Vietnam always attaches importance to promoting its economic, trade andinvestment cooperation with the EU, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said.
PM Dung made the statement while receiving EU Trade Commissioner KarelDe Gucht, who is on a working visit to Vietnam , in Hanoi on March 2.
The gov’t leader welcomed Karel De Gucht’s first visit to Vietnam in hiscapacity as EU Trade Commissioner, saying that the visit would contribute tofurther promoting the Vietnam-EU cooperation.
In its capacity as ASEANPresident, Vietnam wants to accelerate negotiations on the Partnership andComprehensive Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and the Free Trade Agreement (FTA)between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the EU, the PMaffirmed.
For this purpose, he said, Vietnam and the EU should focus onremoving hindrances, including the EU’s extension of anti-dumping duties onVietnam’s leather-capped shoes that has caused many difficulties to workers.
He went on to say that Vietnam, which has set up trade ties with almostall countries, has successfully shifted to the market economy and deeplyintegrated into the world’s economy, being an active member of the World TradeOrganisation.
Dung proposed that the EU soon recognise Vietnam ’s marketeconomy.
Trade commissioner Karel De Gucht agreed that both sides shouldcontinue boosting the friendly cooperative ties, especially in economics, tradeand investment.
He expressed his hope that the two sides would activelynegotiate to sign the PCA and the FTA soon.
The same day, the ECannounced that the EU agreed to start its negotiations with Vietnam on signingan FTA with the country.
The commission said that the two sides arepreparing for official negotiations and have reached agreement on thenegotiation framework.
It said it would discuss the next steps with theEuropean Council and Parliament.
Vietnam is the fifth largest ASEANtrade partner of the EU. Two-way trade turnover between EU-Vietnam rose by 12percent during 2004-2008 to approximately 12 billion EUR in 2008./.
PM Dung made the statement while receiving EU Trade Commissioner KarelDe Gucht, who is on a working visit to Vietnam , in Hanoi on March 2.
The gov’t leader welcomed Karel De Gucht’s first visit to Vietnam in hiscapacity as EU Trade Commissioner, saying that the visit would contribute tofurther promoting the Vietnam-EU cooperation.
In its capacity as ASEANPresident, Vietnam wants to accelerate negotiations on the Partnership andComprehensive Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and the Free Trade Agreement (FTA)between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the EU, the PMaffirmed.
For this purpose, he said, Vietnam and the EU should focus onremoving hindrances, including the EU’s extension of anti-dumping duties onVietnam’s leather-capped shoes that has caused many difficulties to workers.
He went on to say that Vietnam, which has set up trade ties with almostall countries, has successfully shifted to the market economy and deeplyintegrated into the world’s economy, being an active member of the World TradeOrganisation.
Dung proposed that the EU soon recognise Vietnam ’s marketeconomy.
Trade commissioner Karel De Gucht agreed that both sides shouldcontinue boosting the friendly cooperative ties, especially in economics, tradeand investment.
He expressed his hope that the two sides would activelynegotiate to sign the PCA and the FTA soon.
The same day, the ECannounced that the EU agreed to start its negotiations with Vietnam on signingan FTA with the country.
The commission said that the two sides arepreparing for official negotiations and have reached agreement on thenegotiation framework.
It said it would discuss the next steps with theEuropean Council and Parliament.
Vietnam is the fifth largest ASEANtrade partner of the EU. Two-way trade turnover between EU-Vietnam rose by 12percent during 2004-2008 to approximately 12 billion EUR in 2008./.
