Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed Vietnam’s efforts to link trade development with ensuring social security while meeting a delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade in Hanoi on October 31.

The meeting between Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and the delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade in Hanoi on October 31  

At the event, the two sides discussed issues relevant to the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), especially labour-related ones.

Over the past few days, the Vietnamese National Assembly has spent time on scrutinising the draft revised Labour Code, and the country has also consulted the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and relevant international organisations in the country about this matter, the minister noted.

He cited the international bodies as saying that the draft revised Labour Code has made a great stride in making law on labour. The code will affect around 54 million people in Vietnam, and it has highlighted the right to self-determination and self-negotiation of employees and employers.

The Vietnamese parliament has ratified the ILO’s Convention No. 98 concerning the application of the principles of the right to organise and to bargain collectively. Besides, the spirit of the ILO conventions No. 108 and 87 has also been reflected in the draft revised Labour Code, according to Dung.

Mentioning the EVFTA that is awaiting ratification, the official added Vietnam has been making efforts to associate trade development with social security ensuring for the sake of sustainable human development.

At the meeting, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade Bernd Lange said his delegation’s working trip to Vietnam this time aims to strengthen Vietnam-EU cooperation. It is also meant to prepare for the European Parliament and its member parliaments’ consideration of ratifying the EVFTA and the Investment Protection Agreement between the two sides.