Title: Compliance of the Icelandic and Vietnamese fisheries sectors with the new EU legislation on food hygiene and official control

In recent years, the Vietnamese fisheries sector has become one of the key export sectors of Vietnam, in which the EU market has occupied an important position. The EU has adopted a legislation package on food hygiene and official control which took effect on 1 January 2006. For the purpose of increasing opportunities for export of fishery products into the EU, which has high requirements on food safety, fish exporting countries such as Vietnam and Iceland have to comply fully with the new EU legislation. Iceland has made much progress and gained valuable experience and knowledge. Therefore, after determining the basic requirements of the new legislation, this study focuses on the experience from Icelandic compliance with the EU legislation on food hygiene and official control, identifies the weaknesses and shortcomings of the Vietnamese fisheries sector as well as measures necessary to help the Vietnamese fisheries sector to meet the new EU requirements. As a result, some valuable lessons from Iceland and recommendations for a legislative framework, structure and activities of authorities in Vietnam as well as necessary changes in activities of the Vietnamese fishing industry are raised for relevant interests.