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Exporters ‘lack technical know how’
The Viet Nam Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Notification Authority and Enquiry Point is the only source of information on TBT requirements for Vietnamese exporters who need to work closely with it, officials and experts told a workshop in HCM City yesterday.
Pham Thi Kim Yen, deputy director of the Vietnam TBT Office, said that it disseminated information on technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures related to technical barriers to trade.
It had inquiry points in all 63 provinces and cities, she said.
But ties between the network and enterprises were not strong, she said, warning that exporters who did not comply with technical regulations would face difficulties in export markets, even bans.
Colm Halloran, an international expert with the Multilateral Trade Assistance Project III (MUTRAP), emphasised the importance of enhancing the role of the Vietnam TBT Office in supporting exporters, and suggested measures for doing it.
He urged TBT to develop a TBT database of requirements in key export markets as a resource for exporters and other interested stakeholders.
Besides, the office needed to develop the capacity to help exporters resolve disagreements with regulatory authorities in other countries in compliance with TBT requirements, and provide them with consultancy in this area, he said.
It should organise workshops in co-operation with export associations to raise awareness of TBT requirements among exporters.
Nutritional claims
TBT requirements mainly focused on human-disease control measures, nutritional claims and food packaging and quality standards.
A workshop on sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for exporters when exporting to the EU market, was held the same day.
Digby Gascoine, another expert with MUTRAP III, said that SPS measures were defined in the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and were intended to protect human and animal health from food-borne risks.
They could be from diseases carried by animals and plants, the microbiological contamination of food, pesticides or veterinary drug residues and food additives.
Le Thanh Hoa, deputy director of the Vietnam SPS Office, said her office served as the official channel for communication between Viet Nam and other countries on SPS issues.
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