniture processing enterprises are promoting investment in design activities, helping to increase the proportion of individually designed products (ODM) in exports, thereby affirming the industry's capacity Vietnamese wood in segments with higher added value.
Take advantage of shrimp export opportunities right from early year months

Take advantage of shrimp export opportunities right from early year months

VCN - As the main export product of Vietnamese seafood, shrimp processing enterprises are taking advantage of export acceleration since the beginning of the year.
Read More

Your care

Latest Most read
ASEAN, RoK agree on transposition of AKFTA product specific rules

ASEAN, RoK agree on transposition of AKFTA product specific rules

ASEAN member states and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have reached a consensus on the transposition of ASEAN-RoK Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) Product Specific Rules from the Harmonised System Codes HS 2017 to HS 2022.
Opportunities for digital technology businesses to go global

Opportunities for digital technology businesses to go global

Finding solutions and directions to promote and develop Vietnamese digital technology enterprises is an important task, which will promote the stability and sustainability of the country's economy, heard a recent conference.
Vietnam, China eye stronger border trade

Vietnam, China eye stronger border trade

Border provinces of Vietnam and China should continue close coordination and enhance trade promotion between the two sides, stressed the recent talks between the management boards of the economic zone of the northern province of Ha Giang and the Malypo border economic cooperation zone of China’s Yunnan province.
Improve competitiveness and sustainable development of the seafood industry

Improve competitiveness and sustainable development of the seafood industry

In early 2024, seafood exports have prospered. This is the driving force that helps seafood businesses hope for a stronger recovery this year.
Business environment reform needs further promotion: expert

Business environment reform needs further promotion: expert

Resolution 02 issued by the Government creates pressure for the ministries, sectors and localities to make changes for the business community as well as the socio-economic development.
Mobile Version