The customs sector has committed to creating optimal conditions for local businesses to enjoy when conducting customs clearance procedures once the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) comes into force on August 1, says Deputy General Director of the General Department of Vietnam Customs Luu Manh Tuong.

Approximately 220 tariff lines of aquatic products with basic tax rates of 0 - 22% are set to be slashed to 0% immediately after the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) comes into effect, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand has announced timelines for the next phases in the selection process to choose a successor to departing Director-General Roberto Azevêdo.

Vietnam remains an important bridge between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States. That is the bright example of how the former enemies are able to cooperate in mutually beneficial ways.

Delegates at a webinar in Switzerland on July 9 shared the view that Vietnam is a promising destination for the movement of investment capital and production and supply chains that have been triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eight candidates from Mexico to Moldova will vie for the top job at the World Trade Organization, seeking to convince its 164 members they can steer the body through intensifying global trade tensions and rising protectionism.

In nearly a month, the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will take effect. However, information shared by the leader of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) at the conference “Effectively taking full advantage of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA): Development opportunities for Vietnamese firms after the Covid-19 shock" was attractive.

At the 3 July meeting of the Committee on Trade and Environment, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Chad Blackman of Barbados, WTO members considered several proposals, including to intensify discussions in the WTO on how trade policy can help address plastic pollution and establish a global circular economy. Members also heard updates on the resumption of various trade and environment initiatives in light of the recent easing of COVID-19 containment measures.

Ambassador Ji-Ah Paik of the Republic of Korea, chair of the working party, highlighted the critical importance of this meeting which “sends a clear message that Uzbekistan is back” and clearly indicates that WTO accession is integral to Uzbekistan's economic reform and modernization agenda.

The number of job cuts in Vietnam could rise in the second half of the year as manufacturing companies see orders plummet over coronavirus impacts.