PM: VN places importance on ties with EU

VGP – Welcoming Mr. Karel De Gucht, EC Commissioner for Trade, on Tuesday, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng stated that Việt Nam attaches importance to promoting economic and commercial cooperation with the European Union (EU).

March 02, 2010 2:19 PM GMT+7

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (R) receives EC Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht, Hà Nội, March 2, 2010 - Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng took the occasion to show his pleasure at the expanding trade cooperation between Việt Nam and the EU in various fields.

Việt Nam’s ministries and agencies are ready to negotiate with the EU for the signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), said PM Dũng.

He stated that the EU’s imposition of anti-dumping tax on made-in-Việt Nam leather-capped shoes is unfair and hindering the negotiations.

PM Dũng asked the EU to early recognize Việt Nam’s market economy because the country has successfully shifted to a market economic model and is deeply integrating into the world economy.

Mr. Karel De Gucht agreed that the two sides should continue to enhance their cooperation, especially in economics, investment and trade.

The two-way trade turnover between Việt Nam and the EU is over US $12 billion. As a major investor, the EU is running nearly 1,000 projects in Việt Nam with the total registered capital of about US $13.3 billion.

By Xuân Hồng