Chief Negotiator of the EU, Mr. Mauro Petriccione, believes that as Vietnam is the first developing country to be involved in FTA negotiations with the EU, the bloc has taken into consideration the country’s development level and has shown flexibility in the negotiation process.

Ongoing European Union (EU)-Vietnam free trade negotiations are reaching a critical point. Although negotiations have advanced well so far, the most difficult part of the talks still lies ahead of Brussels and Hanoi, a hearing at the EU parliament revealed. Some idea of the likely carve-outs from trade liberalisation in this politically sensitive deal for both parties starts emerging.

The European Parliament (EP) heard reports on the progress of negotiations on the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in Brussels on February 24 ahead of the final round of negotiations to take place in Vietnam in March 2015. Chief Negotiator of the EU Mauro Petriccione noted that as Vietnam is the first developing country to get involved in FTA negotiations with the EU, the EU has taken into consideration Vietnam’s development level and has showed certain flexibility in the negotiation process. 

The Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), expected to be signed by October this year, would likely bring “win-win” opportunities of success for both sides’ business circles, according to experts at the business forum held recently in southern Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City.According to Jean-Jacques Bouflet, minister-counsellor and head of the Trade and Economic section of the EU delegation to Vietnam, the EU continued to be the most important market for many key exports of Vietnam.

HA NOI (VNS)  — Vietnamese officials, representatives from the European Union (EU) delegation and experts from Singapore, Thailand and the US attended a seminar in Ha Noi yesterday to discuss challenges in the implementation of the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement (VEFTA).During recent meetings, Vietnamese and EU leaders emphasised their political resolve to sign the deal in early 2015, according to chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan.

HA NOI (VNS)  — Vietnamese officials, representatives from the European Union (EU) delegation and experts from Singapore, Thailand and the US attended a seminar in Ha Noi yesterday to discuss challenges in the implementation of the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement (VEFTA).During recent meetings, Vietnamese and EU leaders emphasised their political resolve to sign the deal in early 2015, according to chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan.

VGP - Viet Nam and the EU will continue the 12th round of negotiations on the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) on March 24 in Ha Noi, which is expected the last session before the negotiations are concluded and the agreement signed. The signing of the Agreement of Partnership and Cooperation and the EVFTA negotiations are positive signs in bilateral ties as Viet Nam and the EU celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, said spokesman for the EC's Trade Office Joseph Waldstein Wartenberg.

The negotiators of the Eurpean Commission and of Canada finalised their work in early August 2014. The EU Member States and the European Parliament received the complete text on 5th August. President Barroso, President Van Rompuy and Prime Minister Harper announced the end of the CETA negotiations at the EU-Canada Summit on 26 September. The text of the agreement was made public the same day.Download  Summary of the final negotiating results and full text of the CETA agreement below:

The EU and Vietnam completed the ninth round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The talks were held in Danang, Vietnam, from 22-26 September. Both teams made good progress on finding common ground on all outstanding issues and are looking for a swift conclusion to the negotiations.

The 8th negotiation round of Vietnam – EU FTA was conducted from June 23 to 27, 2014 in Brussels, Belgium. In this round, negotiation in all aspects has been accelerated, especially is in those two sides have benefits.