The Hanoitimes - Vietnam and the European Union (EU) signed a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in Brussels on June 27, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations.
Relations between Vietnam and the EU have developed dynamically since the two sides established diplomatic ties in November 1990. The EU is one of Vietnam ’s key partners in various areas, from politics-diplomacy and development cooperation through to trade-investment, and science-technology, as well as in addressing other global challenges.
The PCA, initialled in October 2010 and officially signed in June 2012, is expected to bring bilateral relations to new heights, with deeper and broader cooperation on a basis of equality and mutual benefit.
It’s worth remembering that over a decade ago the rapid development of Vietnam-EU relations required the two sides to formulate a new framework of cooperation to replace the 1995 Vietnam European Commission Framework Cooperation Agreement.
In June 2005 the Prime Minister approved a master plan on Vietnam-EU relations through to 2010 and orientations to 2015, aiming to build an equal partnership, long-term and comprehensive cooperation for peace and development.
By 2007, the EU proposed negotiating the PCA with each of the ASEAN member countries to develop a new cooperation framework with countries in Southeast Asia .
In October 2007, the EU proposed PCA negotiations with Vietnam to replace the 1995 Vietnam-EC Framework Cooperation Agreement.
During his first visit to Vietnam in November 2007, EC President Jose Manuel Barroso and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung agreed to kick-start negotiations of the PCA.
In October 2010 both sides completed the content of the agreement after nine rounds of negotiations and initialled it in the presence of President Barroso and PM Dung.