European trade union institute

A historic agreement The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) started negotiations for a region-to-region free trade agreement in 2007. After negotiations were suspended in 2009, the EU decided to pursue bilateral trade agreements with the individual ASEAN member states. Negotiations between the EU and Vietnam on a free trade agreement were launched in 2010. Following the completion of technical discussions, talks were finalized in December 2015. In February 2016, the full text of the EVFTA was published. However, the official signing of the trade deal was delayed due to the pending judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on jurisdiction for the conclusion of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. To take the 2017 CJEU opinion into account, the original deal was split into the EVFTA and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in June 2018. Both agreements were signed on June 30, 2019 in Hanoi. The European … [Read more...] about EU trade deal offers opportunities to increase exports

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) and his Hungarian counterpart László Kövér at the press meeting on June 27. (Photo: VNA) Budapest (VNA) – Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's official visit to Hungary has attracted attention from the media in Eastern Europe. In Hungary, Magyar Nemzet (Hungarian Nation) newspaper ran an article saying the two countries’ traditional friendship has recorded great strides, especially since the visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Orban Viktor and a trip to the European nation by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong. Hue's visit from June 25-28 would create a stepping stone for the two countries’ comprehensive partnership to enter a new chapter in the time ahead, particularly after Vietnam and the European Union (EU) completed the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and a free trade agreement (EVFTA), according to Magyar Nemzet. In its writing, Magyar … [Read more...] about NA leader’s Hungary visit grabs headlines on Eastern European media

Mr. Warwick Morris, Chairman of the Vietnam-UK Network (VUKN). (Photo: VNA) London (VNA) – Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and his entourage will make good use of the visit to the United Kingdom (UK) to develop further links between the two countries' parliamentarians, according to Mr. Warwick Morris , Chairman of Vietnam-UK Network (VUKN). Even though there are differences between the two systems, the two sides will find plenty of common ground, which hopefully will lead to closer cooperation and dialogue in bilateral parliamentary relations, Mr. Morris, who is also former British Ambassador to Vietnam, told Vietnam News Agency ahead of Hue’s official visit to the UK from June 28 – 30. Mr. Morris spoke highly of the Vietnam – UK relations, saying the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year is a fine milestone. The bilateral relationship has broadened and deepened enormously during the two decades since 2003 when Vietnam and the UK … [Read more...] about Vietnam, UK legislatures will find common ground for closer cooperation: VUKN Chairman

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Switzerland Philipp Rosler (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception on June 28 for Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Switzerland Philipp Rosler and a Swiss business delegation who are visiting Vietnam to seek opportunities for trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Germany and Switzerland. The State leader hailed the contributions by Rosler to the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership either as a German politician in the past or a business leader and Vietnam ’s Honorary Consul in Switzerland at present. Noting the fast recovery of tourism in Vietnam, President Phuc said he hopes more and more tourists and businesses from Europe will come to Vietnam. According to the President, although the EVFTA has opened up opportunities for trade and investment ties between Vietnam and Germany and Switzerland, bilateral trade between Vietnam and those countries … [Read more...] about President hosts Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Switzerland

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Tuesday had talks with Honorary Consul of Việt Nam in Switzerland Philipp Rosler in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất HÀ NỘI — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Tuesday hosted a reception for Honorary Consul of Việt Nam in Switzerland Philipp Rosler and a Swiss business delegation who are visiting Việt Nam to seek opportunities for trade and investment cooperation between Việt Nam and Germany and Switzerland. The State leader hailed the contributions by Rosler to the Việt Nam-Germany strategic partnership either as a German politician in the past or a business leader and Việt Nam’s Honorary Consul in Switzerland at present. Noting the fast recovery of tourism in Việt Nam, President Phúc said he hoped more and more tourists and businesses from Europe would come to the country following the reopening. According to the President, although the EVFTA has opened up opportunities for trade and investment ties between Việt Nam and Germany and Switzerland, … [Read more...] about President hosts Honorary Consul of Việt Nam in Switzerland

