EU and Viet Nam elevate relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

The European Union and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam announced today  the upgrade of their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, marking a significant milestone in their 35 years of bilateral relations and shared commitment to peace and prosperity.

The  upgrade reflects the depth and breadth of cooperation developed over more than three decades. It underlines the importance for the EU and Viet Nam to reinforce cooperation among partners who support the respect for international law, multilateralism, and free and open trade, against the backdrop of an evolving international environment.

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will provide a framework for closer cooperation across all these key areas, including trade and investment, sustainable development, climate and energy, digital transformation, security-related issues, and cooperation in multilateral fora.

Speaking about the upgrade, President of the European Council H.E. António Costa said: "For 35 years, our partnership has grown in depth and ambition. And today, we reach a significant new milestone. We are elevating our relationship to the highest level, a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”. This upgrade fully captures the depth and breadth of our collaboration to date, and our expectations for its future evolution – on trade, on green and digital transition, on security, on people-to-people ties."

The upgrade builds on existing agreements and mechanisms, including the EU–Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU–Viet Nam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which have significantly expanded bilateral exchanges and cooperation over the past decade. Since the entry into force of the EVFTA, bilateral trade and investment have expanded substantially, strengthening economic integration and delivering tangible benefits for businesses and citizens on both sides. The partnership has also been underpinned by robust cooperation on sustainable development, climate action, judicial reform, education, security and regional stability.

Background

Formal diplomatic relations between the European Union and Viet Nam were established in 1990. Over the past three decades, cooperation has grown into a broad and dynamic partnership encompassing trade, investment, development cooperation, sustainable growth, political dialogue, and human rights. The EU is among Viet Nam’s strongest partners in trade, investment and sustainable development.

Full Join Statement on the upgrade can be found here.