Seafood enterprises exporting to the US and EU markets are facing difficulties due to administrative procedures, as many shipments are entangled in regulations and certifications regarding the origin of exploited seafood.

EU market stagnates due to certification regulations

The EU is currently one of the most important markets for Vietnam's exploited seafood, but it is also a market with top-tier strict requirements for traceability. Recent changes related to the Catch Certificate (C/C) template and Processing Statement (P/S) regulations have created significant confusion in implementation.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), many businesses recently reported difficulties caused by a lack of consistency among domestic guiding documents. Specifically, the regulations on how to record volume information in certification templates across Circular 81/2025, guiding documents from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance are not unified, leading each locality to interpret and apply them differently.

Consequently, businesses do not know which standard to follow to satisfy Vietnam's requirements while also complying with EU regulations. There are many cases where dossiers were returned or rejected, even after the goods had arrived at European ports.

Reality shows that several shipments have reached EU ports but cannot be cleared due to missing or mismatched documents such as C/C and P/S. Customers failing to receive valid dossiers results in goods being held at ports, leading to high container storage costs. Notably, some local fisheries sub-departments have not re-issued C/C certificates for shipments previously granted under old guidelines, creating a break in the certification chain. This leaves businesses in a position where goods have already been shipped but dossiers cannot be completed according to the new requirements.

Not only are current exports facing hurdles, but even shipments in production are affected as businesses cannot determine the correct way to record information to ensure validity. This lack of clarity in guidance is reducing the proactivity of enterprises and increasing risks in trade.

Faced with this situation, the business community recommends that regulatory authorities quickly review and issue unified guidelines on templates and information entry for documents. Simultaneously, a mechanism is needed to re-issue certifications for shipments exported before the regulatory changes to avoid losses for enterprises.

US market obstacles from CoA documentation

According to US regulations, imported exploited seafood products must have a valid Certification of Admissibility (CoA) in compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). To meet this requirement, Vietnam issued Circular 74/2025 to guide CoA issuance; however, the implementation process is revealing many inadequacies.

One prominent issue is the inconsistency of Captain’s Statements from countries providing raw materials. These templates differ significantly in content, and in many cases, lack information regarding the fishing license number or gear types—mandatory elements under Vietnamese regulations.

This leads to enterprises' CoA applications being returned, even when fishing licenses and relevant information are actually available in other documents. Consequently, some shipments cannot complete export procedures, causing delays or disruptions to business operations.

The case of Hai Trieu Company is a typical example. By using raw materials imported from multiple countries such as Taiwan, the Philippines, Ecuador, and Vanuatu, the enterprise struggled because the accompanying certificates did not align with the requirements in Circular 74. Although the information could be cross-referenced across documents, it still did not qualify for CoA issuance.

Therefore, businesses recommend that regulatory authorities provide more flexible guidance during the transition period, allowing the acceptance of documents that can be verified for validity even if they do not perfectly match the templates. Furthermore, amending Circular 74 toward alignment with international practices is seen as a fundamental solution.

In addition, another bottleneck is the enforcement capacity at the local level. The issuance of CoAs currently depends heavily on the interpretation and application of each sub-department, leading to inconsistency and prolonged processing times. Therefore, it is necessary to increase training and guidance for both officials and businesses to improve enforcement efficiency.

In a context of challenging market opportunities and increasing competition, quickly removing procedural bottlenecks will not only help businesses minimize damage but also contribute to maintaining the reputation of Vietnamese seafood in the international market.

Source: Tap chi Thuy san Viet Nam