VN, EFTA to sign FTA in first half of 2018

Vietnamese Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue(2nd from R) and Swiss Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann – Photo: VGP/Thanh Chung

The news was revealed during a meeting between Vietnamese Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue and Swiss Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2018 in Switzerland. 

Mr.  Johann Schneider-Amman recalled his visit  to Viet Nam in 2013. He also promised to visit the Southeast Asian nation in the coming time. Switzerland, affirmed Mr. Johann Schneider-Amman hoped to cement and deepen ties with Viet Nam, which is playing an increasingly important role in the Asian Pacific Region. 

To cement and deepen the economic ties in a practical and effective manner, the two sides hoped to soon reach consensus in order to sign the FTA between Viet Nam and the EFTA (including Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Ireland) in the first half of this year. 

According to Deputy PM Hue, Viet Nam hoped that Switzerland, as an important and leading country in the EFTA, would contribute to creating a common voice for the two sides to finalize all rounds of negotiations.  

The Deputy PM said that international economic integration is one of the key tasks in Viet Nam’s consistent policies. So far, Viet Nam has been a member of  over 10 FTAs at global and regional scale. In 2018, Viet Nam and relevant sides would finalize negotiations for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). The commercial and investment cooperation with EFTA also hoped to realize its open economic foreign policy.

So far, Viet Nam and EFTA have conducted 15 rounds of negotiation. The recent one was finalized last September in Ha Noi. The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that the 16th round of negotiation will take place in Norway this May./.  

By Kim Loan