The equipment worth EUR544,000 will help to upgrade these laboratories.

It will be used to conduct tests on agricultural and fishery products for export in accordance with international standards and World Trade Organisation requirements.

“The laboratory equipment will supplement and enhance the test performance of the Vietnam Metrology Centre and STAMEQ’s quality testing centres in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City,” said Tran Van Vinh, deputy director general of STAMEQ.

“It will help us timely and efficiently meet the growing demands of standard adjustment and testing from business enterprises and science research centres nationwide,” he said.

To improve Vietnam’s standardisation, metrology, and test performance, the European Commission has supported the Ministry of Science and Technology to successfully implement the ETV2 Project and units belonging to STAMEQ, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Agro-Aqua-Sylvie Products Quality Management and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Vinh said Project ETV2 focuses on reviewing and drafting legislation; rationalising organisational mechanisms; improving staff and test performance; and procuring equipment to comply with international requirements and regulations.