Pineapples, bell peppers, turmeric, sugar beets, and multiple Vietnamese commodities exported to the EU may have to satisfy much lower diazinon residue levels compared to currently. Concurrently, a series of large markets also adjust regulations regarding plant protection chemicals, animal quarantine, and food safety.

A round of food safety and quarantine standard adjustments is taking place across multiple large export markets. Within the first half of July 2026, World Trade Organization (WTO) members sent a total of 51 notifications regarding food safety and animal and plant quarantine measures, according to the aggregation of the Vietnam SPS Office.

Most notable are 8 notifications from the European Union (EU), within which proposing to sharply lower the maximum residue limit of the diazinon pesticide, which can directly impact multiple Vietnamese commodities extending from pineapples and bell peppers to turmeric and sugar beets.

According to Notification No. 518/TB-SPS-BNNMT dated July 16, 2026, of the Vietnam SPS Office under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, within the 51 notifications, there are 24 drafts gathering comments and 27 regulations already entering into force. The data encompasses 4 notifications arising on June 30 but received after the data closing timing of the previous period.

The alterations demonstrate 2 distinct trends. Europe both tightens plant protection chemical residue limits and concurrently simplifies inspections against a number of low-risk processed foods. In other markets, the focus is on animal quarantine, updating residue levels, and adjusting import conditions.

EU tightens residues but opens doors for processed foods

The content that agricultural product exporting enterprises need to particularly note is the draft amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 regarding maximum residue levels for diazinon, code G/SPS/N/EU/963.

Diazinon is no longer permitted by the EU to be utilized in plant protection chemicals, although it is still licensed for a number of veterinary purposes. Because the European Food Safety Authority has not yet possessed sufficient data to confirm new toxicological reference values, the EU proposes to lower the majority of maximum residue limits to the limit of quantification, nearly close to the non-detection threshold.

According to the draft, the maximum diazinon residue limit on almonds decreases from 0.05 down to 0.01 mg/kg; cranberries from 0.2 down to 0.01 mg/kg; pineapples from 0.3 down to 0.01 mg/kg; radishes from 0.1 down to 0.01 mg/kg. Against onions and bell peppers, the limit decreases from 0.05 down to 0.01 mg/kg; sweet corn from 0.02 down to 0.01 mg/kg; Chinese cabbages from 0.05 down to 0.01 mg/kg; kohlrabi from 0.2 down to 0.01 mg/kg and sugar beets from 0.1 down to 0.01 mg/kg.

The spice and medicinal herb group also bears significant impacts. Residue limits on hops are projected to decrease from 0.5 down to 0.05 mg/kg; seed spices from 5 down to 0.05 mg/kg. Against licorice, turmeric, and other root and rhizome spices, except for ginger and horseradish, the limit decreases from 0.5 down to 0.05 mg/kg.

A number of products carrying animal origins also lie within the regulatory scope. The residue limit against pig fat decreases from 0.7 down to 0.01 mg/kg; poultry carcasses and offal from 0.02 down to 0.01 mg/kg; cow's milk and mare's milk from 0.02 down to 0.01 mg/kg.

Particularly, the liver and kidney of pigs, bovine, sheep, and goats are adjusted from 0.03 down to 0.02 mg/kg to unify with Regulation (EU) No 37/2010. Conversely, the limit of quantification against honey is loosened from 0.01 up to 0.05 mg/kg.

The draft is projected to be approved on February 1, 2027, published on March 1, 2027, enter into force after 20 days, and be applied six months following the entry-into-force timing. The comment deadline is September 8, 2026.

Pineapples, bell peppers, turmeric, and sugar beets all lie within the group of Vietnamese agricultural products exported to the EU. When residue levels are dragged down near the non-detection threshold, enterprises cannot merely test finished products but must control active substances from raw material zones and during the entire production process.

While tightening diazinon, the EU conversely loosens inspections against a number of low-risk composite foods.

Regulation (EU) 2026/908 amending Regulation (EU) 2021/630, code G/SPS/N/EU/962, supplements multiple shelf-stable composite products into the catalog exempted from official controls at border control posts. The regulation has been published and entered into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The new catalog possesses multiple products close to Vietnam's processing strengths, encompassing popcorn; corn snacks in sticks or puffed forms; potato chips sliced thin and ready-to-eat crispy forms; vegetables, fruits, and nuts processed or preserved, within which honey serves as the sole animal ingredient.

