Hanoi (VNA) - European media continue to publish many articles presenting positiveassessment of the recent signing of the free trade and investment protectionagreements between the European Union (EU) and Vietnam.
Euractiv quoted a statement by the European Council (EC) as saying that this is the most ambitious trade agreement that EU hassigned with a developing country.
Itcited Hanns Günther Hilpert from the civil lawfoundation Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik as saying: “This is important forthe European industry and that the agreements are sending a strong messagethat any agreement that the EU currentlyconcludes should be read as a criticism of US trade policy, and that “tradeliberalisation is not dead,”.
Meanwhile, I’Echo of Belgium said the EU aims to strengthen its positionin Vietnam, considering Vietnam as one of its main trading partners.
According to euronews.com, with the signing of the EU-Vietnam Investment ProtectionAgreement (EVIPA), EU’s investment to Vietnam is expected to increasesignificantly. This agreement will replace old bilateral agreements and providehigh investment protection through well-defined standards.
French-languageLe Figaro website also ran an article, emphasizing that although Vietnam isstill considered a small country, it is the EU's second largest trading partnerin ASEAN.
Les Echos of France said this event is a political and commercial opportunityfor Vietnam.
Accordingto irishexaminer.com website of Ireland, the EVFTA is a good deal for the EU member states, particularlyIreland, and it especially creates a great chance for Irish exporters ofagriculture products.
It also sends a clear signal to theUS that free trade is the future, the newspaper said.
Meanwhile,Insider Stories said the EVFTA helpsfurther strengthen the EU’s involvement with the Southeast Asian region, whichcontributes to fostering cooperation between the ASEAN and the EU, towards closer tradeand investment relations between the two regions.
In addition to economic benefits, the agreementalso aims to promote sustainable development in Vietnam and the EU, it added./.