European Union

PM Pham Minh Chinh expressed his hope that Swiss and European enterprises will scale up both direct and indirect investment, intensify technology transfer, support workforce training, share management expertise, invest in research and development, and help Vietnamese businesses integrate more deeply into global value and supply chains.

Professor Nguyen Van Phu emphasised that Vietnam – EU economic collaboration is rapidly expanding beyond traditional goods trade into strategic sectors such as energy, critical raw materials, high technology, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital transformation and supply chain restructuring.

Welcoming EC President Costa, PM Chinh said the visit is of particular significance as Vietnam and the EU have just elevated their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He described the upgrade as a historic milestone reflecting a new stage of development in the bilateral ties and conveying a strong message in support of cooperation at the regional and global levels.

The European Union and Vietnam officially established diplomatic relations on November 28, 1990. Since then, their ties have grown positively, with frequent high-level meetings and exchanges, both bilaterally and on the sidelines of multilateral forums. The two sides coordinate closely in international organisations, particularly within the framework of ASEAN–EU, the Asia-Europe Meeting, and the UN.

After 35 years of partnership, the European Union (EU) and Vietnam are now ready to enter a new era of cooperation aimed at delivering sustainable benefits for citizens and businesses, EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier has stated.

The EU and ASEAN have agreed to make a region-to-region trade deal a “long-term objective”, but it might take some time before the negotiations can begin.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang has penned an article titled ‘Vietnam–Europe cooperation in 2025: Rising to a new height”, highlighting a surge in high-level diplomacy, with exchanges nearly doubling from the previous year across all Party, State, Government and National Assembly channels.

The upcoming official visit to Vietnam by President of the European Council (EC) António Costa reflects the EU’s recognition and appreciation of Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, while affirming the country’s growing stature and credibility in the international arena, particularly as a key partner of EU in the Asia–Pacific region.

The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) on January 13 released its Business Confidence Index (BCI) for the fourth quarter of 2025, showing the gauge climbing to 80 points, its highest reading in seven years.

Germany’s decision is widely seen as a clear affirmation of growing confidence in Vietnam’s investment climate, governance capacity and long-term development orientation.

The move places stronger demands on Vietnamese exporters to ensure product quality and strict compliance if they wish to maintain stable market access.

Given the strong partnership built over the past 35 years, the EU hopes to soon elevate relations with Vietnam to a comprehensive strategic partnership, said Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam Rafael de Bustamante Tello.

Vietnam-EU trade has nearly tripled within a decade, reaching 67 billion EUR in 2024, despite a turbulent geopolitical environment. Vietnam is now the EU’s largest trading partner in ASEAN, while the EU remains a benchmark market with the highest but most stable standards for Vietnamese exports.

Vietnam and the US show the shared commitment to promoting the transition to clean energy, aiming for sustainable development and a modern, flexible energy system.

Ties that began in 1990 have matured into one of the EU’s deepest engagements with any ASEAN nation, noted Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang.

Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang met with Jens Rubbert, Chairman of the EU–ASEAN Business Council (EU–ABC), in Hanoi on November 27, during which he proposed enhanced coordination in detecting and addressing counterfeit, imitation and substandard goods, in order to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of businesses and consumers.

The two sides agreed to expand high-quality investment projects; strengthen supply-chain linkages; promote cooperation in areas related to sustainable development, green transition, and digital transformation; and further improve mechanisms and policies to facilitate both sides' business operations.

Vietnam and the EU promised to broaden collaboration in potential fields, particularly trade and investment, green economy, digital transformation, circular economy, sustainable fisheries, clean energy transition, sci-tech, innovation, infrastructure and climate adaptation, with sci-tech and innovation flagged as a new pillar.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Dac Thanh affirmed that the strong turnout clearly reflected not only the robust development of the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership but also the deep interest of European enterprises in Vietnam’s growth potential, at a time when the global political and economic situation is undergoing rapid and unprecedented changes.

Over the past 35 years, the Vietnam - EU partnership has developed on trust, shared values, and a strong commitment to progress, with cooperation covering trade, sustainable development, innovation, governance, and global security, said EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier.
Photo: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh