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| Delegates attending the 4th Meeting of the Vietnam - EU Joint Committee. |
On October 27, at the Headquarters of the European Union (EU) External Action Service (EEAS), Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and Ms. Paola Pampaloni, Acting Director General of the EEAS Asia-Pacific Department, chaired the 4th Meeting of the Vietnam-EU Joint Committee on implementing the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
Attending the meeting, on the Vietnamese side were representatives of the Government Office and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Public Security, Industry and Trade, Planning and Investment, Justice, Finance, Agriculture and Rural Development; on the EU side were representatives of the European External Action Service and the Directorates General: Trade, Connectivity, International Partnerships, Tax and Customs Union, Climate Change, Seas and Fisheries of the European Commission (EC).
At the meeting, the two sides informed each other about the socio-economic situation and foreign policies of each side; reviewed and comprehensively assessed the situation of Vietnam - EU cooperation, especially in cooperation frameworks such as the Defense - Security Dialogue, the Trade Committee implementing the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and specialized subcommittees in the Vietnam - EU Joint Committee.
The two sides assessed that the Vietnam-EU relationship has recently developed positively, demonstrated through increased delegation exchanges and high-level contacts; trade-investment cooperation, development cooperation, defense-security, education-training, climate change response, etc. have been strongly promoted; and cooperation/dialogue mechanisms have brought into play positive effects.
The EU highly appreciated Vietnam's impressive achievements in socio-economic development and international integration. To promote the comprehensive partnership and cooperation between Vietnam and the EU in the coming time, the two sides agreed to continue to increase the exchange of high-level delegations; coordinate to fully and effectively implement the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA); effectively promote existing cooperation/dialogue mechanisms; further strengthen cooperation in all potential areas, especially trade - investment, development cooperation, green, digital and circular economy, development of modern and sustainable fisheries and strong transition to aquaculture, clean energy conversion, innovation, infrastructure, etc.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang suggested that the EU urge the Parliaments of 10 out of 27 member states of the union to soon ratify the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to create new opportunities for bilateral trade and investment development; strengthen cooperation and support Vietnam in developing its marine economy, including early removal of the IUU yellow card for Vietnam's seafood exports; continue to cooperate and support Vietnam in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially financial support, technology transfer, human resource training, etc. within the framework of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) between Vietnam and the International Partnership Group, of which the EU is the coordinator.
Representatives of ministries and sectors attending the meeting also proposed many specific measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade - investment, finance, development cooperation, climate change response, agriculture, defense - security, etc.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that Vietnam supports strengthening the ASEAN-EU strategic partnership, prioritizing promoting trade and investment cooperation, responding to global challenges related to climate, environment, natural disasters, and epidemics, contributing to green and sustainable development, and cooperating in sub-regional development, including the Mekong sub-region.
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Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang received and discussed with Ms. Helena Konig, Deputy Secretary General of EEAS. |
Agreeing with the proposals of the Vietnamese side, the EU side announced the priorities in the Indo-Pacific Cooperation Strategy and the Global Gateway of the bloc and hoped that Vietnam would participate in cooperation projects within the framework of these strategies; affirmed that Vietnam is a very important partner of the EU in the Asia-Pacific region and will continue to support and assist Vietnam in sustainable development, serving as a model for the EU's cooperative relations with other partners in the world; proposed that the two sides continue to strengthen cooperation in the pillars of the relationship including politics - diplomacy, trade - investment, defense - security, climate change response, while expanding cooperation in new areas such as tax, biodiversity conservation, global plastic waste treatment, labor and prevention of illegal migration, etc.
Discussing international and regional issues of mutual concern, the two sides agreed to promote multilateralism and the role of the United Nations; affirmed that disputes must be resolved by peaceful means, on the basis of international law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter; and ensured security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea on the basis of compliance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).
Previously, on the afternoon of October 26, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang received and discussed with Ms. Helena Konig, Deputy Secretary General of EEAS.
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