Parliamentarians from EFTA and Vietnam express wish for closer trade ties

Published 28-02-2011
From 22 to 25 February 2011, a delegation from the EFTA Parliamentary Committee met with parliamentarians, officials and stakeholders in Hanoi, Vietnam, to discuss the merits of strengthened trade relations between the EFTA States and Vietnam. The delegation, which was led by Committee Chairman Mr Svein Roald Hansen, was invited by the National Assembly of Vietnam to meet with policy makers in the Assembly and in key ministries.

In the National Assembly the EFTA delegation exchanged views with the Chairman of the Economics Committee and the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. They discussed, among others, the prospect of a free trade agreement between EFTA and Vietnam, as well as economic development in South Asia and the current state of play in world trade.

On 24 February, the delegation met Vice-Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh to discuss the main goals of the trade feasibility study that had been undertaken between EFTA and Vietnam, and received a briefing from ministry officials on industrial development in Vietnam. It has been a tradition for the Committee to meet economic stakeholders during third country visits, and in Hanoi delegation members met and exchanged views with representatives from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Producers and the Secretary-General of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce.

Finally, the delegation had a very positive meeting with Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Kien, at which both sides expressed their wish for the four EFTA States and Vietnam to pursue free trade negotiations at the earliest possible opportunity. The EFTA Parliamentary Committee delegation to Vietnam comprised delegates from all four EFTA national parliaments, an observer from the EFTA Consultative Committee and EFTA Secretariat staff.

Click below to see more pictures from the EFTA Parliamentary Committee's visit to Vietnam.

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