EU Tightens Food Safety Regulations: Challenges and Adaptation Roadmap for Vietnamese Agricultural Products
The European Union is continuously updating and raising food safety standards, posing significant challenges regarding MRLs and EUDR regulations for Vietnam's agricultural exports.
On July 24, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a conference to update on food safety and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures for Vietnamese agricultural products in the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) markets. Mr. Ngo Hong Phong, Director of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development, affirmed that the EU is Vietnam's third-largest export market and the most demanding one, with stringent requirements along the value chain.
Dr. Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office, stated that in the first six months of 2026, the EU issued 74 notifications on SPS measures, leading among WTO members. Notably, SPS notification No. 959 concerns the tightening of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for 8 active ingredients. alarmingly, the new EU MRL thresholds are hundreds of times lower than domestic standards. For instance, for profenofos on tomatoes, the EU mandates a threshold of 0.01 - 0.05 mg/kg, whereas the Vietnamese standard is 10 mg/kg. These regulations will officially take effect in September 2027.
Beyond the general regulatory framework, member states like France and Germany are introducing additional specific standards, creating new technical barriers even when goods meet general EU requirements. This necessitates that Vietnamese enterprises transition from a reactive approach—handling issues after warnings—to proactive risk management. Businesses must ensure information transparency, strict adherence to labeling regulations, and control over packaging migration risks.
Regarding the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), Dr. Truong Tat Do from the Department of Forestry noted that this regulation will apply starting December 31, 2026, to 7 product groups, including wood, coffee, and rubber. The EU requires rigorous traceability throughout the entire value chain, from production areas and warehouses to processing plants. Although Vietnam is currently classified as low-risk, enterprises still need to prepare complete spatial data, land coordinates, and production organization reports for at least the last 5 years to ensure sustainable competitiveness.