Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh on June 18 met with representatives from several European business associations to discuss measures to speed up the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Promotion Agreement (EVIPA) as part of his working visit to the EU and Belgium.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh (R) meets representatives
from several European business associations (Source: VNA)

Anh updated participants on information related to EVFTA and EVIPA, and told them that his ministry is seriously making specific action programmes and holding regular dialogues with European business associations and other organisations of the EU.

He asked the European business associations to maintain efforts to help accelerate the European Parliament’s approval of the agreements after they are signed.

At the meeting, representatives of the European business associations made proposals to help boost the signing and ratification of the two deals, and expand EU-Vietnam trade relations.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the meeting, Secretary General of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association Erik Jonnaert expressed his hope that the two sides will sign the agreements later this month, and the EP will ratify them in late 2019 or early 2020.