From the beginning of the year to September 15, the EU, China, and the Middle East–Africa region issued 254 notifications on food safety and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures. Many new regulations directly concern pesticide residues, enterprise registrations, traceability, and product labeling.

EU plans sharp reductions in residue limits

Speaking at a press briefing on September 16, Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, stated that among the 254 notifications across the three markets, 150 were draft measures and 104 had already entered into force.

Notably, the European Union (EU) issued 90 notifications, comprising 27 drafts and 63 active regulations. While this represents a slight decline from the 92 notifications logged in the same period last year, numerous adjustments could directly impact Vietnamese agricultural and food products.

The EU issued seven draft notifications amending maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides across multiple crop groups, including tomatoes, mangoes, chili peppers, bell peppers, tea, and cucumbers. Several active substances are projected to be lowered to extremely stringent thresholds, ranging between 0.01 and 0.05 ppm.

According to Nam, businesses and production zones must pay particular attention to two active substances—profenofos and fenpropathrin—because the residue thresholds currently permitted in Vietnam for certain commodities are substantially higher than the levels envisioned by the EU. If pesticide application protocols are not adjusted promptly, consignments risk border rejections upon reaching this destination.

The EU also continues to enforce official border control measures on four plant-origin products from Vietnam under Regulation (EU) 2019/1793. Alongside residue controls, this market is updating its pest management inventory and mandates for certain harmful organisms, including citrus fruit borers, commonly known as pomelo fruit borers.

The relevant draft decree is slated for release in October and will take effect on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This directive requires management agencies, localities, and fruit export enterprises to monitor developments closely to proactively institute phytosanitary controls directly within farming belts.

On a more favorable note, the EU plans to add several shelf-stable, long-life, and low-risk composite food products to the exemption list from official border control post inspections. The list encompasses selected cereal-based products, potato chips, processed or preserved fruits, vegetables, and nuts, sauces, seasonings, and confectionery.

For animals and animal-derived products, the EU is reviewing proposals to lower residue limits for diazinon in pig fat, poultry meat and offal, and certain dairy products, while adjusting residue parameters in livers and kidneys of swine, bovine, ovine, and caprine animals. The bloc is likewise reviewing its authorized list of countries and territories permitted to export animals and animal products intended for human consumption into the EU.

China tightens registrations, coding, and traceability

According to the leadership of the Vietnam SPS Office, from the beginning of the year through September 15, China issued 34 SPS notifications, a decrease of nine notifications compared to the same period last year. Among these, 31 are currently draft proposals and three are officially in effect.

A standout measure is Decree No. 280 issued by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), which took effect on June 1. The regulation mandates that 17 food product categories must register through recommendations submitted by the competent authorities of exporting countries. The regulatory perimeter has also expanded to encompass overseas food storage facilities.

Concurrently, exporting enterprises must register and accurately declare assigned identification codes during customs clearance. Utilizing inaccurate codes, expired credentials, or inconsistent documentation details can trigger cargo holds at border crossings.

China has also published an official monitoring catalogue targeting 21 invasive alien species, mandating periodic surveillance and risk assessments. In tandem, it is establishing standards to control polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) throughout the entire production lifecycle of grains, meats, seafood, dairy, and oils/fats, particularly during heating, smoking, frying, and roasting processes.

Notably, the Middle East–Africa region issued the highest volume of regulatory alerts, logging 130 notifications, consisting of 92 drafts and 38 enacted measures.

These updated mandates focus on pesticide residues, microbiological criteria, heavy metals, traceability, Halal certification, and commodity labeling. Jordan introduced standards for rice, governing chemical residues and microbiology while requiring Halal conformity and Arabic-language labeling.

Morocco raised hygiene and traceability benchmarks for spices and herbs. Kenya instituted thresholds for cereal-based beverages, mandating that total aflatoxin content must not exceed 10 micrograms per kilogram, with zero tolerance for Salmonella detection.

According to Ngo Xuan Nam, the Vietnam SPS Office updates all foreign SPS notifications in Vietnamese daily, transmitting early alerts to regulatory bodies, local authorities, industry associations, and business communities. Dedicated SPS technical inquiry focal points have also been established across 34 provinces and cities to refine the automated early-warning data infrastructure and facilitate online inquiries into import destination regulations.

Source: Bao Tien Phong