The EU and Vietnam held their fifth Joint Committee meeting on 22 October in Hanoi to review bilateral relations and cooperation under the framework of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). They welcomed the growing momentum in their multifaceted relationship, testified by a very dynamic agenda of meetings and visits, including at the highest political level.

Building on the recent talks between the leaders of both sides, and with a view to the celebration of 35 years of diplomatic relations in 2025, the EU and Vietnam agreed to work towards the upgrade of the bilateral relationship in the upcoming time.

In this context, the EU and Vietnam convened to explore, develop and deepen new areas for cooperation in the fields of just energy transition and connectivity, including transport, digital transformation, critical raw materials, semiconductors, research and innovation, and education. This cooperation can unleash new potential and dynamics in the EU-Vietnam relationship, which will benefit both partners.

The EU informed about new policies in the framework of the EU’s Green Deal, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the Deforestation Regulation, including the proposed 12-month extension period for its phasing-in. The EU commended Vietnam for its positive approach towards the new regulation and Vietnam expressed appreciation for support measures to facilitate compliance of Vietnamese suppliers.

The Joint Committee furthermore allowed exchange on EU-ASEAN relations, as well as on a broad range of political and security issues, in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The EU and Vietnam discussed the critical situations in the Middle East, the South China Sea, and in Myanmar, and agreed on the need to find peaceful solutions on the basis of international law and the UN Charter. As regards the South China Sea, they expressed deep concern over recent developments and reaffirmed the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and overflight, stressing the importance for all parties to exercise self-restraint and settle disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). On Ukraine, the EU and Vietnam reiterated their positions, outlining the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law. They reiterated their commitment to strengthen their security and defence cooperation underpinned by the EU-Vietnam Security and Defence Dialogue.

The EU and Vietnam also discussed trade and investment issues, including tax cooperation, and reaffirmed their commitment to ensure a mutually-beneficial implementation of the Free Trade Agreement. They took stock of progress made in fisheries, including ongoing actions with regard to combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. They looked forward to intensifying their cooperation on connectivity and sustainable development, namely under the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy, with special focus given to the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), where the two sides committed to make further progress in view of accelerating the green energy transition in Vietnam in line with Vietnam’s net-zero goals. They shared their respective positions and objectives for upcoming climate, environment and biodiversity-related international negotiations with the aim to build possible synergies for sustainable global development.

The EU delegation was led by Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific in the European External Action Service. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Le Thi Thu Hang, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. They were also joined by representatives from the European Commission, EU Member States, and Vietnamese government agencies.