Food safety key for exports to Northern Europe
Some businesses have signed a program for production and export of high quality lychees to European markets from 2024-2028 with northern lychee growing localities |
The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) offers opportunities for expanding the trade in goods between Vietnam and European markets.
European consumers are particularly concerned about environmental protection and food safety, and the EU has had and will have regulations to control import quality.
According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, Sweden and Denmark are members of the EU, while Norway is not. However, Norway participates in the European Economic Area (EEA), so EU legislation may be used as a basis for all the three countries.
Vietnamese cashew exports to Northern European countries, according to the Trade Office, must comply with Regulation (EC) No.178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002, laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, and Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official control and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed laws, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products.
Preparing cashews for export - photo: Binh Phuoc Media |
The Trade Office notes that labeling must clearly indicate whether the food contains allergenic substances or not, and a number of plants and plant products must have the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certificates, and all exports containing food additives must be approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The EU imposes strict control measures on food contaminants, especially aflatoxins. Products containing higher levels of contaminants than permitted are banned and reported through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).
Maximum residue levels (MRLs) have been established to protect consumers from potentially harmful levels of Plant Protection Products (PPPs) resulting from their use. The EU regularly publishes a list of approved pesticides that are allowed to be used within the bloc, which is regularly updated.
The Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 sets maximum levels for certain contaminants in food, including maximum levels of cadmium in cashews and all other tree nuts except pine nuts) at 0.20 mg/kg wet weight. The maximum levels are not applied to nuts used for crushing and oil extraction, provided that the remaining pressed nuts are not placed on the market as food.
Exports must also abide by regulations on microbiological contamination. The presence of salmonella and E. coli bacteria at very low levels in ready-to-eat or processed foods, including cashew nuts, is a significant cause of foodborne illness.
According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, for successful and favorable exports to European countries in general, and Northern Europe in particular, businesses need to regularly update them on the latest developments in the European Green Deal and any new regulations, policies, strategies, and or plans related to its implementation, as well as new EU regulations.
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