Lecture “Vietnam – European Union relations in the light of European – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA)” – Mr. Jan Zahradil, Member of European Parliament

The objective was to provide students with a clear and in-depth understanding of the trade and investment activities between Vietnam and the EU. Mr. Zahradil's lecture encompassed key aspects including summarizing the timeline and process of EVFTA negotiations, explaining the significance of EVFTA, assessing the current state of cooperation between Vietnam and the EU, thus highlighting the opportunities and challenges brought about by this agreement for Vietnam.

This lecture was attended by:

From the European Parliament:

• Jan Zahradil, Member of the European Parliament; First Vice-Chair of the International Trade Committee in the EU Parliament; European Parliarment’s rapporteur on the Indo-Pacific strategy in the area of trade and investment
• Ly Le, European Parliament.

From the Diplomatic Academy:

• Dr. Nguyen Hung Son, Vice President of Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
• Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong - Vice Dean of the Faculty of International Economics
• Dr. Nguyen Thi Mai Anh - Lecturer of the Faculty
• Dr. Pham Phuong Ngoc - Lecturer of the Faculty

Along with the full presence of students from the International Economics Faculty.

Dr. Nguyen Hung Son expressed great joy and honor in welcoming a member of the European Parliament, Mr. Jan Zahradil to the Academy and having him deliver a lecture for the student of the International Economics Faculty. He emphasized that the EU is a crucial partner in Vietnam's international innovation and integration efforts. Vietnam, in turn, is one of the EU's most significant partners in the Asia-Pacific region across various fields. The year 2020 marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the European Union (November 28, 1990 - November 28, 2020), also the year the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was signed, bringing significant trade and investment benefits to both countries. Recent global concerns such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Hamas-Israel conflict in the Middle East, inflation, and global economic recession have greatly impacted trade activities between Vietnam and the EU. He hoped that through Mr. Jan Zahradil's insights, the students would gain the most comprehensive understanding of EVFTA and its impact on the Vietnam-EU relationship.

At the start of the lecture, Mr. Jan Zahradil conveyed his heartfelt greetings to the Academy's leadership, faculty, and students present at the lecture. He mentioned this being his fifth or sixth visit to Vietnam in the past 15 years, expressing his deep affection and admiration for the country and its people.

After providing an overview of the EU's political landscape, Mr. Jan Zahradil affirmed that the EVFTA, a negotiation lasting several years, directly relates to legal issues, competition in trade policies, and EU investment policies. Since the EVFTA came into effect in August 2020, EU goods exported to Vietnam have significantly increased. In 2022, Vietnam emerged as the EU's largest trading partner within the ASEAN bloc.

The parliament member highlighted that 2023 witnessed global economic downturns, leading to a decline in Vietnam's exports to the EU. Another reason for Vietnam's reduced exports to the EU last year was Vietnam's robust integration and increased exports to markets in the Asia-Pacific region, Southeast Asia, or the CPTPP region (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership).

Regarding Vietnam's opportunities within the context of the EVFTA, Mr. Zahradil anticipated that global growth might bring positive changes to the foreign policy between Vietnam and the EU. He hoped that in the future, both parties could further sign more comprehensive free trade agreements. He also emphasized Vietnam's immense potential in promoting trade activities and attracting investments. Vietnamese businesses need to focus and enhance capabilities in developing industries such as manufacturing, energy distribution (electricity), technology, etc., to attract attention and investment from Europe.

The lecture concluded with a discussion and Q&A session between Mr. Jan Zahradil and students from the International Economics Faculty regarding EVFTA-related issues and opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises. He commended the profound questions and perspectives of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam's students on international economic relations and provided highly useful insights based on personal viewpoints and experience.

On the behalf of the International Economics Faculty of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Jan Zahradil for dedicating his deep attention and valuable time to share useful knowledge. We wish him continued good health and success in his career.