Vietnamese agricultural product and seafood exporters will have more
chances to expand their market as they well form regulations in the
sanitary and phytosanitary systems (SPS) of the European Free Trade
Association (EFTA).
Director General Tran Trung
Thuc, head of the Vietnamese EFTA negotiating team was speaking at a
seminar to introduce the SPS jointly held by the Ministry of Industry
and Trade, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development in Ho Chi Minh City on October 3.
According to Thuc, the EFTA is another trade area for non-EU
countries in Europe, including Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and
Liechtenstein.
This is a dynamic economic bloc with Switzerland and Norway being potential markets for Vietnam’s exports, he said.
In 2009, leaders of Vietnam and the EFTA agreed to raise their
economic ties by launching negotiations of a bilateral free trade
agreement. The two sides have conducted five rounds of negotiation of
the agreement, which covers trade in goods and services, investment and
other issues of mutual concern.
To expand export market,
apart from negotiations on tariff reductions, those relating to the SPS
play an important role in facilitating the exports of Vietnamese
agricultural products and seafood in the EFTA in particular and European
countries in general, Thuc said.
Deputy Ambassador of
the Norwegian Embassy Larissa Falkenberg Kosanovic said SPS measures
are to ensure safe animal and plant products and protect consumer
health.
The EFTA has signed FTAs with 36 countries and this is a good chance for Vietnam to expand its market, she added.-VNA