Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – According to a report by the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Belgium, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang co-chaired the sixth Vietnam-EU Joint Commission meeting on November 24th at the headquarters of the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels with Paula Pampaloni, Acting Director-General of EEAS Asia-Pacific. The meeting aimed to implement the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and the European Union (PCA).
In her address at the meeting, Paula Pampaloni, Acting Director-General of EEAS Asia-Pacific, expressed the EU's deep sympathy for the losses suffered by Vietnam due to typhoons and floods, and revealed that the EU had provided Vietnam with €850,000.
At the meeting, both sides agreed to strengthen high-level delegation exchanges; coordinate the effective implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA); and promote the early ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by the remaining six EU member states. Both sides also agreed to fully utilize existing cooperation and dialogue mechanisms.
Vietnam and the EU emphasized their commitment to expanding cooperation in promising areas such as trade and investment, green economy, digital transformation, circular economy, sustainable fisheries, clean energy transition, science and technology, innovation, infrastructure, and climate change response. Both sides stressed that science and technology and innovation are new pillars of cooperation.
The EU reiterated its view of Vietnam as an important partner in the Asia-Pacific region and highly appreciated Vietnam's achievements in socio-economic development and international integration. The EU hopes Vietnam will actively participate in projects under the Indo-Pacific Strategy and the Global Gateway Initiative.
Both sides agreed to promote multilateralism and the role of the United Nations; and reaffirmed the need to resolve maritime disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). Both sides supported maintaining the safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. (End)
