EFTA, Vietnam conclude free trade agreement talks

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Vietnam announced Thursday that they had concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) aimed at expanding trade and investment ties.

EFTA, whose members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, said in a joint communique that the two sides had concluded talks on a "comprehensive" FTA.

"The announcement followed the EFTA Ministerial meeting held in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 22 June 2026, marking the conclusion of the negotiations. Negotiation teams from both EFTA and Viet Nam had held intensive technical talks in Reykjavík in the week leading up to the Ministerial-level discussions," it said.

The FTA covers several areas, including trade in goods, trade in services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, investment, intellectual property rights, trade remedies, government procurement, trade and sustainable development, small and medium-sized enterprises, and cooperation and capacity building.

The agreement aims to strengthen trade relations between the EFTA states and Vietnam by eliminating or reducing customs duties, facilitating trade and promoting sustainable development.

"At a time of global uncertainty, strengthening ties with trusted trade partners is more important than ever. I am pleased that we have reached an ambitious and forward-looking free trade agreement that will significantly improve market access for goods and services," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said.