Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always considers the EU one of its most important partners, with the comprehensive partnership and cooperation,particularly between their parliaments, obtaining many achievements for the sakeof their people and for peace, collaboration and development in the two continents and theworld.

Chairman of the National Assembly (NA)'s Committee for ExternalRelations Vu Hai Ha made his statement on March 18 at virtual meeting betweenthe NA and the European Parliament (EP) on the implementation of the EU-VietnamFree Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the second of its kind so far.

The legislator stressed economic cooperation is a highlightin the Vietnam – EU relations, adding that bilateral trade grew quickly afterthe EVFTA came into force on August 1, 2020 and hit 57 billion USD in 2021.

Regarding the realisation of the FTA, Ha said the sides have resolvedsome differences through the dialogue mechanism and periodic meetings of committeesinvolved. He hoped the work to continue in the time to come.

Vietnam has amended and promulgated a series of new decrees,resolutions and circulars in the fields of tariffs, agriculture, goods origin andtrade remedies, among others, he added.

Ha also mentioned obstacles facing Vietnamese enterprises,including COVID-19-induced supply chain disruption and travel restrictions aswell as problems in the procedures for issuing certificates of origin.

He suggested the EP and EU offer Vietnam technical andresources assistance to capitalise on the pact and response to its technicalbarriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary/phyto-sanitary (SPS).

The official proposed the EU soon lift the “yellow card” warning regarding illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing imposed on Vietnamto boost bilateral exports; and launch programmes to support capacity buildingand competitiveness improvement for Vietnamese seafood exporters.

He went on to say that it is also necessary to pilot allowingVietnamese exporters to self-certify origin as the EVFTA has yet to specify a timeto apply this mechanism; and to accelerate the training and development ofhuman resources, especially high-quality ones to solve the labour shortagedue to COVID-19.

Ha asked the EP to call on the remaining member countries tocomplete the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement(EVIPA) so that the pact will take effect soon, creating a stronger impetus topromote the comprehensive ties between the sides.

Participating EP parliamentarians lauded progresses made inthe EVFTA implementation so far and the sides’ related exchange and dialogue mechanisms./.