The Vietnamese delegation was headed by Doan Xuan Hung, assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister.

During the negotiations, Vietnam and the EU discussed the content of PCA in a friendly atmosphere, affirming PCA inherits the 1995 framework agreement and pledging to boost bilateral trade relations as well as mutual development.

The EU was committed to helping Vietnam narrow the income gap between different regions and population groups, reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

The two parties also exchanged views on issues of mutual concern such as prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, anti-terrorism, and migration management.

They also agreed to set up sub-committees on trade, investment and development cooperation (based on their current working parties) and a sub-committee on science and technology cooperation.

PCA is a comprehensive agreement that covers most areas of bilateral and multilateral cooperation such as politics, trade, justice, culture, education, medicine, energy, agriculture and environment. It demonstrates the spirit of the Vietnam-EU joint communiqué made during the visit to Vietnam by European Commission President Jode Manuel Barroso in November 2007.

The second round of negotiations for PCA will take place in Hanoi in September this year.