The EU and the United Kingdom (UK) are important markets, yet frequently update SPS measures. Therefore, enterprises must proactively update and adapt in a timely manner.

Proactively updating and adapting

On July 24, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment alongside the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City organized the Conference: "Updating regulations on food safety and animal/plant quarantine (SPS) in Free Trade Agreements between Vietnam - European Union (EVFTA), Vietnam - United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (UKVFTA)".

Delivering opening remarks at the Conference, Mr. Ngo Hong Phong, Director General of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, stated that the EU and the United Kingdom are currently key export markets for numerous agricultural, forestry, and aquatic commodities from Vietnam. In 2025, export turnover to the EU reached 9.28 billion USD, occupying 13.1% of the entire sector's total export turnover and ranking third after China and the United States.

However, regulations on SPS, maximum residue limits (MRL), food safety controls, animal/plant quarantine, and new requirements such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) are being continuously updated, setting forth requirements for enterprises to proactively track, adapt, and comply to maintain and expand markets.

According to Dr. Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office, the 2 markets of the EU and UK continuously update SPS measures. Changes focus on MRLs, veterinary drug residues, contaminants, microorganisms, additives, quarantine, certificates, origin traceability, and inspection frequencies.

Particularly, the EU and UK exhibit a trend toward chain-based control across the entire process of production, preliminary processing, processing, packaging, preservation, and circulation of goods. If enterprises do not proactively update in a timely manner, it may lead to warnings, intensified inspections, rejections, destruction, or increased compliance costs.

Precisely for that reason, according to Dr. Ngo Xuan Nam, SPS is no longer a final procedure, but a management requirement throughout the entire export chain.

Mr. Ngo Hong Phong emphasized that "in the context where the European Union and United Kingdom markets frequently undergo regulatory changes regarding food safety, quarantine, pesticide residues, packaging, digital transformation, and sustainable development, regulatory agencies, localities, industry associations, enterprises, and producers are required to proactively adapt, shifting strongly from a mindset of meeting requirements to a mindset of proactively complying with international standards right from the stages of production, processing, and supply chain organization."

Mr. Ho Truc Thanh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment, affirmed that "Regulations on animal and plant quarantine and food safety (SPS) need to be perceived not merely as mandatory requirements of import markets, but also as a driving force to elevate national governance capacity, standardize production, and build brands for Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market."

Ms. Dao Thu Vinh, Executive Director of CropLife Vietnam, shared that to satisfy the SPS measures of the EU and UK, compliance needs to be ensured right on the field, because the cost of compliance is far lower than the cost of rectification when warned at border gates.

Notable new notifications from EU and UK

Dr. Ngo Xuan Nam stated that in the first half of 2026, the EU had 74 draft notifications and effective notifications on SPS measures, while the UK had 15 notifications. Among them, there were notable notifications regarding food safety and animal/plant quarantine, expected to be passed and applied in the coming period.

Specifically, EU notification G/SPS/N/EU/959 drafts amendments to Annexes II, III, and V of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, scheduled for adoption on February 1, 2027, publication on March 1, 2027, and application from September 2027. In this notification, the EU plans to tighten MRLs for 8 active substances, within which 4 active substances are currently on the list permitted for use in Vietnam: azocyclotin, chlorfenapyr, fenpropathrin, and profenofos. The MRL levels for these 4 active substances that the EU plans to apply are all much lower than Vietnam's regulations.

For instance, with the active substance profenofos, the MRL according to Vietnam's regulations for certain products is as follows: tomatoes 10 mg/kg; mangoes 0.2 mg/kg; cottonseed 3 mg/kg; tea 0.5 mg/kg. Meanwhile, the EU plans to apply MRLs around 0.01-0.05 mg/kg for corresponding products.

EU draft notification G/SPS/N/EU/943 adjusts MRLs for imazalil, mandipropamid, propaquizafop, quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl, and carbofuran. The notification is expected to be adopted on January 29, 2027, published on March 1, 2027, and enter into force in September 2027.

Among the 6 active substances mentioned in notification G/SPS/N/EU/943, quizalofop-P-ethyl and quizalofop-P-tefuryl are still permitted for use in Vietnam; however, Circular 50/2016/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health has not yet regulated MRLs for this group of active substances, therefore, each product must be cross-checked against the EU. Simultaneously, separate reviews of MRLs for imazalil, mandipropamid, and propaquizafop according to exported products are necessary.

Notifications G/SPS/N/EU/913 and G/SPS/N/EU/957 regarding amendments to Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 concern the temporary increase of official and emergency control measures governing the entry of certain goods from certain third countries into the EU.

In the first 6 months of 2026, the EU maintained control over 4 commodity items imported from Vietnam, including: fresh or chilled durian (20% inspection frequency); okra, peppers of the genus Capsicum non-sweet type (50%), and dragon fruit (30%). Among them, okra, non-sweet peppers of the genus Capsicum, and dragon fruit must fulfill requirements regarding official certificates along with sampling and analysis results according to EU regulations.

Regarding plant quarantine and harmful organisms, the EU issued draft notification G/SPS/N/EU/958 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 and Regulation (EU) 2022/1941 on plant quarantine measures. The draft is expected to be adopted and published in October 2026.

In this draft, the EU updates the management list for 4 pest species. Among them, Citripestis sagittiferella (citrus fruit borer) has been recorded causing damage to citrus plants, particularly pomelo in the Mekong Delta.

Particularly, beyond general EU notifications, Vietnamese enterprises need to note France's notification G/SPS/N/FRA/22 regarding the temporary suspension of goods bearing quantifiable residues of 5 active substances. Among them, 2 active substances, glufosinate and mancozeb, are on the list permitted for use in Vietnam.

The UK market also presents a number of notable notifications. Notification G/SPS/N/GBR/128 focuses on adjusting cyantraniliprole residue levels for certain groups of leafy vegetables, spice herbs, and edible flowers. Notification G/SPS/N/GBR/129 adjusts mefentrifluconazole active substance residues in the direction of increasing MRLs for strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, gherkins, and courgettes.

Notification G/SPS/N/GBR/130 adjusts Imazalil active substance residues, within which MRLs for bananas are raised and the residue definition is clarified. Notification G/SPS/N/GBR/131 amends the MRL List for the active substance flupyradifurone and its metabolite difluoroacetic acid, calculated as DFA…

Source: Bao Nong nghiep va Moi truong