Legislature’s role in FTA negotiations considered

A close connection with National Assembly deputies and businesses will efficiently help negotiators make progress in the country’s future Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), a conference in Hanoi has heard.
A close connection with National Assembly deputies and businesses willefficiently help negotiators make progress in the country’s future FreeTrade Agreements (FTAs), a conference in Hanoi has heard.

The discussion, exploring in depth the law-making body’s role innegotiating, ratifying and implementing FTAs, was jointly organised onApril 15 by the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations andthe US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Participants voiced that as the highest-level people-elected agency,the National Assembly needs to promptly reflect opinions and aspirationsof parties involved in various stages of FTA negotiations andenactment.

Chairman of the NA’s Committee forExternal Relations Tran Van Hang reported that Vietnam has so far signedeight FTAs, mainly with its partners in ASEAN, the EU, and China. It isworking on different bilateral and regional FTAs.

During the event, the participants, including economic experts, madeforecasts on the factual impacts of FTAs on Vietnam’s economy, whileidentifying major bottlenecks during the negotiating and implementingprocess of FTAs.

They raised legal issues that need to be revised for the country to sharpen its competitiveness in the global trade.-VNA

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