Vuong made the statement at the closing ceremony of the project in Hanoi on December 12. Lauding contributions of the project, he expressed his belief that a new phase of cooperation will be open for both sides with numerous projects to fully tap benefits of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
Bui Huy Son, Director of the EU-MUTRAP Management Board, said that after five years of implementation, the project has fulfilled all of its set plan with 130 technical support activities, 74 reports and research documents, and 300 seminars and training courses in 31 cities and provinces.
Through the EU-MUTRAP’s six sub-projects, support of the EU reached handicraft small and medium enterprises, helping them develop brand names and sustainable designs as well as improve their business results. The project also worked to branch out the support industry, enhance capacity for the leather shoe sector and build a value chain for Long An and Binh Thuan’s dragon fruits.
Unlike previous projects backed by the EU, EU-MUTRAP endorsed improvements in investment, environment and labour policies and shifted from supporting negotiations of international trade deals to supporting the implementation of international trade commitments. Specific support activities were provided for Vietnamese seafood, garment, leather shoes, coffee and cocoa, Son added.
Ambassador Bruno Angelet, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, stressed that bilateral trade between Vietnam and the EU has increased significantly after the EVFTA took effect. Thanks to EU-MUTRAP, Vietnamese exporters were updated to the latest market information and knowledge about food safety for fruit, vegetable, seafood and honey.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh, who is head of the Government negotiation team for the EVFTA, said the successful EU-MUTRAP project wrapped up the “MUTRAP” journey as a model of efficient cooperation between Vietnam and the EU.
