Vietnam - EU step up cooperation on agriculture, environment, sustainable trade

On the morning of September 15 in Ha Noi, Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang received Mr. Julien Guerrier, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Viet Nam. The meeting took place in an open and frank atmosphere, with new commitments to further promote bilateral cooperation in agriculture, trade, and environmental protection.

Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang stated: In recent years, Viet Nam – EU cooperation has achieved many important results, particularly in agriculture, agricultural development, and environmental protection. We highly appreciate the EU’s support, especially through projects on climate change, sustainable agriculture, and ecological transition.

In response, the EU Ambassador to Viet Nam emphasized that agricultural trade between Viet Nam and the EU has grown by about 40% over the past five years, underlining the great potential of bilateral cooperation. The Ambassador noted that the EU wishes to further promote technical assistance and sustainable development projects with Viet Nam, while continuing to work together in areas such as climate change response, green agriculture, and emission reduction.

Commitment to removing administrative barriers

During the discussion, Ambassador Julien Guerrier noted that many legal and procedural obstacles still remain in promoting agricultural cooperation and agri-trade between the EU and Viet Nam. Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang also candidly shared the existing difficulties, pointing out that many dossiers related to agricultural import and export between the two sides have faced delays, affecting the pace of cooperation.

The EU Ambassador acknowledged these concerns and stressed that improving procedures and shortening licensing time would help make better use of the EVFTA, thereby strongly boosting two-way trade.

Regarding issues under Viet Nam’s responsibility, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang pledged: Within this September, we will instruct the relevant units to promptly resolve all pending dossiers and improve procedures to create the best possible conditions for businesses on both sides. In addition, the Acting Minister expressed his hope that Ambassador Julien Guerrier would help convey recommendations to EU agencies to support greater market access for Vietnamese agricultural products in Europe.

Towards the goal of sustainable development

At the meeting, Ambassador Julien Guerrier highly appreciated Viet Nam’s goodwill and reaffirmed the EU’s desire for closer cooperation in key areas. On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of upgraded cooperation relations, the Ambassador reiterated his expectations for new progress in agriculture, forestry, and agri-trade.

In particular, the EU expressed interest in large-scale programs to promote trade as well as in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The Ambassador voiced the expectation that Viet Nam will make breakthroughs in the near future to have the IUU “yellow card” lifted soon.

In response, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang affirmed that Viet Nam regards the EU as an important partner and a gateway for connecting with ASEAN and the international community. On trade, he stressed that Viet Nam will provide maximum support for EU goods to enter the domestic market.

Regarding the fight against IUU fishing, the Acting Minister noted that this has been a complex issue lasting for many years, involving 21 coastal provinces. Viet Nam has tightened fishing license management and hopes for the EU’s support to have the “yellow card” lifted by 2025.

In addition to immediate issues, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang also expressed the desire to learn from the EU’s experience in responding to climate change, promoting sustainable forestry, reducing urban pollution, and working towards the goal of Net Zero emissions.

He emphasized: We always wish to maintain frank exchanges, resolve obstacles, and share best practices to elevate our partnership to a new height.

The EU Ambassador welcomed this spirit of cooperation and affirmed that, alongside addressing pending matters, the EU is ready to share its experience in environmental protection and sustainable development.

At the end of the meeting, both sides agreed to continue close coordination, make full use of existing cooperation mechanisms, especially the EVFTA, to further deepen Viet Nam - EU relations, contributing to the shared goals of sustainable agriculture, a greener environment, and improved livelihoods for the people.