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May 30, 2015 / 14:33

Signing the free trade agreement between Vietnam and Eurasia Economic Union

After more than two years of negotiation, the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU) was inked by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders from EAEU members – Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan – as well as the Chairman of the Board of the Eurasia Economic Commission in Burabai, Kazakhstan on May 29.

The deal will open up a new chapter in the partnership between Vietnam and the union as well as each EAEU member in particular.
Launched in Vietnam on March 28, 2013, the comprehensive and highly-committed agreement regulates issues related to goods trading, origin principle, trade remedies, investment, intellectual property, legality and institution, among others. 

 
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders from EAEU members at the signing ceremony
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders from EAEU members at the signing ceremony
With total population of about 175 million and a GDP of 2.5 trillion USD, the EAEU plays an important role in the growth of a number of former Soviet Union states towards a uniformed economic space.  
In his speech, Kazakhstan PM Karim Masimov said the signing of the deal is an important part of the union’s diversification of cooperation channels.
Addressing at the ceremony, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasia Economic Commission Viktor Khristenko said that the signing is a historical event of the EAEU as Vietnam is the first partner to sign the document with the union. 
Vietnam has also been a strategic partner of the union in Southeast Asia throughout decades, he added. 
The balanced agreement which takes into account common interest marks a new period in the partnership between both sides, he declared, adding that the setting up of a free trade mechanism between EAEU and Vietnam will open new opportunities for all involved parties
Speaking to the media after the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung lauded efforts of negotiation teams of both sides during the past over two years. 
He highlighted the sound traditional friendship and collaboration between Vietnam and EAEU member countries over the past years. 
The FTA makes Vietnam the first international partner to sign such deal with the union, he noted, adding that the agreement also manifests a strategic vision of the union on developing ties with the dynamic Asia-Pacific region. 
The Vietnamese leader held that the FTA will greatly help boost economic growth in each country, fostering bilateral trade, service and investment relations and expanding regional cooperation. 
As an active member of the ASEAN, Vietnam will do its best to assist the EAEU in extending its affiliation with the ASEAN Community, a 600 million-strong single market with a GDP of about 2.5 trillion USD, he stated. 
The Prime Minister said he believes Vietnam and EAEU member countries will promptly finalise internal approval procedures for the deal, so that it will become effective soon and bring about great benefit to enterprises and peoples of both sides.