The agreement was reached during talks in Hanoi on March 14 between Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela as part of the latter’s official visit to Vietnam.

Trung welcomed Síkela, noting that it was the first visit to Vietnam by an EU Commissioner since both sides elevated their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in January 2026. The visit, he said, demonstrated the EU’s strong commitment to implementing the new partnership framework.

The Vietnamese minister shared key outcomes and strategic orientations set out at the 14th National Congress of the Communist of Vietnam, emphasising a new growth model driven by science, technology, innovation and digital transformation. Vietnam is accelerating the development of the digital economy, green economy and circular economy to achieve rapid and sustainable growth, he said.

Reaffirming that the EU is one of Vietnam’s leading partners, Trung called for more substantive and effective cooperation. He proposed increased high-level exchanges and closer coordination to implement key pillars of the partnership, particularly the new focus on science, technology and innovation.

He also urged both sides to further leverage the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to expand economic and trade ties, and called on the EU to expedite ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement. In addition, he proposed the removal of the EU’s “yellow card” warning on Vietnam’s seafood related to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and requested that Vietnam be removed from the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.

For his part, Commissioner Síkela praised Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements amid global uncertainties and expressed strong interest in the country’s development vision. He affirmed that the EU stands ready to support Vietnam in promoting growth driven by science, technology and innovation, and is keen to participate in projects related to infrastructure, minerals and sustainable energy.

The EU Commissioner also agreed with Vietnam’s proposals and pledged close coordination to effectively implement new cooperation pillars under the Global Gateway initiative. This includes mobilising financial resources, especially green finance, promoting technology transfer, and providing technical assistance to help Vietnam achieve its long-term development goals.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to effectively implementing the EVFTA as a key driver for balanced and sustainable growth in bilateral trade and investment.

They also agreed to strengthen coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, promote multilateralism, uphold international law and advance free trade and sustainable development.

Highlighting the central role of ASEAN, both sides committed to working closely together to further deepen European Union–ASEAN relations, with Vietnam continuing to serve as an active and effective bridge, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Vietnam pursues EU cooperation for green, digital, and trade goals

VOV.VN - Vietnam is seeking to leverage its newly elevated strategic partnership with the European Union (EU) to accelerate infrastructure development, green transition, digital transformation, and deeper integration into global supply chains, according to Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc.