At a reception for EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht in Hanoi on March 2, the Government leader applauded the EU Trade Commissioner’s first visit to Vietnam and the growing trade relations between Vietnam and the EU. He said two-way trade turnover reached US$12 billion last year and businesses from the EU are investing in about 1,000 projects worth approximately US$13.3 billion in Vietnam.

PM Dung said Vietnamese ministries and agencies are eager to complete negotiations and sign the Partnership and Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and the Agreement on Free Trade Area (FTA) with the EU.

Vietnam has successfully shifted to a market economy and deeply integrated it with the global economy. As an active member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Vietnam has trade and investment relations with most of the countries around the world.

The PM asked the EU to recognise Vietnam’s market economy status as soon as possible and added that Vietnam and the EU need to resolve issues related to the EU’s unjust extension of its anti-dumping tax on Vietnamese leather-capped shoes..

Mr. De Gucht agreed to boost the EU’s cooperation with Vietnam, especially in the fields of economics, investment and trade.

He expressed his hope that both sides will be ready to sign the PCA and FTA agreements at the upcoming Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Brussels, Belgium.