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Vietnam deals with new US regulations
Representatives of the Vietnamese business community and other relevant Vietnamese and US agencies attended a seminar in Hanoi on April 27 to examine the new regulations on exports to the US market.
With the emphasis on food safety, Cathy Sauceda, Director of the Import Safety and Interagency Requirements, Customs and Border Protection of the US Department of Homeland Security, warned Vietnamese businesses that they must fully understand and follow the US’s new stricter regulations on the safety of products during the whole process, from production to the customer, in order to avoid risking their export operations.
US experts highlighted many new points in the regulations relating to the import of wooden products and sea foods and the complete ban imposed on the trading of wild animals, as well as the safety of exports in general.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade (MIT) Nguyen Thanh Bien urged domestic businesses to consult with international trading experts to find out how the three new US acts affect their export activities. He said that as these acts are complicated and an obstacle for traders, businesses should study them carefully.
He also asked businesses to hold direct talks with their US trade partners to be absolutely clear about the changes in the US’s management and export mechanisms.
The deputy minister said it is important for Vietnamese businesses to combine production with information exchanges and trade promotions to make the most of the US market.
Talking with a Vietnam News Agency correspondent on the sidelines of the seminar, Deputy Minister Bien said the new regulations that will cover Vietnamese exports will become into operation in 2009 and the MIT has invited a number of experts to explain them to Vietnamese associations, businesses and agencies to help them implement the regulations and avoid any negative impacts to Vietnamese exports.
“At the same time we will also look at measures to deal with those regulations that are unfair and do not conform with international practices,” he said.
According to the MIT, the US market is still predicted to be Vietnam’s largest export market this year.
Last year, Vietnam exported 12.5 billion USD worth of goods to the US, a 19 percent increase over the previous year. Vietnamese businesses export 18 core products to the US, including textiles and garments, footwear, wooden products and furniture.
VIETNAMPLUS
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