Why are seafood exports to some Middle Eastern countries blocked?

Seafood export enterprises need to know the process of issuing and legalizing C/O. Photo: L.T

According to information from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in the past month, a number of seafood exporting enterprises have reported that many seafood shipments exported to some Middle Eastern countries have had their documents returned by the Consular Department due to problems related to consular legalization procedures, leading to export congestion to these markets.

According to information received by enterprises, the documents were returned by the Consular Department due to disagreement on the seal/signature sample with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

Regarding this, the leader of VCCI said that while waiting for the procedure to change the C/O issuance seal due to VCCI's name change, this organization has submitted a request to use the VCCI seal on C/Os requiring consular legalization, and from November 18, 2024, it will register the VCCI HCMC seal to stamp on export documents for enterprises.

“Therefore, businesses that are having trouble with consular legalization issues, please contact the Legal Department, VCCI HCMC for early support”- VCCI representative said.

Consular legalization (also known as consular certification) is a process to confirm the legality of papers and documents, especially when these documents need to be used abroad.

Countries that require consular legalization for documents related to imported goods will have different regulations depending on each country.

Usually, documents that need to be legalized in the field of import and export include commercial documents, certificates of origin (C/O), commercial invoices, bills of lading, inspection certificates, and other documents related to the export and import process.

Consular legalization of C/O is an important part of the export process, and is closely related to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) - the agency that issues certificates of origin (C/O).

However, consular legalization is an additional step after the C/O has been issued, especially when exporting to countries that require certification of the legality of documents.

Based on the above reality, VASEP recommends that when exporting seafood and other products, businesses need to clearly understand the process of issuing and consular legalization of C/O.

Avoiding risks and delays in customs clearance of import and export goods, businesses need to clearly understand the requirements for documents and certifications of the importing country; ensuring that the C/O is issued correctly and legalized according to the correct procedure; paying attention to the time and cost of legalization; carefully checking the documents and legalization requirements before exporting.

This helps businesses minimize risks and ensure a smooth export process, while taking advantage of tariff incentives and competitive advantages in international markets.