Joint Press Release

The European Union (EU) and Viet Nam held their annual Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels on 4 July 2024.

The EU and Viet Nam delegations expressed their mutual appreciation of the bilateral partnership, in which the Human Rights Dialogue plays an important role. They outlined their commitments to the protection and promotion of human rights and elaborated on challenges and progress since the last Dialogue.

A wide range of key topics were covered, including the rule of law, the death penalty and persons in vulnerable situations. The EU and Viet Nam committed to work for the further improvement of the enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. The EU placed particular emphasis on the need for further promotion of freedom of expression, association and assembly, and the ratification, as soon as possible, of ILO Convention 87 and the decree on worker’s representative organisations.

The dialogue underlined the important role of the media, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders, including those participating in economic, social and environmental fields, and the need to ensure a conducive environment for their effective participation, including in the context of the PCA and EVFTA.

Viet Nam's progress in promoting economic growth and poverty reduction were acknowledged, and achievements in the field of gender equality, rights of the child, human rights of LGBTI persons, preventing and ending gender-based violence and trafficking in persons were discussed. Viet Nam’s efforts to strengthen full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights were presented, including efforts to address gaps pertaining to non-discrimination, equal access to education and water, and labour market inclusion. The EU presented its most recent legislative advances in areas such as media freedom, artificial intelligence and human rights due diligence in supply chains.

Viet Nam further provided an update on its recent Universal Periodic Review (UPR), participation in the Human Rights Council and cooperation with UN mechanisms.

The EU and Viet Nam stressed the importance of an international order based on the UN Charter and international law and continued engagement on human rights at multilateral level, including at the Human Rights Council, of which Viet Nam is a member. They agreed to hold the next Human Rights Dialogue in Hanoi in 2025.

The meeting was co-chaired by Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Managing Director, Asia and the Pacific, European External Action Service and by Pham Hai Anh, Director-General, Department of International Organisations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam.