The event attracted a large number of businesses, representatives from industry associations, provincial Departments of Industry and Trade in the southern and Central Highlands regions, and relevant units of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. It marked a new step forward in refining the legal framework to promote sustainable exports to the EU market.
Signed on 30 June 2019, the EVFTA has opened significant opportunities for Vietnamese goods to access the EU market with attractive tariff preferences. Circular No. 11/2020/TT-BCT, issued on 15 June 2020, which sets out the Rules of Origin for goods, has facilitated Vietnamese enterprises in making the most of these benefits.
According to Customs data, Viet Nam’s export turnover to the EU in the first half of 2025 reached 27.3 billion USD, up 10% compared to the same period in 2024. Major export markets included the Netherlands (6.25 billion USD), Germany (4.75 billion USD) and France (1.9 billion USD). Key export products such as computers, electronics, components, textiles, footwear, seafood, and coffee continue to reinforce Viet Nam’s position in the EU market.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Director of the Agency of Foreign Trade Trinh Thi Thu Hien, stressed the importance of improving the legal framework on rules of origin for goods.
“In the context of increasingly complex international trade and growing risks of origin fraud, revising Circular No.11/2020/TT-BCT is essential to ensure transparency and create conditions for enterprises to fully leverage the benefits of the EVFTA”, Hien affirmed.
The workshop focused on addressing difficulties in implementing Circular No.11/2020/TT-BCT and on the new provisions in the draft replacement Circular. The draft was developed based on consensus between Viet Nam and the EU to amend Protocol No. 1, with the aim of updating regulations on rules of origin and administrative cooperation. New provisions seek to simplify the process for issuing EUR.1 Certificates of Origin (C/O), thereby making it easier for enterprises to comply.
Delegates from the Department of E-Commerce and Digital Economy, provincial Departments of Industry and Trade, and businesses contributed numerous valuable opinions. Their proposals centred on refining the legal system in line with the Law on Commerce, the Law on Foreign Trade Management, and EVFTA commitments, while providing a clear legal basis for determining the origin of Vietnamese goods. This would not only enable businesses to enjoy tariff preferences but also foster sustainable export growth, particularly amid intensifying international trade competition.
Following the workshop, the Agency of Foreign Trade will incorporate the feedback to finalise the draft and submit it to the Minister of Industry and Trade for promulgation. The new Circular is expected to strengthen the legal corridor, safeguard business interests, and further boost the growth of Viet Nam–EU trade.
