Lam Dong Ramps Up Action to Meet EC's IUU Fishing Recommendations

Lam Dong province in the central highlands of Vietnam is stepping up its efforts to comply with the European Commission's (EC) recommendations on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. The initiatives aim to address shortcomings in fishing fleet management and ensure the proper regulation of offshore fishing activities. The initiatives place fishermen at the centre of enforcement efforts, promoting community self-management while strengthening coordination between local authorities and relevant agencies in managing offshore fishing activities. The campaign aims to enhance public awareness, increase patrols and inspections, and prevent illegal fishing activities, while protecting marine resources and ensuring that no local fishing vessels violate foreign waters. Under Directive No. 16/CT-UBND, recently issued by the provincial People's Committee, combating IUU fishing has been identified as an urgent political priority requiring concentrated resources to address shortcomings in fishing fleet management, while holding agency heads and local leaders accountable for the results achieved. Market growth is no longer measured solely by revenue size or the number of contracts, but increasingly depends on service quality, risk management capabilities, innovation and the ability to build lasting trust with customers. At the event, companies and researchers promote digital technology solutions for medical facilities, while experts also highlighted and discussed new trends and technologies in the fields of AI, 3D and telemedicine. Vietnam's agricultural exports reached 36 billion USD in the first half of 2026, up 6% year-on-year. While overall growth remained below the government's double-digit target, several products posted strong performance and are showing significant export potential. The biggest risk facing the real estate market is liquidity, while the biggest risk associated with technology lies with its users. Technology can only deliver its full value when it addresses practical market and human needs. Central Retail Vietnam will continue investing in its supermarket network while increasing the share of Vietnamese products in its distribution system. The group will also deepen support for farmers, cooperatives and producers across the supply chain, from cultivation and harvesting to packaging and product standardisation. Dutch businesses welcomed Vietnam's reform agenda and showed strong interest in expanding collaboration in finance and international financial services, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, logistics, ports, shipbuilding, water management, renewable energy and green transition. Vietnam and Argentina emerged as notable exceptions in the European Commission’s (EC) latest agri-food trade report. Imports from Argentina increased 10% thanks to higher sunflower seed shipments, while imports from Vietnam climbed 9%, driven by robust coffee exports. The Business Times of Singapore recently reported that Vietnam moving up the value chain is attracting high-quality investment from Asia in the first half of 2026 despite shifts in the composition of foreign direct investment (FDI). According to PwC’s Global M&A Industry Trends: 2026 Mid-Year Outlook, the total value of global M&A transactions this year could reach approximately 4 trillion USD, driven by large-scale deals and growing investment in AI-related infrastructure. By the end of July, agro-forestry-fishery exports were estimated at nearly 42.6 billion USD, up about 7% year-on-year and equal to 57.6% of the annual target. The performance reaffirmed the sector's role as one of the country's economic mainstays. With the current trading band of +/- 5%, the ceiling rate applicable for commercial banks during the day is 26,605 VND/USD, and the floor rate 24,071 VND/USD. Household deposits at banks reached a new high of 10.8 quadrillion VND (414 billion USD) at the end of May, up more than 108 trillion VND from April and increasing by 4.76% from the beginning of the year, equivalent to nearly 492 trillion VND. Instead of focusing mainly on protecting consumers as previously, the Law on E-commerce clearly defines the legal responsibilities of all participants in the digital marketplace, including e-commerce platforms, businesses, online sellers, key opinion leaders (KOLs), key opinion consumers (KOCs) and affiliate marketers. Established in 1981 as a family-run grocery store, Lucky Supermarket and Dong Phuong Group have grown into one of the largest Asian food retail and distribution networks in Western Canada. Over the past 45 years, the business has evolved beyond serving the Vietnamese community to become an important distribution channel for Vietnamese agricultural products, food and consumer goods. Following its July 2025 merger with Hai Duong province, Hai Phong city has become one of the largest economic hubs in the country, with an expanded development space and direct connectivity between industrial and agricultural production regions, and urban areas in the west with the seaport and logistics system in the east. Vietravel Airlines has unveiled a plan to operate a direct flight route between Ho Chi Minh City - the southern largest economic hub of Vietnam, and Shenzhen of China, with services set to commence on August 15. Western Australia Premier Roger Cook described Vietnam as one of the state’s key partners in Southeast Asia, while highlighting Western Australia’s growing role in the global clean energy transition, backed by its strengths in renewable energy, green hydrogen and critical minerals. The amended regulations add Vietnam to the list of countries permitted to export fresh durian to India. The South Asian nation also waives additional phytosanitary declaration requirements on the phytosanitary certificate and does not impose any special import conditions for the product. The number of aircraft takeoffs and landings neared 27,919, an increase of more than 8,500 flights, or almost 44%. The surge came as the airport sustained high-intensity operations while fast-tracking a major expansion to prepare for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2027. As AI and digital technology reshape the global economy, enhancing the digital capability of MSMEs is essential not only to support their digital transformation but also to unlock new momentum for enhancing productivity, efficiency and competitiveness, said Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the APEC 2027 National Secretariat Nguyen Minh Vu. Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.