Vietnam's National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue visited Albertirsa City on Sunday, where he had talks with Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian parliament István Jakab, concentrating on agricultural cooperation, as part of his ongoing visit to Hungary. Hue arrived in Budapest late on Saturday afternoon (local time) for an official visit from June 26 to 28, at the invitation of Hungarian National Assembly Speaker László Kövér, Nhan Dan (People) newspaper reported. In his meeting with Deputy Speaker Jakab, Hue thanked him for spending time accompanying the Vietnamese delegation’s visit to Albertirsa and a processing factory of Mirelite Mirsa Co. Ltd., an outstanding local enterprise in clean and green agriculture. The host and guest affirmed that the two sides should focus on promoting cooperation in agriculture, especially when Hungary has strengths in such fields as cultivation, processing, marketing, and distribution. They agreed that there remains ample room for the two … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s top legislator meets Hungarian parliament deputy speaker, focusing on agriculture cooperation

The week-long event, which started on June 26, is hosted by the Vietnam Trade Office under the Vietnamese Embassy in the U.K. in collaboration with the Vietnam Business Association in the U.K. (VBUK), and Longdan and EUTEK groups. As part of activities in the trade promotion program of the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the event aims to promote Vietnamese high-quality products which are benefiting from the U.K.-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), to British retailers and consumers. Handicraft products, coffee, fresh and dried fruits, canned fruit juice, vermicelli, dried noodle, rice papers, cashew nuts, and fragrant rice of reputable export enterprises of Vietnam are being displayed at the supermarket and Vietnamese markets in Nottingham city. At the event, Sao Thai Duong JSC became the first Vietnamese enterprise to set up a showroom in the U.K. to introduce its herbal healthcare and beauty products. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Nguyen … [Read more...] about Vietnamese goods, foods introduced in U.K.

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue arrives at Heathrow Airport in London on June 28, beginning his three-day official visit to the UK. (Photo: VNA) The visit aims to maintain and deepen the cooperative relations between the two countries and affirm the importance Vietnam attaches to the Vietnam - UK Strategic Partnership. Through meetings and working sessions with the UK’s authorities, businesses and the Vietnamese community in the UK, Vietnam expects to attract more resources serving its post-pandemic socio-economic development. The visit aims to maintain and deepen the cooperative relations between the two countries. (Photo: VNA) During his visit, NA Chairman Hue will hold talks with McFall and Hoyle, and have meetings with other high-ranking officials of the UK government and parliament; and representatives from the business community and major economic, finance and education corporations of the European nation. The visit is expected to contribute to … [Read more...] about NA Chairman begins official visit to UK

Inside a wood production line of Truong Thanh Furniture Corporation. — Photo truongthanh.com As wood export turnover is rebounding with rising demand in the domestic market, the revenues of wood enterprises are expected to advance. However, skyrocketing prices of raw materials and logistics costs will weigh on these companies’ gross profit margin in 2022. VNDIRECT Securities Corporation (VNDIRECT) estimated that the total revenue of listed wood and wood products companies in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022 rose by 10.2 per cent year-on-year thanks to the recovery of wood producers in the south. After the social distancing order was lifted, most wood companies in the southern region resumed operations at 90 per cent capacity in the first quarter of 2022, while in the second half of 2021 it was only 60-65 per cent. The export wood enterprises achieved better business results in Q1 of 2022. Specifically, Truong Thanh Furniture Corporation (HoSE: TTF) and Phu Tai JSC (HoSE: PTB) … [Read more...] about Rising costs cast doubt on wood companies growth prospects

Rapid economic development often results in serious impacts on forests, evidenced by the alarming deforestation in Phu Quoc City in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang having plunged the city’s forests into a state of emergency. Forests are regarded as the living soul of residents on the 'pearl island.' However, the woods full of stone stakes and steel wires are disappointing tourists. The situation is becoming truly alarming. Forests seem empty after one unguarded night Deforestation and land encroachment in Phu Quoc City in mid-June 2022 were no longer overt and rampant, but it did not mean that forests stopped 'bleeding.' On the main path from Ham Ninh Commune to Thom Beach, people could easily see excavated mountainsides and forest land areas occupied with concrete stakes, zinc-coated barbed wire fences, and even well-built constructions. “Some gangs secretly encroached and built fences," complained N.X.T., a forest ranger. “During the forest land invasion … [Read more...] about Phu Quoc forests in state of emergency