“The EU is a very important partner with significant impacts on the development of Vietnam,” said former trade minister Truong Dinh Tuyen. “The EVFTA has become more important to the country after the US’s withdrawal from the TPP,” he noted. Phan Duc Hieu, deputy director of the Central Institute for Economic Management, said the EVFTA negotiations were concluded in 2015, and this is the time for a general review and assessment of the deal. Dr Claudio Dordi, team leader of the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project (EU-MUTRAP), said: “There is still a lot of work to be done in Europe” due to several reasons. Firstly, trade agreements and trade negotiations are not really popular in western countries now, especially with US President Donald Trump’s policies creating uncertainties in global trade, he said. Secondly, after a lot of jobs were lost in Europe to the economic downturn, EU countries are fearful of competition … [Read more...] about Work still to be done on EU trade deal: experts
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Brexit without EU trade deal ‘not end of world’: WTO chief
The head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) said Sunday it would not be "the end of the world" if Britain failed to reach a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU, but there would be costs. Roberto Azevedo told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper that although Britain would be better off with an agreement, the impact of falling back on WTO rules would be "manageable". "About half of the U.K.'s trade is already on WTO terms -- with the U.S., China and several large emerging nations where the EU doesn't have trade agreements," he said. "So it's not the end of the world if the U.K. trades under WTO rules with the EU." Britain intends to leave the EU's single market and customs union when it withdraws from the bloc in March 2019, but hopes to reach a free trade agreement (FTA) with Brussels before then. However, trade talks have yet to formally start, and without a deal, bilateral trade would likely be subject to higher WTO tariffs as well as other barriers such as increased red tape. "If you … [Read more...] about Brexit without EU trade deal ‘not end of world’: WTO chief
Migrant slavery casts shadow over EU-Africa summit
A furore over migrant slave markets in Libya casts a shadow over an AU-EU summit this week that aims to promote Africa's long-term economic growth and stability, spurred by European fears of terrorism and mass migration.The two-day African Union and European Union summit opening Wednesday in the Ivory Coast economic capital Abidjan is focused mainly on the need to create jobs for Africa's rapidly growing population.The summit marks what Europe sees as a potential turning point for broader and deeper ties with a continent it once colonised widely -- while China, Japan, India and Gulf Arab states also compete for influence.However, outrage over the slave trade in Libya looms over the talks in Abidjan, with the scandal having sparked protests in Dakar as well as in Brussels and other European capitals.AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat called for "urgent measures" to stop the abuses of black Africans in Libya, which critics say have been fueled by EU-Libyan cooperation to curb … [Read more...] about Migrant slavery casts shadow over EU-Africa summit
Vietnam, EU eye opportunities to enrich bilateral relationship
President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso talks to Vietnam News Agency about bilateral co-operation on the occasion of his two-day visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, which starts today. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (R) and President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso. What is the purpose of your visit to Vietnam? President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso This is my second visit to Vietnam as President of the European Commission (EC). Since I first came to Vietnam in November 2007, our bilateral relations have developed vigorously and comprehensively. The signature of the new generation EU-Vietnam Partnership and … [Read more...] about Vietnam, EU eye opportunities to enrich bilateral relationship
EU condemns Russian ‘foreign agent’ media law as ‘threat’
President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed into law the new rules which allow any international media outlet to be classified under the controversial "foreign agent" label by the Ministry of Justice."The 'foreign agent' legislation goes against Russia's human rights obligations and commitments, and the extension of its scope to foreign media ... (and) is a further threat to free and independent media and to access to information," the EU's diplomatic arm said in a statement.It added the measures were "yet another attempt to shrink the space for independent voices in Russia".The "foreign agents" law is in retaliation to the United States registering Moscow-controlled RT Television by the same term.In a move condemned by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, US and other foreign media will have to present themselves as foreign agents on all paperwork and submit to intensive scrutiny of staffing and financing.The 2012 law, which had applied only to non-governmental organisations, … [Read more...] about EU condemns Russian ‘foreign agent’ media law as ‘threat’