According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, during the visit Denmark, the EU and Belgium from October 19-24 by General Secretary and President To Lam, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung held bilateral meetings, discussions, and signed cooperation documents with partners from Denmark, Belgium, and the European Union (EU).
The minister's activities aimed to expand cooperation in safe and sustainable agricultural production, biotechnology development, resource management, environmental protection, and promoting the blue economy, while enhancing trade coordination and combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Establishing sustainable agricultural cooperation with Denmark
In Denmark, Minister Trinh Viet Hung signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam and the Ministry of Business and Competitiveness of Denmark.
The memorandum outlines strategic goals and priority areas in cooperation between the two countries in safe, sustainable food and feed production and efficient resource use; it also establishes a long-term bilateral cooperation framework between the two sides.
Under this cooperation framework, Denmark will send experts and management officials to collaborate and enhance professional exchanges with Vietnam on food safety and agricultural product quality.
Vietnam aims to strengthen cooperation through working groups and coordination teams, while sharing experiences in reducing losses in agricultural production, utilizing by-products for animal feed, fertilizers, and agricultural materials. This collaboration aims to increase added value, efficiently use resources, and improve the competitiveness and export of Vietnamese agricultural products.
Proposal for Vietnam-EU Blue Economy Cooperation Framework
On the afternoon of October 22, Minister Trinh Viet Hung had a courtesy meeting with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Economy, and Agriculture David Clarinval. The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated the cooperation results between the two sides in agriculture through projects in recent times and stated that he would discuss with the regional governments of Belgium to continue promoting cooperation in agriculture, environment, and climate change response according to the authority of each region.
Minister Hung, for his part, proposed expanding cooperation with Belgium in developing the blue economy and environmental protection; learning from the Blue Cluster ecosystem, and enhancing exchanges on marine spatial planning, marine environmental monitoring, and implementing the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement.
Both sides were also proposed to enhance experience exchange in completing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy and plastic waste management, contributing to promoting sustainable blue economy development.
In the field of trade, Vietnam requested Belgium to continue supporting the implementation of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), enhancing cooperation on food safety, quarantine, and traceability.
Vietnam also seeks guidance on the roadmap for opening the EU market to Vietnamese pork, processed poultry products, eggs, and milk; encouraging Belgian businesses to invest in agricultural processing, preservation technology, and sustainable value chain development.
Regarding the IUU issue, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Environment requested Belgium to continue supporting and promoting the European Commission (EC) to soon consider lifting the "Yellow Card" warning on Vietnamese seafood.
On October 23, within the framework of the working program in Belgium, Minister Trinh Viet Hung attended a reception hosted by General Secretary and President To Lam for Minister-President of Wallonia Region Adrien Dolimont. At the meeting, Minister Trinh Viet Hung and Mr. Adrien Dolimont exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance bilateral cooperation in agriculture, resource management, and environmental protection.
The memorandum focuses on promoting cooperation in agriculture, resource management, and environmental protection. Both sides prioritize research, development, and technology transfer in vaccine production, biotechnology application in agriculture, opening opportunities for enhanced professional exchanges and access to advanced technologies.
On October 23, Minister Trinh Viet Hung worked with EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis, proposing to establish a Vietnam-EU cooperation framework on the blue economy and sustainable ocean development. The program identifies objectives, priority areas, implementation focal points, and deployment roadmap; it also selects feasible projects for research and promotion in the near future.
Both sides plan to enhance coordination in technical, scientific research, training, capacity building, partner connection, and resource mobilization. Vietnam also proposed exploring the possibility of accessing the EU's Global Gateway initiative to mobilize additional resources for suitable cooperation programs.
Regarding combating IUU fishing, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Environment requested the EC to objectively and comprehensively evaluate the results Vietnam has achieved, soon considering lifting the "Yellow Card." At the same time, Vietnam wishes to establish a suitable cooperation mechanism with the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the EU.
Through working activities and document signing in Denmark, Belgium, and the EU, Vietnam aims to strengthen substantive cooperation in sustainable agriculture, technological innovation, resource management, and environmental protection. These cooperation areas are also expected to contribute to enhancing the value of agricultural products, expanding export markets, and promoting the development of the blue economy in line with sustainable development goals.
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