EU export prospects exist through gateways

March 24, 2012 | 08:00

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The Netherlands, with its economic, trade and export advantages can provide support for Vietnamese goods to enter the EU market.

Dutch General Consul in Ho Chi Minh City , Jos Schellaar made this commitment at a seminar on boosting Vietnamese exports to European markets, in HCM City on March 23.

He described the Netherlands as a gateway to the EU market, helping connect ports and industrial parks with the inland areas.

The Netherlands market also accounts for 57 per cent of distribution centres in the EU and a large market share in warehousing and the chemical industry, he said.

Meanwhile Italian Trade Commissioner to Vietnam Bruna Santarelli said the Italian trade commission has offered free services to help Vietnamese enterprises expand investment and business in Italy , which is the seventh largest exporter and the eighth largest importer globally.

Vietnam-EU two-way trade value has increased from $4.1 billion in 2000 to $24.29 billion at present, with Vietnam ’s export to EU reaching $16.5 billion.

But in order to increase Vietnamese goods’ competitiveness and boost exports to this market, enterprises should make efforts to meet the increasing demand for product quality as well as implement more effective market approach strategies.

Between the 2011-2013 period, Vietnam benefits from the EU’s generalised system of preferences (GSP) with a tariff reduction of 3.5 per cent, applied to 25 per cent of the country’s total exports to EU.

According to Tran Ngoc Quan, Deputy head of the European Market, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnamese enterprises should seek professional help in order to make full use of existing trade commitments and agreements, as well as in protecting their interests in the EU market.