Exporters advised to stay ready for orders from Europe
Vietnamese exporters have been advised to make preparations so as to stay ready for orders from Europe when the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) takes effect and the COVID-19 pandemic is stamped out.
Brussels (VNA) – Vietnamese exporters have beenadvised to make preparations so as to stay ready for orders from Europe whenthe EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) takes effect and the COVID-19pandemic is stamped out.
Trade between Vietnam and the EU usuallydeclines in the first three months of a year as there are many holidays duringthe period.
This year, a number of firms have also limitedexports and imports in the three months to wait for preferential tariffs underthe EVFTA, which was ratified by the European Parliament (EP) in February, whenthe deal comes into force.
Besides, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2outbreak has also forced most of European firms to suspend imports, suggestinggloomier prospects of bilateral trade growth in the first and second quartersof 2020.
The EU has not issued any bans on imports fromVietnam, but its businesses have reduced imports by themselves asCOVID-19-driven travel restrictions have discouraged customers from shopping.
The EVFTA is expected to become effective inJuly this year if the Vietnamese National Assembly ratifies it in the Maysession. At that time, bilateral trade is likely to enjoy improvement.
Vietnam’s trade office in the EU recommendedVietnamese exporters ensure production capacity and stockpile goods so thatwhen there are favourable conditions such as the pandemic is over and the EVFTAbecomes effective, they will be ready to receive orders from Europe.
A representative of a Vietnamese firm that haspartners in European countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, France andGermany said orders from partners have been suspended while the development ofnew designs and marketing activities of the company have also been halted dueto COVID-19.
The representative noted European partners arevery interested in textile-garment products of Vietnam, especially when theEVFTA takes effect. It believes that bilateral trading activities will recoversoon when the epidemic is pushed back.
To not miss opportunities, textile-garmentproducers should work to keep existing importers and actively cooperate withEuropean partners in cancelling or aligning orders with the current market. Ifthey can do so, they will more trust from the partners./.
Since the EVTFA was approved, experts have been analysing the opportunities for Vietnam to penetrate deeper into the high-value foreign markets. However, the implementation of the deal also poses many challenges to Vietnamese agricultural products. Besides strict standards from the European Union market, competitive pressure in the domestic market is also a big issue.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has imposed provisional anti-dumping measures on some monosodium glutamate (MSG) products from China and Indonesia.
Vietnam is increasing the application of trade defence instruments to protect the legitimate rights of domestic producers as the country integrates rapidly into the global economy.
A key change in the draft decree is a provision requiring bank transfers for gold transactions valued at 20 million VND (765 USD) and above, to enhance transparency and verify customer identities.
In the first four months of 2025, trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed 3 billion USD, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On June 19 alone, a total of 2,005 trucks completed customs clearance at Lang Son’s border gates — the highest single-day figure ever recorded in the province. Of these, 634 carried exports and 1,371 imports.
The OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report focuses on analysing the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, the impact of international integration on attracting foreign investment and trade, and the country’s prospects for developing a low-carbon economy.
Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Trade Promotion Agency Bui Quang Hung emphasised that logistics has evolved from a technical function into a core capability for Vietnamese exporters to maintain their competitive advantage in the US market.
A trade official has suggested companies work closely with shipping lines, airlines, and freight forwarders to monitor routes, transit times, and potential surcharges while exploring broader cargo insurance to cover risks like war and terrorism.
In addition to institutional reform, the agency is also rolling out key solution groups to combat counterfeit goods, imitations, and intellectual property infringements in the digital environment.
The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and TT Meridian, a local importer of Vietnamese fresh produce, aims to build a national lychee brand and encourage broader recognition of Vietnamese fruits in a competitive, high-end market.
The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Outcomes of ABAC III will shape ABAC’s final policy recommendations to be submitted to the ABAC-APEC leaders’ dialogue, scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea this November.
This is the second year the magazine has released the ranking, which is based on total revenue and key financial indicators of enterprises from seven countries in the region: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
At the summit, publishing, tech, and media sectors will discuss emerging trends, business models, and sustainable solutions for digital publishing development in Vietnam.
This year’s “Vietnam Goods Week” marks a significant milestone as it is being held simultaneously for the first time in four locations across Asia: Japan, Hong Kong (China), Cambodia, and Malaysia, from June 19 - 22.
According to NordCham Vietnam Chairman Thue Quist Thomasen, the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses to contribute to green and sustainable growth.
The analysis from an investment perspective shows that the economy’s growth has been heavily capital‑driven, yet efficiency remains low as reflected by Vietnam’s Incremental Capital-Output Ratio (ICOR) being significantly higher than global and regional averages. This underscores the imperative to enhance capital‑use efficiency.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) 
