Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan recently held bilateral meetings with State Secretary and Director of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) Helene Budliger Artieda, and State Secretary of Norway’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries Ragnhild Syrstad.
The events took place within the framework of the 19th round of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) held in Geneva, Switzerland, from February 24 to 27.
At Tan’s meeting with Helene Budliger Artieda, the two sides acknowledged substantial progress across all negotiating areas and reaffirmed the political commitment to soon finalising the Vietnam – EFTA FTA.
They engaged in direct and substantive discussions to address outstanding issues, including trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property, trade, sustainable development, and government procurement.
To help expedite the process, Tan formally invited the Swiss official to visit Vietnam for further consultations aimed at resolving outstanding matters.
For her part, Artieda expressed hope that once the agreement is largely concluded, the Swiss President would be ready to pay an official visit to Vietnam to promote bilateral cooperation at the highest level and mark this important milestone.
During the meeting between Tan and Ragnhild Syrstad, both sides welcomed the progress achieved in most negotiating areas and reiterated their political determination to bring the agreement to an early conclusion.
They also discussed some outstanding issues related to trade in goods, investment, intellectual property, and trade and sustainable development, seeking pragmatic solutions to bridge differences.
The two sides also exchanged views on certain issues of mutual concern, underscoring their shared support for a rules-based multilateral trading system. Vietnam and Norway agreed that the reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will be a key topic at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14).
Vietnam and the EFTA member states agreed to continue handling differences flexibly and intensify negotiations, with the aim of concluding the FTA at the EFTA Ministerial Conference scheduled to take place in Iceland this June.
Once signed, the Vietnam – EFTA FTA is expected to provide fresh impetus for trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and some of Europe’s most advanced economies, contributing to regional supply chains and sustainable growth./.
