Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh on February 26 asked relevant departments and agencies to optimise commitments in the European Union – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) which will take effect later this year.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh 

He made the request during a working session in Hanoi to discuss the government’s action programme and the plan to realise the EVFTA.

Luong Hoang Thai, Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Multilateral Trade Policy Department, said the EVFTA’s ratification has been added into agenda of the National Assembly Standing Committee’s meeting scheduled for April 13 – 17.

According to him, two laws, one decree and one decision of the government are required to be revised in order to implement the deal.

In the near future, four new decrees will be issued and the total number of commitments will be raised to 12.

Minister Anh requested attention to completing legal procedures between now and the NA’s upcoming session scheduled for May and June, as well as cooperation contents with EU agencies and building a bilateral mechanism for the supervision and implementation of the deal.

He stressed the importance of popularising the deal’s requirements and Vietnam’s commitments to centrally-run and local authorities, businesses and localities via personnel training in the field.

The minister asked for building a training course to improve the capacity of authorities in ministries and localities.

About exports and market, he asked units concerned to hold major events in Europe to attract more businesses.

The minister also required specifying each export market in Europe, building a Vietnam – Europe trade data centre, adding sci-tech content into the action programme, and raising awareness of firms about trade protection.