European meat producers, particularly Polish businesses, have shown increasing interest in the Vietnamese market, according to Agnieszka Rozanska, director of international projects in Union of Producers and Employers of the Meat Industry.

Speaking at a press conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on September 12, she said that Poland was one of the biggest producers of pork and poultry in Europe .

Wojciech Gerwel, economic counselor at the Polish Embassy in Ha Noi, said Poland wanted to strengthen business relations with Vietnam, especially in the agricultural sector.

Fifty-four percent of Polish products exported to Vietnam since the beginning of the year have been agricultural products.

Polish exports of fresh, chilled or frozen pork to Vietnam increased from 23 tonnes in 2010 to 25 tonnes in the first nine months of the year.

On June 27, Vietnam and the EU signed a new Partnership and Co-operation Agreement that will provide a comprehensive framework to further bilateral ties. The day before, they continued negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement.

Vietnam is a key partner within ASEAN and will act as ASEAN coordinator for relations with the EU until 2015.-VNA