The event was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service (EEAS) David O’Sullivan.
The two sides discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas ranging from politics-diplomacy, security-defence and justice to economics, trade, investment and agriculture.
The two sides discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas ranging from politics-diplomacy, security-defence and justice to economics, trade, investment and agriculture.
They also exchanged views on several regional and international issues of common concern such as ASEAN-EU cooperation, Vietnam-EU cooperation in the framework of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the East Sea issue and climate change.
Both sides agreed on the need to continue increasing the exchange of all-level delegations, consultations and viewpoint coordination. They affirmed their political determination to conclude negotiations for the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) before the 10th ASEM Summit in Milan, Italy, this October and to closely collaborate with each other in ensuring the success of the summit.
At the event, O’Sullivan reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to increasing official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam in the 2014-2020 period.
He also agreed that in the time to come, the EEAS will closely coordinate with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in organising training courses aimed at enhancing the capacity of Vietnamese officials in implementing the Vietnam-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA).
Deputy Minister Son suggested the EU speed up the ratification of the PCA and recognise the market economy status of Vietnam before the EVFTA is concluded.
He highly valued the EU’s pledge to continue ODA for Vietnam, stressing that the Vietnam-EU cooperation strategy in the 2014-2020 period should be based on the country’s demand and development standard and cooperation priorities in the PCA framework.
Vietnam supports the EU to play an active role in Asia-Pacific and its initiatives to address global issues on the basis of multilateralism and international law, Son said.
The official affirmed that Vietnam, as the ASEAN-EU Coordinator, will do everything it can to foster the comprehensive development of the cooperation between the two blocs.
