Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man (third, right) and Chairman of the European Parliament (EP)'s Committee on International Trade (INTA) Bernd Lange (third, left) in a group photo. (Photo: VNA) Recalling the Global Gateway Forum (GGF) organised by the EU last month, Lange said among the GGF-funded projects, there were those for Vietnam, demonstrating the active partnership between the EU and Vietnam and facilitating Vietnam’s production in the European market.
The INTA Chairman expressed his delight at the access of e-vehicles by Vietnamese automaker VinFast to the European market, stressing green transition is a common concern, and ample room remains for this trend.
Regarding the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Lange expressed his belief that the two sides will join hands to handle pending issues, and suggested them seek solutions for agricultural standards.
He also lauded Vietnam’s commitments and efforts in joining International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
Vietnam plays an important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Lange said, emphasising his and the EU’s stance of supporting the freedom of navigation and overflight, and supporting the stance in the direction of respecting international law, especially in the East Sea.
For his part, Man said his working trip to the EP aims to promote in-depth discussions between the Vietnamese legislature and the EP, especially those made during the visit to Vietnam by the INTA Chairman in September 2022.
Vietnam always attaches importance to its comprehensive partnership and cooperation with the EU, he said, noting with pleasure the positive developments of the relations between Vietnam and the EU, and between the Vietnamese NA and the EP in particular.
Since the establishment of the diplomatic ties 33 years ago, and of the comprehensive partnership and cooperation 11 years ago, Vietnam has become an important partner of the EU in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific, he continued.
Man spoke highly of joint efforts in maintaining the inter-parliamentary dialogue channel in a substantive and effective manner through delegation exchanges, along with the cooperation mechanism to materialise the EVFTA, contributing to promoting priorities and settling issues in the Vietnam-EU relations.
The EU is one of Vietnam’s leading trade and investment partners, and development assistance suppliers, he said, elaborating that the two-way trade reached 62.4 billion USD last year, up 14% year-on-year.
Vietnam will seriously and fully implement commitments in the EVFTA, while further reviewing and perfecting its legal system on labour, and realising international commitments it has joined, the legislator pledged.
Man proposed the EP back the enhancement of the comprehensive partnership and cooperation between Vietnam and the EU and its member countries across spheres, including inter-parliamentary cooperation, and urge parliaments of the remaining EU countries to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
He also suggested the INTA Chairman to urge the European Commission (EC) to soon remove its “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood, and support strengthening the Vietnam-EU cooperation in green transition, digital transformation and climate change response.
Man called on the EU and its member countries to continue supporting Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance on the peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sa in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
He invited the INTA Chairman to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time. In reply, Lange said he plans to revisit the Southeast Asian nation next January./.
VNA
