Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien (right) meets Vice President of FESI Manuel Pauser on December 14 on the sidelines of the summit commemorating the 45th year of the EU-ASEAN diplomatic relations. (Photo: VNA) Brussels (VNA) – Vietnam supports the Federationof the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) to develop its production systemof footwear and sporting goods in the country, said Minister of Industry andTrade Nguyen Hong Dien on December 14.
Speaking at a meeting with Vice President of FESI ManuelPauser on December 14 on the sidelines of the summit commemoratingthe 45th year of the EU-ASEAN Diplomatic Relations, Dien emphasised thatVietnam has the ambition to export “made-by-Vietnam” products rather than“made-in-Vietnam” ones.
He said that with a stable supply in terms of output andquality of textile and sportswear, Vietnam hopes European Union (EU) enterpriseswill continue to consider and give priority to choosing it as their supplier inthe coming time.
The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has come intoeffect and Vietnam's textile, garment, and footwear products enjoy many tariffpreferences, with much lower preferential tax rates compared with those underthe most-favored-nation (MFN) scheme.
Photo for illustration (Photo: VNA) Dien said that is a great advantage for EU businesseswhen choosing Vietnam as a partner to produce, supply, and import goods intothe European market.
He said he hopes that FESI will strengthen exchanges and cooperationwith Vietnam in human resources training for the textile, garment, and footwearindustries so that Vietnamese workers will have better skills to be able toaccess and master new advanced technology and equipment.
FESI vice president Manuel Pauser hailed Vietnam’s efforts incontrolling the COVID-19 pandemic and reopening productions, which makeEuropean investors trust in the safety of the country and its commitment totackling difficulties.
The EU is the second largest importer of Vietnam's leatherand footwear products with a turnover of 4.5 billion USD in 2021,accounting for 25.1% of the industry's export turnover.
In the first 10 months of 2022, Vietnam's export turnover to thismarket reached 5.6 billion USD, a year-over-year increase of over 40%./.
