The workshop, held on December 3 by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) in collaboration with the EU Delegation to Vietnam, brought together scholars, policymakers, and business leaders to discuss the evolving trajectory of Vietnam–EU relations.

In his opening speech, Professor-Dr. Le Van Loi, President of the VASS, noted that rapid global changes across security, economic, technological, and environmental spheres have heightened expectations for the bilateral partnership. Meeting international standards on trade, labour, environmental protection, carbon emissions, data governance, and digital transformation requires flexibility, proactivity, and policy innovation.

Yet, he said, these challenges present opportunities in energy transition, circular economy, innovation, sustainable agriculture, digital economy, and high-quality education. The social sciences and humanities have played a vital role in linking historical experience with future directions, transforming lessons into actionable policy recommendations.

The scholar affirmed that the VASS remains an open forum for scholars, policymakers and businesses to engage in constructive, practical dialogue. The workshop, he said, would help clarify the trajectory of bilateral relations and provide a scientific basis for future policy decisions.

Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam Rafael de Bustamante Tello highlighted the deepening of bilateral ties over recent decades. In 2024, two-way trade reached EUR18.8 billion with Vietnam recording an EUR11.4-billion trade surplus with Germany.

More than 530 German enterprises are operating in Vietnam, historically concentrated in the South but now expanding to the North and Central regions. German investment, totaling EUR2.8 billion, has generated approximately 50,000 jobs. These achievements, he noted, stem from a favourable business environment built by both sides.

He also underscored the importance of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), in force since August 2020, which provides a clear tariff-reduction roadmap - an invaluable mechanism amid rising global trade tensions.

Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. and Dr. Nguyen Chien Thang, Director of the Institute for European and American Studies under the VASS stated that Vietnam–EU relations have progressed steadily from development aid to a comprehensive economic partnership, and are now gradually shaping into a strategic cooperation framework grounded in shared values of sustainable development, fair trade, innovation and international integration. Key drivers include trade and investment, political dialogue, green transformation and science-technology collaboration, all of which have reinforced the resilience of the partnership in a volatile global environment.

He stressed that trade remains the strongest pillar, with bilateral turnover consistently rising, especially after the EVFTA, making the EU one of Vietnam’s most important export markets. Political and diplomatic ties have also expanded through the Vietnam–EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and regular dialogue mechanisms that build trust and open doors for cooperation in priority areas.

At the event, participants engaged in candid discussions on issues such as enhancing people-to-people exchanges, mobilising financial resources for Vietnam’s green growth strategy, expanding science-technology-innovation cooperation, and assessing the EU’s role in the Asia–Pacific region. Their insights offered valuable recommendations for policymakers moving forward.

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