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  1. Negotiations

Vietnam

Vietnam signed a fairly comprehensive bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the United States in 2000. It came into force in 2001. The BTA was part of the post-war "trade normalisation" process between the two countries and should be seen as strong precursor to a watertight US FTA. In June 2007, Hanoi and Washington signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, yet another step towards a possible FTA. And in December 2008, the two governments began negotiating a hardcore bilateral investment treaty (BIT), yet another.

In January 2007, Hanoi and Tokyo began talks towards a Japan-Vietnam deal, which was finally signed in December 2008. Shortly after, Vietnam began talks with Chile, with the FTA signed in 2011. Hanoi already signed an FTA with Israel back in 2004 and may join the TPP. It is also intending to negotiate FTAs with EFTA, Russia and Mexico

As a member of ASEAN, Vietnam is caught up in the bloc’s regional FTA dealings with Korea, the EU, China, Japan and India. The Vietnamese government has also signed a number of bilateral intellectual property and science & technology agreements with industrialised countries, as well as more than 30 BITs.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Phó Nháy/Wikimedia

UK - Viet Nam free trade agreement entry into force
3-May-2021 MENAFN
The UK and Viet Nam mark an important symbolic step in this partnership as the UK-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement enters into force.
Official urges optimisation of FTA to boost Vietnam-Russia agricultural trade
26-Apr-2021 Nhan Dan
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture called on both sides to push ahead with further opening their countries’ markets to each other’s agricultural product.
Vietnam-UK trade deal to officially take effect from May
30-Mar-2021 Nhan Dan
Vietnam will announce to the UK side its ratification of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) this month, so the deal can officially come into force from May 1.
Ukraine, Vietnam to resume work on FTA agreement – trade rep
26-Jan-2021 Interfax
Ukraine and Vietnam will resume work on a free trade area agreement (FTA), Trade Representative of Ukraine has said.
Vietnam and UK foreign ministers to meet for trade deal
29-Sep-2020 Nikkei Asian Review
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will visit Vietnam on Tuesday to hold talks with his counterpart Pham Binh Minh, with a trade deal at the top of the agenda ahead of the ending of the transition period for Britain’s exit from the European Union this year.
Vietnam, Israel accelerates negotiation for trade deal
24-Sep-2020 Hanoi Times
Vietnam and Israel are stepping up negotiation for the Vietnam – Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA), which, once completed, would be a major boost for bilateral relations.
Vietnam, Chile seek to foster economic, trade cooperation
4-Aug-2020 Nhan Dan Online
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai on August 4 held a virtual meeting with Rodrigo Yanez Benitez, Under-Secretary for International Economic Relations at the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to boost economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
Việt Nam, Senegal look to sign extra deals to boost trade, investment
18-Mar-2020 Viet Nam News
The two sides agreed to continue completing a legal framework for the signing of a memorandum of understanding on trade and agreements on investment protection.
Vietnam looks to burnish human rights image before EU trade vote
11-Feb-2020 South China Morning Post
The European Commission, which is responsible for negotiating the EU’s free trade deals, recognises Vietnam’s human rights record as a cause for concern. It stresses, however, that the deal will provide a platform to address such issues.
MEPs: Don’t waste your chance to change Vietnam
15-Jan-2020 Human Rights Watch
In coming weeks, the European Parliament is expected to take a binding decision on whether to approve, postpone or reject the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (IPA).