EU-ABC delegation visits Vietnam to deepen trade and investment ties

Photo: EU-ABC

This is as part of a three-day business mission to Vietnam aimed at deepening EU-Vietnam trade and investment ties.

Discussions focused on Vietnam’s economic outlook and investment climate, as well as how European businesses could support the country’s growth priorities in sustainable development, advanced manufacturing and healthcare innovation, among others.

The EU-ABC delegation comprises around 110 delegates from more than 35 European companies. In addition, the delegation participated in a forum organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, where they were briefed on Vietnam’s plans for energy transition, foreign investment policies, as well as supply chain and logistics development. EU-ABC delegates then joined a panel discussion on cooperation opportunities in developing new value chains amid an increasingly volatile global environment.

This marks the EU-ABC’s sixth business mission to Vietnam. It comes shortly after the sixth anniversary of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement in August, as well as the upgrade in bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in January.

Vietnam is an important partner of the EU. The elevation of the EU-Vietnam relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in January 2026 marks a significant milestone. Meanwhile, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) provides a strong foundation for this partnership.

Since the EVFTA came into force more than six years ago, trade between Vietnam and the EU has continued to expand steadily. Bilateral trade exceeded $65 billion in the first nine months of 2026, representing an almost 20 per cent increase on-year.

The EU ranks as Vietnam’s fourth-largest trading partner, third-largest export market, and sixth-largest import market. Meanwhile, Vietnam is the EU’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and its ninth-largest goods supplier.

Vietnam and EU pledge deeper ties on security, trade, and resilience Party General Secretary and State President To Lam has held talks in Brussels with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on bilateral cooperation, regional security, and global challenges.

From resilience to intelligence: how Vietnam can strengthen its role in Asia-Europe supply chains Global supply chains have spent several years learning how to withstand disruption. The next challenge is different: how to anticipate change, make better decisions, and remain competitive when uncertainty becomes a permanent feature of international trade.

Vietnam and EU pursue new value chains Vietnam and the European Union are looking to deepen economic cooperation by developing new value chains, accelerating the green transition, and improving the quality of trade and investment, as their relationship enters a new phase following its elevation to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.