Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged Vietnam and Belgium to optimize the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EUVFTA) and help bilateral trade reach $7 billion in the next two or three years.

At a meeting with visiting Belgian Senate President Stephanie D’Hose on August 21, Prime Minister Chinh called on the country to continue creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese seafood and farm products such as rice, coffee, and seasonal agricultural products, as well as garments, leather and footwear, and electronics to enter the country and the EU.

He also proposed that the Belgian Senate accelerate the early approval of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EUVIPA) by the Belgian Federal Parliament as well as the European Commission’s early removal of the “yellow card” warning against Vietnam on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Expressing his appreciation of Belgian ODA to Vietnam, he called on both sides to focus on key areas such as renewable energy, digital transformation, the digital economy, innovation, the green economy, and the circular economy. He also proposed that Belgium support Vietnam in developing circular and smart agriculture and work out the National Strategy on Green Growth for the 2021-2030 period towards sustainable, eco-friendly and climate-adaptive development.

As one of the countries hardest hit by climate change, Prime Minister Chinh said, Vietnam proposes that Belgium increase its support in terms of resources, finance, institution building, and human resources training so the former can fulfil commitments made at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), as well as outline specific projects to help the country cope with climate change, especially in the Mekong Delta, with a focus on green development and fighting saltwater intrusion.

Belgian Senate President Stephanie D’Hose expressed her impressions of Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements as well as the country’s role and position in the international arena and its international integration. She said Vietnam is one of the countries with high appeal in the world, so many Belgian companies are interested in its market.

She told the host that the Belgian Federal Parliament is actively taking steps to have the EUVIPA ratified before the country ends its presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Belgian Senate will make efforts to deepen bilateral ties through practical actions, programs, and projects, focusing on areas that Prime Minister Chinh mentioned, mostly in innovation, trade development, and supply chain links.

Belgium has long been among Vietnam leading trade partners in the EU, while Vietnam is the biggest ASEAN trade partner of Belgium. Two-way trade reached $4.73 billion last year.