A number of herbs and spices imported by the EU from Viet Nam will face fewer checks when entering the bloc.

The Viet Nam Trade Office in Belgium and the EU said that the European Commission (EU) on January 27 published the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/174, issued on January 26. The document concerns the temporary application of official and emergency control measures for certain foods imported into the EU.

The new rules are an amendment to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793.

Accordingly, for Viet Nam, spices that were previously controlled at a frequency of 50 per cent such as coriander, basil, mint and parsley have been removed from the control list.

Currently, only chili peppers are on the EU border control list with a quality control frequency of 50 per cent.

However, okra has been moved from Appendix I to Appendix II with the requirement of a certificate of pesticide control of Viet Nam and the frequency of pesticide inspection at the EU border gate is set at 50 per cent.

Dragon fruit and instant noodles are still in Appendix II with Viet Nam's pesticide certification requirements and the inspection frequency at the EU border gate set at 20 per cent.

This regulation will take effect on the 20th day from the date of publication of the Commission Implementing Regulation. — VNS