A series of large importing markets such as the European Union (EU), Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, and Brazil are concurrently updating sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulations. These changes are projected to directly impact many of Vietnam's core export commodities such as fruits and vegetables, coffee, tea, spices, seafood, and processed agricultural products.

Multiple markets concurrently tighten standards

According to the SPS Vietnam Office, during the period from June 16 to 30, 2026, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued 34 new SPS notifications, encompassing 21 drafts for comments and 13 notifications entering into force. The regulations primarily concentrate on controlling plant protection drug residues, food safety standards, and quarantine requirements for imported agricultural products and food.

Among the new notifications, the most notable is the EU's draft amending regulations on maximum residue levels (MRLs) for 8 plant protection drug active ingredients, including azocyclotin, chlorfenapyr, cyhexatin, dicofol, endosulfan, fenarimol, fenpropathrin, and profenofos. The EU plans to lower a series of residue thresholds to the limit of quantification because these active ingredients have either never been approved or have had their approvals withdrawn in Europe for many years.

The draft applies to multiple product groups possessing export strengths for Vietnam, such as fruits, vegetables, oilseeds, tea, coffee, spices, meat, and products of animal origin.

Notably, the EU proposes lowering the residue levels for profenofos on multiple items such as mangoes, tomatoes, cottonseeds, coriander, cumin, fruit spices, and certain animal products. These are all commodity groups carrying significant commercial activity in the international market.

According to the EU's explanation, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) does not yet possess sufficient data to confirm the toxicological reference values for these active ingredients; therefore, the regulatory agency selects a stricter control orientation to protect consumers.

In addition, the EU is also amending phytosanitary regulations to prevent the introduction of certain new harmful organisms, while concurrently updating import and circulation requirements for multiple types of plants and agricultural products.

Not only the EU, but Australia also notified a draft adjusting maximum residue levels for 13 agricultural and veterinary active ingredients. Impacted items include soybeans, rapeseed, grapes, raisins, cottonseeds, lettuce, lychees, custard apples, and certain animal products.

In Japan, functional authorities have issued 7 notifications entering into force related to amending the maximum residue levels of 6 plant protection drug active ingredients in food, while concurrently adjusting multiple phytosanitary regulations, the catalog of plants prohibited from import, and pest control measures.

New Zealand also put forward new drafts on import health standards for microorganisms, biological products, and cell lines of animal origin. Simultaneously, this country is constructing a new set of standards for animal products intended for human use, encompassing food, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and therapeutic products of animal origin.

Meanwhile, Brazil proposed stricter phytosanitary requirements for imported Ethiopian rapeseed and mustard seeds. According to the draft, each shipment must possess a phytosanitary certificate and demonstrate that it is not infected with target pests under Brazil's requirements.

Another notable change originates from Turkey. This country notified that starting August 4, 2026, mandatory quarantine information must be fully declared on the phytosanitary certificate or re-export certificate. Shipments possessing documents that do not satisfy requirements will be deemed invalid and will not be permitted for import.

Enterprises need to proactively adapt

According to trade experts, the current general trend is that importing markets increasingly utilize SPS measures to control quality and food safety. Although not tariff barriers, these regulations are becoming mandatory conditions for goods wishing to penetrate high-standard markets.

Notably, the majority of new SPS notifications concentrate on tightening plant protection drug residues, increasing quarantine requirements, and traceability. This demonstrates that export growth room no longer relies primarily on tariff preferences from FTAs but increasingly depends on the capacity to satisfy the technical and food safety standards of each market.

Confronting the continuous changes from importing markets, the SPS Vietnam Office recommends that regulatory agencies, commodity associations, and exporting enterprises regularly monitor new SPS notifications of WTO member countries to timely update and contribute comments on drafts capable of affecting production and business activities. Concurrently, enterprises need to review production processes, the utilization of plant protection drugs, veterinary drugs, and other agricultural chemicals in strict accordance with the regulations of the importing market; step up residue control, traceability, and raw material zone management to restrict the risk of being warned, having goods returned, or losing market share when new regulations officially enter into force.

According to the SPS Vietnam Office, in a context where SPS measures are increasingly utilized by countries as a tool to protect human, animal, and plant health, proactively adapting to new technical requirements not only helps enterprises minimize trade risks but also serves as an important condition to maintain and expand market share in high-value export markets such as the EU, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Source: Bao Tien Phong