Vietnam willing to address issues of mutual concern with EU

Receiving Bernd Lange, chairman of the EP Committee on International Trade (INTA), Hue welcomed the EP official’s visit which he said was taking place at a time when the relations between Vietnam and the EU are progressing well across all fields, from diplomacy, politics, security and defense to economy, trade, investment.

Especially, he said the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), after two years of implementation has brought about practical benefits for both parties. Despite the heavy impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions globally, the economic and trade relations between Vietnam and the EU have grown very well.

Although the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) has only been ratified by 12 EU member countries and has yet to come into force, more and more large EU investors have been keen to invest in Vietnam, he noted.

Hue thanked the INTA and Chairman Bernd Lange personally for their contributions to EVFTA negotiations, ratification and implementation, and said Lange’s visit represents a chance for both sides to re-evaluate the trade pact’s progress and work out solutions to maximize the benefits of the agreement as well as to promote the ratification of the EVIPA.

For his part, INTA Chairman Bernd Lange affirmed that the EVFTA is a solid foundation for the EU-Vietnam relations at present and in the future. Past statistics show the trade pact has produced a positive impact, helping boost post-pandemic economic growth of both sides.

He also said EU countries want to promote cooperative relations with reliable partners, including Vietnam, and hoped they all ratify the EVIPA as soon as possible to bring about mutual benefits.

The EU and Vietnam have established effective and close relations reflected in a number of signed agreements and new cooperation frameworks under negotiations in the areas such as renewable energy, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and green infrastructure development, said Lange.

Concurring with the INTA Chairman’s comments, the Vietnamese legislative leader suggested that the INTA and Chairman Lange continue to support the implementation of the EVFTA and promote the early ratification of the EVIPA by EU member states.

Vietnam and the National Assembly of Vietnam are ready to cooperate with the EU and the EP in the implementation of these two important agreements, he said.

Hue suggested that the EU support Vietnam in meeting COP26 commitments, undertaking climate change adaptation programmes, and realising its digital transformation goal.  

He also suggested that both sides regularly meet and promptly solve problems in import and export of goods, especially agro-forestry and fishery products.

Vietnam is aggressively implementing international commitments and recommendations of the European Commission on fishing, but this requires a roadmap and support as well as cooperation of international partners, including the EU, he said.

He requested that the EU continue to deploy working groups to directly assess the implementation process to soon remove the yellow card warning for Vietnam’s seafood industry.

INTA Chairman Lange welcomed Vietnam’s goodwill, and said the EU and he personally always support Vietnam in matters of international principles and laws as well as in international organizations.

He expressed his belief that with the two sides having the opportunity to strengthen cooperation in the near future, the EU - UK - Vietnam tripartite partnership will soon be deployed to support Vietnam in the fields of renewable energy and green infrastructure development.