EC President: EU-Vietnam together optimistically moving forward

According to a VNA reporter in Belgium, President of the European Commission (EC) José Manuel Barroso will visit and work in Vietnam from August 25-26.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with EC President Jose Manuel Barroso on the sidelines of the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague (Netherlands), March 2014. Photo: VNA

This is Mr. Barroso's second visit to Vietnam as President of the EC, in the context of the good and rich development of the relationship between the EU and Vietnam, creating new opportunities for cooperation in many fields. On this occasion,President Barroso had a discussion on the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and the European Union (EU).

EC President Barroso said this was his second visit to Vietnam as EC President. Since his first visit to Vietnam in November 2007, bilateral relations have developed strongly and comprehensively.

The signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in 2012, initiated by Mr. Barroso and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, was an important milestone in the EU-Vietnam relationship. Therefore, the purpose of this visit to Vietnam is to consolidate the results achieved, to initiate and cooperate in various fields, as well as to make progress in the negotiations of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which was launched in 2012, the second important milestone in the Vietnam-EU relationship.

If completed, the FTA will increase opportunities for Vietnamese businesses, create many incentives for Vietnamese exports to the EU, as well as create many prospects for Vietnam in the global economy.

The EC head stressed that in the economic and trade fields, the EU is Vietnam's largest export market and the second largest bilateral trade partner. EU-Vietnam bilateral trade increased by nearly 20% per year, reaching 27 billion euros (37 billion USD) in 2013. The EC and EU member states are also Vietnam's largest non-refundable aid providers.

During the 2014-2020 period, the EC has committed to providing Vietnam with non-refundable aid of 400 million euros for national development, 100 million more than during the 2007-2013 period.

Politically, Mr. Barroso appreciated Vietnam's role as a coordinator in relations between the EU and ASEAN.

According to President Barroso, since Vietnam opened up to the world with the "Doi Moi" policy and since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), the country has had a spectacular economic development. The people's living standards have improved significantly. Stabilizing inflation and exchange rates are important achievements.

However, this success has opened up new challenges for Vietnam, a newly classified middle-income country. Vietnam must make a firm commitment to industrialization. This requires not only quantitative but also qualitative development, including economic liberalization and modernization towards a truly market economy that is fully integrated into the global world. This is where Free Trade Agreements play an important role.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Mr. Barroso affirmed that the EU attaches great importance to peace and stability in the region. The EU is encouraging all parties to seek peaceful solutions through dialogue and cooperation, in accordance with international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to continue ensuring safety and freedom of navigation.

Finally, Mr. Barroso also expressed his confidence in Vietnam's potential and the Vietnam-EU bilateral relationship, and hoped that the EU-Vietnam FTA would be signed soon. Europe and Vietnam are both optimistic about the future.

According to Vietnam+