This was heard at a seminar entitled “European Union-VietnamFree Trade Agreement: What’s in it for me?” held in the northern Hai Phong Port City to learn about what the trade pact entails.
The event, jointly held by EuroCham, VietnamChamber of Commerce and Industry’s Hai Phong branch, and Deep C Industrial Zone, attracted more than 80 representatives from companies in the city, Hanoi and from EU countries’ embassies in Vietnam. The seminar therefore gave audiences an insight into changes in trading regulations, market access, regional implications and expectations from the European business community in Vietnam.
EVFTA will come into force from 2018, connecting Vietnam- one of ASEAN’s most dynamic manufacturing hubs with the EU – one of the world biggest markets with GDP of over US$18 trillion, accounting for 22 per cent of the world’s total GDP and a population of over 500 million people.
“EU is a common market with 28 member countries and 508 million people. Goods imported into the EU would have to meet strict standards. However, once the country meets the standards, goods will be able to access all EU member markets,” said Miriam Garcia Ferrer, head of the trade section of the EU Delegation in Vietnam.
Once the EVFTA agreement goes into effect, the EU will eliminate import duties on approximately 85.6 per cent of its tariffs lines on Vietnamese products. After seven years, 99 per cent of EU tariffs will be removed for Vietnamese products. Vietnamese textiles, footwear, and seafood products (except for canned tuna and fish balls) will incur no import duties within seven years after the agreement takes effect.
Vietnamwill eliminate 65 per cent of its import duties on EU items and has drawn up a roadmap to eliminate tariffs (over 99 per cent) over 10 years. The remaining export items will be offered tariff quotas with an import duty of zero per cent.
According to Claudio Dordi, EU-MUTRAP Project team leader, the EVFTA benefits are not only limited to tariffs, but it would also contribute to eliminating other trade barriers and benefit member countries.
Vietnam in the past few years has been one of the most active players in negotiating and implementing free trade agreements, emphasising its privileged position and potential in becoming the world’s manufacturing and trading hub.
The EU is currently Vietnam’s second biggest export market and Vietnam is EU’s 11th biggest source of import. About 900 European enterprises have invested in Vietnam, making it the destination in South East Asia with the largest European business community.
This relationship has huge potential for improvement under this important agreement. It can open for European exporters markets that have FTAs with ASEAN but not with the EU, such as China, India and Australia. Rules of origin are challenges but also opportunities. They give extra incentives to attract supporting industries into Việt Nam, improving the supply chain and localisation rates.
Realising this trend, Deep C Industrial Zones also organised a tour of the industrial zone to give investors an idea how it actually works on the field and the development pace of the city with the upcoming Lach Huyen Deep Sea Port. Opportunities and challenges are there for players who are poised to take them.
Source: VNS
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
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