Abstract
The FTA is the EU’s most extensive with a developing state, and represents a cornerstone of Vietnam’s FTA diversification policy. This chapter explains how geo-economic considerations and broader foreign policy objectives encouraged the parties to set differences aside and compromise. It analyses geo-economic motivations of the parties to engage in negotiations and how these have impacted the dynamics, shape and content of the negotiated agreement, focusing in particular on the most controversial aspects of the agreement. It explores changes in domestic and the international situation led to a complex and slow ratification process. Through a longitudinal analysis of documentary evidence supplemented by elite interview materials, this chapter posits that the agreement and the subsequent delay in ratification result from political changes that have taken place since the negotiations were initiated. The agreement reflects the Vietnamese government’s policies of embedding the country in international trade networks and efforts to counter over-reliance on the Chinese market. From a European perspective, the launch of negotiations was influenced by US involvement in negotiations for a Transpacific Partnership. The conclusion and ratification was an important signal to the rest of the world in support of the liberal trading order.
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Notes
- 1.
Doi Moi policy is known as the comprehensive reform launched in Vietnam in 1986, which aims to abandon the centrally planned economy and to adopt a “market-oriented socialist economy under state guidance” (kinh te thi truong dinh huong xa hoi chu nghia co su quan ly cua nha nuoc).
- 2.
In addition to the EU, Vietnam signed 12 bilateral and multilateral FTAs with other foreign partners.
- 3.
For 1998–2018, China was the largest trading partner, absorbing around 20% of the total export–import value of Vietnam (General Statistic Office). Vietnam still relies on China’s materials and equipment for its own labour-intensive production.
- 4.
See also the FTA negotiation progress on http://www.trungtamwto.vn/fta of MOIT, (Accessed on 15th September 2014).
- 5.
After the fifth round of negotiations on the FTA was held in Hanoi on 4–8 November 2013, both sides expressed a strong commitment to successfully concluding negotiations ahead of the tenth Asia-Europe Meeting (i.e. October 2014) (See at: http://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/vietnam-eu-free-trade-agreement-expected-by-late-014.html/#sthash.MM4TOvAX.dpuf) (Accessed on November 2, 2014).
- 6.
The European Commission made human rights impact assessments for FTAs with neighborhood such as Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Tunisia and Morocco.
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Hoang, H.H., Garcia, M. (2022). The Vietnam-European Union Free Trade Agreement: Victim of Changing Times?. In: Adriaensen, J., Postnikov, E. (eds) A Geo-Economic Turn in Trade Policy?. The European Union in International Affairs. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81281-2_13
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