EFTA bloc presents farm export opportunities
(VOV) - Vietnamese agricultural and seafood businesses will enjoy a wealth of export expansion opportunities provided they abide by the European Free Trade Association’s (EFTA) sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards.
Tran Trung Thuc, chief Vietnamese negotiator for the Vietnam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement, introduced these opportunities at an October 3 seminar in HCM City.
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development convened the seminar to raise industry awareness regarding EFTA sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulations.
Thuc believes that despite its comparatively smaller size, the EFTA’s four Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Liechtensteinian comprise a dynamic bloc rich in potential.
Vietnam and the EFTA bloc agreed to advance their economic cooperation by beginning Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations in 2009.
The two parties have conducted five rounds of negotiations so far, making progress on an FTA covering trade in goods and services and transnational investment.
The HCM City seminar will help the Vietnamese delegation learn more about what domestic businesses would like to see from the next round of negotiations.
Thuc says that along with tariff reductions, according with SPS requirements is essential to opening doors for Vietnamese agricultural and seafood exports to the EFTA and the EU markets.
Deputy Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Larissa Falkenberg Kosanovic said SPS measures were devised to ensure safe animal and plant products and protect consumer health.
The EFTA bloc has signed FTA agreements with 36 countries and presents Vietnam with a valuable opportunity to expand its international customer base, she said.