VietNamNet Bridge – Mr. Neven Mimica, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development of the European Commission recently made a visit to Vietnam. After the visit, he shared with VietNamNet the following article about the trip and the relationships between Vietnam and the EU.

This week I had the opportunity to spend time in Vietnam in my role as European Commissioner with responsibility for international cooperation and development. The principle aim of my visit was to see first-hand the European Union's work in Vietnam and the region and to meet top-level officials here.

2015 marks a double anniversary in the relationship between the European Union (EU) and Vietnam. The EU established diplomatic relations with Vietnam twenty five years ago, in October 1990. Five years later, in July 1995, the two sides signed a Cooperation Agreement which to this day provides the legal basis for the way we work together. It created a mechanism for regular dialogue where viewpoints can be exchanged, programs developed and new initiatives planned.

On this foundation, EU-Vietnam relations have developed vigorously, as a result of the combined efforts of the European Union and our Member States, twenty of which have resident Ambassadors in Vietnam.

Over the course of twenty-five years, our ties have evolved and strengthened. We started with providing humanitarian aid, then moved on to development assistance and we are now increasingly focusing on trade.

This change in our roles can only be positive, and reflects the outstanding progress Vietnam has made over this period. The impression I had of Hanoi was of a modern, bustling city full of potential, and this is borne out by the country's headline economic figures.

As economic development progresses, it brings with it new and complex challenges. Climate change, energy security and equal access to high-quality public services are issues that affect not only countries in South East Asia but also those in Europe and beyond.

Development assistance in Vietnam remains high on the EU's agenda, the EU being, as a whole, the largest grant donor to Vietnam. As many traditional donors to Vietnam are scaling back their aid, the EU is committed to focusing our support on key areas of energy, health and governance/rule of law, and accompanying Vietnam's integration into the world economy.

During my visit, I was present at the launch of the Vietcraft Excellence brand. This is a Vietnamese initiative to help promote high-quality Vietnamese handicrafts, with a view to exporting to markets such as European countries.

The EU has provided support to this project and European designers were also present at the event to present the work which has been undertaken. The launching of this project was also quite timely, as Vietnam and the European Union have agreed in principle a Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to be signed in the coming months. This project demonstrates one tangible way in which Vietnamese producers can add value to their products in a sustainable manner.

On Monday evening I hosted an event to mark 20 years of cooperation in the health sector between Europe and Vietnam.

The EU has put in place an ambitious program to support the Vietnamese authorities in improving health care available, with a particular focus on the poorest regions where access to healthcare is currently the most difficult. As with most development programs funded by the European Union in Vietnam, our support will take the form of grants, rather than loans. This is one of the main distinguishing features of the way the EU delivers overseas aid.

The time I spent in Hanoi also allowed me to meet with Prime Minister Dung and a number of Ministers and high-ranking officials.

Cooperation with the EU was high on the agenda, and also relations within the region, in particular with the ASEAN countries. Many of the challenges we are facing in an increasingly globalised world can only be addressed at regional or international level and I consider that the EU has considerable experience to share with other regional structures.

To sum up my visit, I am proud of the positive evolution of EU-Vietnam relations.  Another concrete step in this process will be the ratification of our wide-ranging Partnership and Cooperation Agreement by the European Parliament.

The tools we have put in place give us an extremely sound basis to further deepen our friendship and cooperation. I look forward to the next 25 years being even more successful than the period we are celebrating this year.

Neven Mimica