Brussels, 13/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - If they are to conclude an agreement next year, the EU and Vietnam will have to get past two major obstacles: the status of state enterprises and access to public procurement contracts in Vietnam.
After two initial sessions of negotiations in October 2012 and January of this year, which were given over to the rules and regulations on public procurement and state enterprises, the third session of talks, which is due to take place in Hanoi on 22 April, will focus on goods and services and access to public procurement contracts.
On a visit to Hanoi in early March, Commissioner Karel De Gucht warned the Vietnamese government that it would have to make considerable efforts and agree to tough reforms in the coming months, particularly as regards a faster privatisation of state enterprises (see EUROPE 10805).
EU-Vietnam bilateral trade is worth an annual €18 billion. (EH/transl.fl)