The exemption scope also contains sauces containing oyster or fish extracts; sauces and preparations for sauces; condiments containing honey; confectionery, chewing gum, and similar products utilizing sweeteners instead of sugar. The regulation also amends private attestation requirements against related shipments, in the direction of unifying with Regulation (EU) 2022/2292.

Another long-term alteration is the EU's approval of Regulation (EU) 2026/1388 regarding plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques, code G/SPS/N/EU/687/Add.1.

The regulation is fully applied starting from July 17, 2028. However, Articles 29, 30, and 31 related to import-export and market monitoring have entered into force since July 16, 2026. Plant variety and biotechnology enterprises therefore need to research the new framework starting right from now.

US and Asia concurrently establish quarantine barriers

Following the EU, the United States is the market sending the most notifications during the period, with 7 contents related to canceling plant protection chemical registrations and adjusting maximum residue limits.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is receiving voluntary requests to cancel registrations for a series of active substances, encompassing glyphosate, azoxystrobin, propiconazole, thiamethoxam, lambda-cyhalothrin, dicamba, paraquat dichloride, malathion, and bifenthrin.

Notification code G/SPS/N/USA/3576 also mentions terminating the utilization of captan in home and garden products, along with oxytetracycline hydrochloride on the citrus tree group. The comment deadline and projected entry-into-force timing are both July 29, 2026.

The US Food and Drug Administration is also reviewing a petition to permit ionizing radiation at doses not exceeding 30 kGy to reduce pathogens in untreated enriched wheat flour, code G/SPS/N/USA/3577.

In the group of regulations entering into force since June 30, 2026, the US promulgated multiple new maximum residue limits. Chlormequat chloride is re-regulated on barley, oats, wheat, and a number of animal products. The active substances bifenthrin, diflufenican, epyrifenacil, and fluoxapiprolin are established with residue limits on multiple groups of vegetables, fruits, and seeds. The deadline to submit objections is August 31, 2026.

China published a draft consolidating and clarifying quarantine supervision and management processes against animals and animal genetic materials entering, exiting, and transiting.

Live animal exporting enterprises need to note the minimum quarantine times: 45 days against large and medium livestock utilized for breeding, 14 days with live aquatic animals, and 30 days with other animal types, except for cases carrying separate regulations. The comment deadline is August 30, 2026.

Japan has amended the Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Diseases Control, supplementing lumpy skin disease into the catalog of diseases needing control and bringing water buffaloes into the managed species group against this disease. The regulation enters into force since July 1, 2026.

Japan concurrently removes from the import prohibition catalog pet food types destined for ornamental pets not utilized for food, if products are heat-treated at 121.1 degrees Celsius for at least three minutes or by equivalent methods and possess confirmation from the exporting country's competent authority.

South Korea sent 3 notifications. The first notification proposes to amend food standards, encompassing zearalenone limits on corn, supplementing rice husks into the restrictedly utilized raw material group, and new regulations against 106 plant protection chemical active substances. The comment deadline is August 31, 2026.

The second notification sets out separate regulations against processed foods from animal-origin cell cultures, along with a comment deadline of August 31, 2026. The remaining notification updates the catalog of host plants, distribution areas, and vector insects of the Xylella fastidiosa bacteria, applying to shipments carrying phytosanitary certificates sent from July 13, 2026.

Singapore is standardizing import requirements for animal feed containing meat or meat products, applying commonly to all exporting countries and repealing separate recognition mechanisms against each individual source and product. The regulation is projected to be approved in September 2026, entering into force after 6 months; the comment deadline is September 8, 2026.

Canada possesses 5 notifications. 2 notable drafts encompass proposals to conditionally loosen the prohibition on utilizing certain specified risk materials in feed for non-ruminant animals and pets, comment deadline September 13, 2026; along with a temporary exemption mechanism permitting the circulation of small volumes of red meat between provinces when lacking slaughtering capacity, comment deadline August 29, 2026.

The 3 remaining notifications are new maximum residue limits already entering into force against fluoxapiprolin, ethiprole, and spidoxamat.

The majority of comment deadlines during this notification round fall into the end of August and beginning of September 2026. That means enterprises and commodity sector associations merely possess around 6 - 8 weeks to review impacts, collate production processes, and send comments through the Vietnam SPS Office when necessary.

Against exporting enterprises, the 51 notifications do not constitute merely a collection of technical regulations. Each time the market lowers residue limits, alters quarantine conditions, or adjusts certification dossiers, it can all arise testing costs, alter production processes, and upgrade the risk of shipments being held back if enterprises update slowly.

Source: Vnbusiness