Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung (R) and  UK Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward  (Photo: VNA)

The UKVFTA was officially signed in London, the UK on December 29, 2020 and was applied temporarily from January 1, 2021.

This is the 3rd "new generation" FTA that Vietnam has signed with its foreign partners, helping maintain and further strengthen the economic - trade cooperation with the UK, which is one of the major and important partners of Vietnam.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy FM Dung and UK Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward acknowledged and appreciated the efforts of the two nations' agencies, ministries and sectors in accelerating the early completion of relevant procedures for ratification of the trade pact.

This agreement will help Vietnam maintain preferential trade conditions and economic benefits through market-opening commitments already included in the EU-Vietnam FTA (EVFTA).

Accordingly, the UKVFTA makes it easier for the two countries to further promote their cooperation in financial - banking services and e-commerce. In addition, it also promotes the protection of intellectual property, geographical indication, clean growth, and sustainable development.

In January 2021, the export turnover between Vietnam and the UK totalled over 657.3 million USD, up 78.57 percent year-on-year.

According to the agreement’s Article 9, the deal shall enter into force on the first day of the second month after the date of receipt of the Parties' final notice on the completion of internal legal procedures.

With the exchange of official notes confirming the completion of internal procedures of both sides, the UKVFTA will officially take effect from May 1, 2021./. VNA

UKVFTA - a boost to Vietnam-UK trade

After the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) took effect on December 31, 2020, both sides saw impressive growth in their two-way trade though exports faced formidable challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.