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Deepen Vietnam - EU relationship through trade and green agriculture

Deepen Vietnam - EU relationship through trade and green agriculture

On February 18th, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan had a meeting with Mr. Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President, European Commission. Photo: Hoang Giang.

On February 18th, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan had a meeting with Mr. Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President, European Commission. The meeting welcomed the participation of Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien and representatives from the Department of International Cooperation, Directorate of Fisheries, Department of Crop Production along with related units.

Responding to the warm welcome of Minister Le Minh Hoan, Mr. Frans Timmermans said that Vietnam and the EU have many contents and areas to expand the scope of bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of agriculture and rural development, thereby helping to strengthen the relationship of EU and Vietnam.

Mr. Frans shared, “We will jointly have to find ways of feeding ten billion people in the future. We have to create sustainable agriculture. What do we do to implement the Global Methane Pledge? What do we do to create sustainable agricultural production which does not harm biodiversity? How do we bring opportunities to our agricultural sector to do carbon farming?... These are the challenges basically that we face”.

Realizing ambition and the commitments at COP26

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan. Photo: Hoang Giang.

Vietnam is currently drafting a number of programs and actions to implement the declaration at COP26:

Firstly, drafts and plans to make contributions in the agricultural sector are decided by the country;

Secondly, plans to implement the declaration at COP26 on forests as well as sustainable use and management of existing forest land, and at the same time promote planting new forests to capture and store carbon;

Thirdly, under the direction of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) together with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has developed "the 2022 - 2030 National Strategy on Climate Change", which is expected to be completed this February. Then MARD will also issue its own plan on actions to cope with climate change;

Fourthly, the MARD will develop “Greenhouse Gas and Methane Emission Reduction Plan until 2030”;

Fifthly, the MARD will prepare an extensive communication plan for the new strategy on agriculture and rural development, particularly emphasizing green, emission reduction and sustainable development trends.

Minister Le Minh Hoan believed that with the set ambitions and commitments, Vietnam will face many difficulties in terms of financial resources as well as technical advice. The agricultural sector’s leader hoped that the EU will provide more support so that Vietnam has the conditions and resources to realize both its particular and common goals.

Promote bilateral agro-forestry-fishery trade

Despite difficulties in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the two-way import and export growth of agricultural, forestry and fishery products still exceeded 14% compared to 2020, of which exports from Vietnam to the EU increased by 13.6%, and exports from the EU to Vietnam increased by 16.6%.

Vietnam is one of ASEAN's largest partners and has a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union. This is a very favorable point, a condition for promoting bilateral trade in terms of agriculture, forestry and fishery products. Minister Le Minh Hoan suggested that the EU continue to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese agro-products to be present in the EU market, committing to meet the strict standards.

Regarding wood trade, Minister Le Minh Hoan suggested that the EU side continue to work closely with Vietnam to well operate the legal timber assurance system to soon have timber shipments licensed under FLEGT, and enforce forestry governance and wood trade into the EU.

Mr. Frans expressed his aspiration to deepen the relationship between the two sides through working together and preventing deforestation. Photo: Hoang Giang.

Mr. Frans agreed that the FTA is a step of great success for the trade relationship between the two parties. He believed that it is necessary to optimize the conditions to overcome the mentioned problems. Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements have been fully enacted which created a very good momentum. Mr. Frans hoped that Vietnam will speed up the licensing process for agro-product exports registration documents from the EU to Vietnam. The update for the list of geographical indications is also deemed extremely necessary for the EU.

Efforts and aspirations regarding the process of removing the IUU "yellow card"

Concerning the IUU "yellow card" warning that the EU is imposing on Vietnam, Minister Le Minh Hoan said that the agricultural sector is paying very keen attention to this matter as it is urgent not only in terms of seafood exports, helping Vietnam's aquaculture and fishing industry ensure sustainability, but also in showing Vietnam's responsibility, keeping Vietnam’s image and reputation in the world.

As a matter of fact, Vietnam has made unremitting efforts in overcoming the EU's warnings on IUU fishing.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development asked the EU side to share difficulties and differences in building and perfecting the legal system, improving fisheries management while taking into account the unique complexity of the East Sea as well as the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fishermen. It is essential for both parties to determine a roadmap to jointly discuss the process of removing Vietnam's IUU "yellow card" warning.

It is essential for both parties to determine a roadmap to jointly discuss the process of removing Vietnam's IUU "yellow card" warning. Photo: Hoang Giang.


Author: Hoang Giang

Translated by Samuel Pham

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