The 7th negotiation round of Vietnam – EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was held from March 17 to 26, 2014 in Hanoi. Two sides have been active in accelerating negotiation in all aspects, especially is the fields both sides have benefits in.

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.

The EU and Vietnam today completed the sixth round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The talks were held in Brussels from 13-17 January.

Vietnam and the European Union (EU) kick-started the fifth round of their free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in Hanoi on November 4.

Negotiations between the EU and Singapore on a free trade agreement kicked off in March 2010 and were concluded in December 2012.

The EU and Singapore today (20/9/2013) release the text of one of the most comprehensive trade agreements they have ever negotiated. It is the first EU deal with a Southeast Asian economy and has the potential to open the door to Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with other countries from the region.

The fourth Vietnam – EU (EVFTA) negotiation round was taking place in Brussels from July 1st to 5th, 2013 in Brussels, Belgium. At this negotiation round, two sides had accelerated discussion in all aspects and obtained positive progresses on basis of mutual benefit balance.

The third negotiation round of Vietnam – EU Free Trade AgreementImplementing guidance of the two sides’ Leadership, the third negotiation round of Vietnam – EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was held from April 23rd to 26th, 2013 in Hochiminh city. Vietnamese Delegation led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Vietnamese Government’s Chief Negotiator on economic issues and international trade Tran Quoc Khanh with representatives from relevant Ministries and branches were participating in the negotiation round.

Vietnam and the European Union started the second round of their negotiations on the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (VEFTA) in Brussels, Belgium, on January 22.  The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh and the EU delegation, headed by Mauro Petriccone, Director for Asia and Latin America of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Trade.  The four-day talk will focus on the exchange of goods and services, investment, intellectual property, labour and environmental issues. 

It involves 60 experts from both sides. The Vietnamese delegation is headed by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh and the EU delegation by Chief Negotiator Mauro Petriccione. As scheduled, both sides will engage in three rounds of negotiations from now into 2013 to be finished in 2014. Vietnam wants to sign the FTA with the EU, in the hope that domestic businesses will be able to penetrate the European market and provide an opportunity for local consumers to purchase EU products at cheaper prices.