VINACHEM

Vietnam and four members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) launched a feasibility study on a free trade agreement in Geneva on May 19, coinciding with the official visit to Switzerland by President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Nam Hai and the Ambassadors of EFTA states - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland - signed a joint statement, officially launching the Joint Study Group between the two sides as well as documents on the group’s operations.

The Joint Study Group will examine possibility of establishing a free trade agreement between the two sides. Results from the study will be submitted to the authorised levels for a decision on FTA negotiations between the two sides.

Comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and EFTA states saw sustainable development in recent years. The two sides’ governments closely exchanged and worked to study the possibility of reaching a FTA, opening a legal corridor and facilitating businesses’ bid to increase their investment and trade./.

(Source: http://en.vietnamplus.vn)