Vietnam - Israel FTA: Unlocking Opportunities for Seafood

VIFTA Agreement: A Powerful Boost for Agricultural and Aquatic Products Entering Israel

The economic structures of Vietnam and Israel do not compete directly; therefore, VIFTA creates favorable conditions to promote bilateral trade, including agricultural and aquatic products.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg dated January 5, 2026, of the Prime Minister approving the Implementation Plan for the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and Israel (VIFTA). The plan requires ministries, agencies, and localities to concretize and organize the implementation of tasks such as disseminating information about VIFTA, building laws and institutions, and enhancing competitiveness.

To clarify VIFTA and potential export items to the Israeli market, Industry and Trade Newspaper conducted an interview with Ms. Pham Hoai Linh, Deputy Head of the West Asia – Africa Division, Agency of Foreign Trade (Ministry of Industry and Trade – MOIT).

Ms. Pham Hoai Linh, Deputy Head of the West Asia – Africa Department, Foreign Market Development Division (Ministry of Industry and Trade).

Opportunities for Vietnamese Agri-Aquatic Products Reporter: Now that the VIFTA Agreement has come into effect, in your opinion, which group of Vietnamese seafood products benefits the most from tariff reductions in VIFTA?

Ms. Pham Hoai Linh: Israel is known as a leading trade partner of Vietnam in the West Asia region and is currently Vietnam’s third-largest import-export partner and fifth-largest trade partner in this region.

Besides that, the economic structures of Vietnam and Israel are assessed as complementary and not directly competitive. Therefore, VIFTA is a favorable premise for Vietnam to promote the export of its strong items to Israel while having the opportunity to access Israel’s high-tech products.

In VIFTA, the biggest commitment is raising the trade liberalization rate to 92.7% of total tariff lines (Vietnam’s commitment is 85.8%). Most agricultural and aquatic products—Vietnam’s key items—enjoy tax incentives. Especially, Israel grants a 0% tariff quota for several products such as eggs, meat, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, and honey.

For the seafood sector, tuna is currently a key export item of Vietnam to the Israeli market. In recent years, Vietnam’s tuna exports alone have accounted for approximately 7% of Israel’s total tuna imports from the world.

Rules of Origin (ROO) and Compliance Reporter: Similar to other FTAs, VIFTA also sets barriers regarding rules of origin. From the perspective of a management agency, could you share more about the rules of origin and C/O certification procedures within the VIFTA framework?

Ms. Pham Hoai Linh: To help businesses effectively apply VIFTA, MOIT issued Circular No. 11/2024/TT-BCT detailing rules of origin. This circular specifies criteria for determining goods of Vietnam or Israel origin, including:

Goods wholly obtained or produced.
Goods produced from originating materials.
Goods using non-originating materials that have undergone sufficient processing (meeting RVC, CTC, or specific processing rules).

Competitive Advantages in the Middle East Reporter: What are the special advantages helping Vietnamese seafood compete with other suppliers in the Middle East region?

Ms. Pham Hoai Linh: First, Vietnam has seen remarkable growth in seafood export turnover to this market from 2020–2024, rising from USD 198 million to USD 366 million. This shows the Middle East is a very potential market for shrimp, fish (pangasius, tuna), squid, and octopus.

Second, Vietnam possesses stable supply and large production capacity thanks to a long coastline and developed aquaculture system. This is crucial for Middle Eastern importers who require continuous and stable supply.

Third, Vietnam has modern processing capacity meeting regional standards, including Halal and Kosher. Israel is considered a market with a high degree of openness in the West Asia – North Africa region.

Fourth, Vietnamese enterprises are flexible in processing and packaging, able to produce according to specific market specifications. For example, canned tuna is favored in Israel, and Vietnamese pangasius is gradually gaining popularity in the Middle East.

Image illustration: Through VIFTA, Vietnamese seafood production and export have the opportunity to access Israel’s high technology.

Building Sustainable Brands Reporter: How is MOIT deploying trade promotion programs towards the Israeli market?

Ms. Pham Hoai Linh: MOIT is deploying many programs to introduce strong export products. Domestically, MOIT organizes the annual “Vietnam International Sourcing” exhibition, inviting distributors and major brands from Israel.

Besides trade promotion, MOIT combines investment promotion to help Vietnamese businesses access Israel’s high technology, especially deep processing technology for seafood, to increase product value.

We recommend businesses seek reputable consulting units when accessing the Israeli market and ensure compliance with international laws. The Vietnam Trade Office in Israel acts as an extended arm of the Ministry to support businesses in verifying information and connecting partners.

Reporter: Building a brand is a prerequisite for a firm foothold. What should Vietnamese businesses do to build trust with Israeli importers?

Ms. Pham Hoai Linh: Israeli businessmen are experienced. Vietnamese enterprises must build trust through:

Persistent brand building.
Transparent production processes with clear origin.
Meeting quality, food safety, and existing market regulations.

Businesses should carefully study guidance documents from MOIT. In case of difficulties, they can directly contact the Agency of Foreign Trade (MOIT) or the Vietnam Trade Office system abroad.

Reporter: Thank you, Ma’am!

Note: VIFTA is Israel’s first agreement with a Southeast Asian nation, giving Vietnamese enterprises a significant competitive advantage over neighbors who do not yet have such an FTA.