Green export are no longer an option — they are becoming a mandatory requirement for Vietnamese agricultural businesses aiming to deepen their presence in the EU and other global markets.
The EU is rolling out a series of new policies, such as the “Farm to Fork” strategy, with increasingly stringent requirements for product quality and safety:
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Minimizing the use of pesticides and reducing residues to permitted levels;
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Reducing antibiotic use in livestock and limiting residues in animal products;
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Increasing green requirements for packaging design;
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Ensuring transparency of product information, labeling, and traceability of origin.
On July 25, 2024, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) officially came into force, requiring European companies to be accountable not only for the environmental and human rights impacts of their own operations, but also for their subsidiaries and partners throughout their entire value chains.
Under this directive, companies with more than 1,000 employees must conduct due diligence and report on sustainability practices across all supply chain stages. This places very high expectations on exporters — especially in the agricultural and food sectors — to demonstrate sustainable production practices and implement effective monitoring systems to identify and mitigate risks related to human rights violations and environmental harm.
For exporters, this means the need to:
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Develop transparent traceability systems, from farmers to final products.
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Clearly document and report on labor conditions, environmental protection, absence of child labor, and no deforestation.
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Provide training and work closely with farmers and cooperatives to raise awareness and promote sustainable practices.
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Update quality control processes, as meeting sustainability requirements naturally aligns with improving product quality (e.g., cleaner agricultural products, lower chemical residues, more consistent output).
Early adaptation = competitive advantage.
This trend toward “greening” is not limited to the EU — it is rapidly expanding across major markets such as the US, UK, Japan, and Australia. Standardizing production processes now will enable Vietnamese agricultural products to seize export opportunities and build long-term advantages in the global marketplace.
GEVA is a project promoting green export and voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) that we are implementing, with the goal of supporting Vietnamese businesses to:
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Strengthen capacity to meet international VSS standards;
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Achieve export certification and expand market access;
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Build effective connections between Vietnamese enterprises and global partners.
Learn more at:: https://trungtamwto.vn/xuat-khau-xanh/tin-tuc/24993-thoa-thuan-xanh-chau-au-nong-san-thuc-pham-va-det-may-can-nam-bat-co-hoi-nguoi-di-truoc