Understanding rules of origin necessary to benefit from FTAs
Vietnamese enterprises should understand and meticulously apply the stringent rules of origin, as well as the exceptions of free trade agreements, to enjoy the best from preferential taxation.
HCM City (VNA) – Vietnamese enterpri✤ses should understand and meticulously apply the stringent rules of origin, as well as the exceptions of 𓂃free trade agreements, to enjoy the best from preferential taxation, as free trade does not mean “free” absolutely.
The recommendation was made by Nestor Scherbey, senior adviser for the Vietnam Trade Facilitation Alliance (VTFA), at a workshop on coordination in action to facilitate trade in Ho Chi Minh City on April 6.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) are considered the most complicated ever free trade agreements, requiring Vietnamese Government offices and businesses to invest time and increase their knowledge to take full advantage of these FTAs.
Herb Cochran, Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Vietnam, said that rules of origin within FTAs open up a new investment opportunity for multinational companies as well as their suppliers in Vietnam.
These companies will invest more in producing materials and intermediate goods to meet specific requirements in end-products at TPP markets and in Europe, he added.
As such, experts at the workshop emphasised the need for provincial authorities in Vietnam to establish a trade information database of FDI businesses and domestic suppliers, to help Vietnamese enterprises become FDI businesses’ suppliers.
They also asked for more export market surveys conducted by trade information centres to clarify foreign markets’ technical requirements for businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones.-VNA
A trade policy forum was held in Hanoi on January 22 with a focus on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and their impacts on Vietnamese small and medium firms.
Vietnamese enterprises are ready to bring into full play the opportunities as well as face the challenges brought by the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which was officially signed on Feb 4.
Existing and future free trade agreements are expected to promote innovations in the business community to enable firms to compete not only at home, but also on international markets.
Stronger connectivity in the industrial sector are vital for optimising opportunities created by the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), said participants at a forum in Hanoi on March 1.
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.
At the workshop (Photo: VNA)
