Vietnam Facilitates Cross-Border Trade with Same-Day Customs Clearance for Agri-Fishery Products

The Department of Customs has requested regional customs sub-departments to provide maximum facilitation and ensure same-day customs clearance for exported agricultural, forestry and fishery products, including outside regular working hours. Under the agreement, the two sides plan to share electronic cargo manifest data in real time, or as quickly as possible, to support risk management and detect violations, including trade fraud, counterfeit goods, smuggling, origin fraud and tax evasion. As offenders adopt increasingly sophisticated tactics, customs authorities are tightening controls at border gates, stepping up the use of technologies and refining enforcement measures to intercept illicit goods at the import and transit stages. According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Dang Ngoc Diep, agricultural, forestry and fishery exports fetched an estimated 35.88 billion USD in the first six months of 2026, up 6% year-on-year. The sector's GDP expanded by more than 3.8%, exceeding the government's 3.7% target. The results were underpinned by stable production, particularly in key industries. Overall, strong first-half performance has prompted several international institutions, including Standard Chartered, UOB and DBS, to raise their growth forecasts for Vietnam. Standard Chartered projects GDP growth of 9.5% in 2026 and 11% in 2027. With the current trading band of +/- 5%, the ceiling rate applicable for commercial banks during the day is 26,626 VND/USD, and the floor rate 24,090 VND/USD. Reflecting on the agreement's sixth anniversary, EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert said that nearly half of all EU-Vietnam trade over the past three decades has taken place under the EVFTA, underscoring the rapid acceleration of economic integration once market access barriers were removed. According to the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), construction of the passenger terminal has reached nearly 70% of the total contract value, while civil works alone are almost 80% complete. Dr. Tran Minh Ngoc, Director of the National Institute of Medicinal Materials under the Ministry of Health, said Ngoc Linh ginseng (Panax vietnamensis) is an endemic species found only in Vietnam's Ngoc Linh mountain range at elevations of 1,500–2,100 metres. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan said Vietnam's total trade may exceed 1 trillion USD in 2026, supported by effective use of new-generation free trade agreements (FTAs). A subsidiary of Thailand’s SCG Chemicals, LSP manages one of Vietnam’s largest foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, with an initial investment of more than 5 billion USD. The company is also investing an additional USD 500 million to integrate ethane into its feedstock portfolio. Nguyen Van Hung, Vice Chairman of the Cua Lo Ward People’s Committee, said nearly 20% of hotels in the locality have installed rooftop solar systems, helping reduce electricity costs while easing pressure on the power supply during the hottest months. If Vietnam can create the institutions, funding channels and support systems that allow businesses to develop at different stages, the target of 2 million active enterprises by 2030 could mark not just a numerical milestone, but the emergence of a more resilient engine of growth. Representatives of the Czech side spoke highly of the potential for cooperation with Da Nang and affirmed their readiness to help connect Czech enterprises with Vietnamese partners, thereby promoting stronger bilateral investment and trade ties in the years to come. The working sessions between Deputy PM Nguyen Van Thang and Dutch partners helped strengthen the foundation of financial cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands, opening up opportunities for experience sharing, market connections and new initiatives in finance, technology and innovation, thereby making positive contributions to the comprehensive partnership. 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. The central province of Lam Dong is exerting every effort to join Vietnam's efforts to achieve the early removal of the EC's "yellow card" warning. 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. Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.