New EU regulations on emergency and temporary measures to control food safety
On June 7, 2023, the EU published in the official gazette Regulation (EU) 2023⁄1110 signed on June 6, 2023 amending Regulation 2019⁄1973 on emergency measures to control food exports to the EU. Accordingly, the EU has officially moved Vietnamese instant noodles from Appendix II (controlled by food safety certificate and control at the border gate) to Appendix I with a frequency of inspection at the Border of 20%. Thus, from June 27, 2023, instant noodle products exported from Vietnam will not be required to come with a certificate of authenticity.
Also in this Regulation, bell peppers from Vietnam are still in Appendix I with a 50% inspection frequency at the border gate; Okra and dragon fruit are still in Appendix II with inspection frequencies of 50% and 20%, respectively. This means that agricultural products have no changes compared to the regulations of 6 months ago.
The regulations take effect 20 days after the date of publication in the official gazette.
For detailed information, please refer to the EU official gazette: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2023.147.01.0111.01.ENG&toc=OJ %3AL%3A2023%3A147%3ATOC
Thus, only 6 months after the EU passed emergency control regulations on Vietnamese vermicelli and vermicelli (effective from January 1, 2022), Vietnam has successfully persuaded the EU to give vermicelli noodles to Vietnam. Vermicelli and rice products were removed from the list of food safety management and 18 months later, instant noodles were successfully moved from Appendix II (controlled by deed and at border gates) to Appendix I (controlled). at border gate). This demonstrates the great and timely efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in controlling food safety as well as actively supporting businesses in solving difficulties.
- However, the fact that the EU still maintains control at the border gate with a frequency of 20% requires Vietnam to always maintain good food safety control of instant noodles. If in the last 6 months of 2023, Vietnamese instant noodles exported to the EU have many violations of food safety regulations, the EU's next roadmap will be to increase supervision to 50% at the border gate and after. That is to bring it back to Appendix II. If Vietnamese instant noodles are returned to Appendix II (as in the case of Thanh Long), the process of convincing the EU to return to Appendix I will be much more difficult.
Therefore, it is recommended that Vietnamese instant noodle export businesses must continuously control food safety, and even consider applying voluntary measures such as self-testing at reputable laboratories. for instant noodle shipments exported to the EU./.
Minh Toan
