According to the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Vietnam, it has come to the stage where the yellow card for Vietnamese seafood can be lifted, however, we need to demonstrate to the world the responsibility for transparent and legal fisheries resource management.
On April 4, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Minh Hoan had a meeting with Mr. Julien Guerrier, EU Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam.
Minister Hoan affirmed that Vietnam always acknowledges and learns from the experiences and advantages of the EU in general and of each country within the bloc in particular. Hoan proposed that the EU consider removing the yellow card warning for Vietnam soon; enhance cooperation and support Vietnam in developing a blue economy; meanwhile, sharing experiences, models, and techniques for aquaculture.
For seafood products exported to the EU, currently, 100% of domestically harvested seafood materials are inspected for harvesting certificates, increasing storage and port costs. Hoan suggested that the EU manage based on risk, only inspecting the probability of Vietnamese seafood batches.
According to Julien Guerrier, the EU considers Vietnam a priority country within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a trading partner, and the third-largest recipient of EU aid, as well as one of the key partners in development cooperation activities.
The Ambassador emphasized that the EU in general, as well as himself, wishes to continue supporting and assisting Vietnam towards the goal of sustainable development to become a developed country by 2045 and carbon-neutral by 2050.
Regarding the removal of EC’s yellow card for the seafood industry, the EU Ambassador to Vietnam expects that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will soon provide a comprehensive report on the results of recommendations from the 4th EC inspection.
“Vietnam needs to strengthen legal frameworks at the provincial level, while equipping necessary equipment for vessel management.
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We have reached the stage where the yellow card for Vietnamese seafood can be removed, but the responsibility lies with you to demonstrate to the world the responsibility for transparent and legal fisheries resource management.” – Julien Guerrier said.
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VFM
