The overall target of the third phase of the EC-funded multilateral trade assistance project (MUTRAP) is supporting the implementation of Vietnam’s socio-economic development plan and an action plan after joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for sustainable economic development and poverty reduction through global economic integration.

Vietnam will contribute EUR670,000 to the third phase.

The information was released at a workshop held in Hanoi on June 6 to review the second phase of the project and introduce the third phase, which will be implemented from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2012 by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the EC delegation to Vietnam.

The third phase aims to improve the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s capacity in implementing and developing economic integration strategies for Vietnam with experiences learned from Europe.

The project’s EUR5.35 million second phase focused on supporting Vietnam’s bid to join the WTO, helping the country to fulfill its commitments to this biggest world economic body and solving emerging problems during the post-WTO period.

According to the second phase’s director Tran Thi Thu Hang, the MUTRAP II has helped improve the capacity of relevant ministries and agencies for mapping out trade-related policies and improving negotiation skills, trade self-defense measures and dispute handling process within the WTO.