The Institute for European and American Studies (IEAS) under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and the EU Delegation to Vietnam on December 3 jointly held a seminar reviewing 35 years of Vietnam–EU relations, discussing achievements, challenges, and future cooperation prospects.

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In his remarks, VASS President Prof. Dr Le Van Loi noted that the world is changing rapidly, with intertwined challenges in security, economy, technology, and the environment, placing increasingly high requirements on Vietnam–EU relations.

According to Loi, everything from trade, labour and environmental standards to requirements on carbon emissions, data governance, digital transformation and the green transition demands flexibility, proactivity and creativity in policymaking.

However, he said that despite challenges, opportunities remain—particularly cooperation in energy transition, circular economy, innovation, digital economy, sustainable agriculture, and high-quality education, offering new prospects if the two sides embrace them in a spirit of trusted partnership and shared development.

He stressed that over the 35 years of Vietnam–EU relations, social sciences and humanities have played a key role in transforming collaborative experiences into knowledge and policy recommendations to foster mutual understanding and better decision-making.

The VASS provides an open space for scholars, policymakers, and businesses to engage in frank and substantive dialogue, he said, adding that this seminar will help assess and better orient bilateral relations, providing a scientific and practical basis for future decisions.

Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, Rafael de Bustamante Tello, highlighted the deepening bilateral relationship between Vietnam and the EU over the decades, particularly in trade.

According to the IEAS Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyen Chien Thang, the Vietnam–EU relations have continuously evolved over the past 35 years, from aid cooperation to a comprehensive economic partnership, and are now gradually forming a strategic cooperation framework based on shared values of sustainable development, fair trade, innovation, and international integration.

Trade and investment, political dialogue, green transition, and advances in science and technology have served as the main engines of the relationship, providing a strong foundation for bilateral ties, he said.

Thang emphasised that trade is the key driver of Vietnam–EU relations, with bilateral exchanges steadily growing, especially since the Vietnam–EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) came into effect, making the EU one of Vietnam’s top export markets.

At the same time, political and diplomatic cooperation has been expanded through the EU–Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and regular dialogue mechanisms, thus strengthening trust and creating favourable conditions for deeper collaboration in key sectors.

Scientists, scholars, and representatives from the business community, State management agencies, and international organisations engaged in frank discussions on key issues in the Vietnam–EU relations, including enhancing people-to-people dialogue in the new context.

They also discussed mobilising finance for Vietnam’s green growth strategy, promoting science, technology and innovation cooperation, and improving the EU’s role in Asia–Pacific, and offering valuable insights for policymakers in the future.

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