Vietnamese exporters should make the most of the advantages created by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to help their products gain a firm foothold in the European market.

Now is a “golden time” for Vietnam to boost its trade ties with the EU, as those advantages are not permanent.

At present, Vietnam is one of the four Asian countries and two in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) engaged in FTAs with the region which is home to over 450 million people and has a total GDP of more than US$16 trillion.

Ministries, sectors, and localities should build long-term strategies, even for the next 20 years, which can identify commodities able to gain a firm foothold in the EU market, and potential fields to enhance cooperation.