Series of seminars to support trade promotion between Vietnam and UK

The British Embassy and the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade are co-organising a series of seminars in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to discuss bilateral trade opportunities in goods under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The first workshop held in Hanoi on February 19 attracted government representatives, businesses and experts to explore how the CPTPP can boost bilateral trade flows.

Key topics covered include tariff reductions, supply chain optimization through rules of origin and aggregation, and expanding market access for key sectors such as agriculture , pharmaceuticals, textiles, energy and infrastructure. The workshop also provided an opportunity to hear from UK and Vietnamese businesses about how to take advantage of the CPTPP and about UK-Vietnam trade.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan emphasized: “Up to now, Vietnam has participated in 3 new generation FTAs, of which the UK has 2 FTAs, namely CPTPP and UKVFTA. This is a very important point to note because combining the content and approach of both of these Agreements, businesses and investors of the UK and Vietnam enjoy a very open and favorable level of commitment to develop their business activities.”

Meanwhile, British Ambassador to Vietnam, Iain Frew, said: “The CPTPP has the potential to significantly boost trade between the UK and dynamic economies like Vietnam. Today’s discussion highlighted the comprehensive, modern rules-based system that the CPTPP brings to support trade in goods through tariff reductions and simplified customs procedures.”

One of the highlights of the conference was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the British Embassy under the UK-ASEAN Economic Integration Programme. The agreement highlights the importance of cooperation in effectively implementing policies and regulations to combat counterfeiting and intellectual property (IP) infringement in Vietnam. The MoU marks an important milestone in the bilateral relationship, helping to enhance the market surveillance capacity of Vietnam - one of the world's leading countries in e-commerce growth.

With support from the UK IPO, the Code of Conduct for e-commerce stakeholders will be implemented in Vietnam. This Code will provide a basis for e-commerce platforms in Vietnam to be more proactive in preventing counterfeit goods, intellectual property infringement, protecting trademarks and coordinating with law enforcement agencies to build a safer, more transparent and seamless e-commerce ecosystem.

The second CPTPP workshop on Trade in Services, Investment and Movement of Natural Persons will take place on 21 February in Ho Chi Minh City. The workshop will feature UK service providers sharing practical experiences in investing and doing business in Vietnam. In addition, a business matching event will also be held to create opportunities for exchanges between government representatives, associations and the business community of the two countries, discussing practical challenges and new opportunities in service sectors such as finance, healthcare, education and technology.

Source: https://thoibaonganhang.vn/chuoi-hoi-thao-ho-tro-thuc-day-thuong-mai-viet-nam-va-anh-160668.html