On April 8, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy had a working session with Mr. Nguyen Van Thao, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Belgium and Luxembourg, Head of Mission to the EU. Also attending were Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien.
4 Areas of cooperation opportunities between Vietnam and Belgium
The meeting focused mainly on four issues: the goal of boosting exports to the EU, cooperation with the EU to develop biotechnology, the blue economy, supporting administrative procedures in forestry projects, and implementing measures to remove the yellow card on IUU fishing.
Regarding agricultural exports to the EU, Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao stated that the EU market, with its trend towards green consumption, organic food, and certified products, presents significant opportunities for Vietnamese agricultural products. In addition, Vietnam has favorable natural conditions to produce various specialty agricultural products that the EU does not have, such as dragon fruit, mangoes, passion fruit, lychees, and longans. In 2024, Vietnam set a record with exports worth USD 4.21 billion to the EU.
However, Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao mentioned that many Vietnamese export businesses still primarily focus on large markets like China and the United States, lacking proactive engagement with the EU market.
The EU is a market with very high food safety and quality standards. Products exported to this market must meet SPS regulations, including food safety checks, quarantine measures, food additives, etc., as well as TBT regulations, with strict limits on pesticide residues.
At the meeting, Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment work closely with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to expand the export of Vietnamese agricultural products. He also recommended connecting the Vietnamese diaspora, industry associations, and businesses to export to small-scale supermarket chains and restaurants. This is a solid first step toward deeper penetration into the EU market.
Regarding the application of biotechnology, Mr. Nguyen Van Thao noted that Belgium has a strong foundation in modern agricultural research and advanced biotechnology. Belgium's research on developing agriculture adapted to climate change not only opens up potential cooperation opportunities but also creates conditions for both countries to find optimal solutions for major challenges in agricultural production.
The Ambassador hopes that in the near future, many cooperation programs between Vietnam and Belgium can be implemented to encourage the participation of businesses and investors in the development of biotechnology. This will not only create high-quality agricultural products but also protect the environment and contribute to increasing the value of Vietnam's agricultural sector.
Regarding the blue economy, Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao stated that the European Union is currently leading the world in environmental protection and climate change adaptation. Within this framework, the EU and Vietnam share a common strategy for the blue economy, with many similarities in their blue economy pillars. Therefore, Vietnam can maximize this potential and cooperate on a mutually beneficial basis.
In addition, Mr. Thao hopes to expedite internal procedures and remove administrative obstacles to ensure that EU-supported forestry projects are implemented more quickly and effectively. He also emphasized the importance of strictly penalizing fishing vessels that violate IUU regulations and rigorously implementing measures to remove the IUU yellow card this year.
Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy met and worked with Mr. Nguyen Van Thao, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Belgium and Luxembourg, Head of Mission to the EU. Photo: Phuong Linh.Promoting the role of the Vietnamese diaspora business community as a bridge
Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy agreed with the viewpoint of enhancing cooperation between Vietnam and the EU, especially in the development of the blue economy. Among these, the offshore wind power sector is very suitable for the needs and strengths of both sides.
According to Minister Do Duc Duy, in the past, the development and attraction of offshore wind power investment faced many difficulties, primarily due to the lack of a clear legal framework. The survey process for offshore wind energy often takes a long time, up to 3 years, and involves many complex steps such as wind measurement and marine surveys.
Regarding seafood exports, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized the need to learn from and build high-tech marine farming models like those in Norway, to attract businesses and contribute to boosting exports, while also reducing the intensity of marine resource exploitation. This model not only improves production efficiency but also ensures the sustainability of marine resource exploitation.
On trade promotion, leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment agreed that the role of the Vietnamese diaspora business community should be further utilized as a bridge to enhance outreach, support, and expand markets in the EU. Minister Do Duc Duy also mentioned the possibility of organizing a symposium on agricultural exports to the EU to share information and create opportunities for large businesses to connect and cooperate with international partners.