The Nhon – Hanoi Station metro line remains one of the most prominent sustainable transport projects that the EU is working on with Vietnam.

The Nhon - Hanoi Station metro line during the testing phase. Photo: The Hanoi Times

EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier told The Hanoi Times during a press briefing held on May 3.
Guerrier noted that the EU views this as an exemplary project of infrastructure cooperation for the people of Hanoi and Vietnam as a whole, aiming to enhance urban transportation convenience. The EU supports this project with funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB), France, and several other member states.

"Through this project, we bring advanced European technology to contribute to the development of Hanoi's infrastructure, while also seeking to promote sustainable development in Hanoi and Vietnam," said Guerrier.

The Ambassador shared his own experience of riding this train during a trial run to its depot. The EU is pushing for the underground section between the Ba Dinh area and Hanoi railway station to commence soon, probably in July. "We have high hopes for this project," he stated.

In addition to smart transportation, according to the EU Ambassador, other key factors for sustainable development include a conducive regulatory environment, accelerating digitalization, and ensuring sustainable energy.

Acknowledging the positive trend of European investment flowing into Vietnam, the Ambassador believed that to further stimulate this trend, an effective and rational regulatory environment was needed. Additionally, he recommended that the Vietnamese Government facilitate private investment in the energy sector, a crucial foundation for manufacturing and investment activities.

EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier at the press briefing. Photo: Tu Anh/The Hanoi Times

High political determination to address IUU

The Ambassador highly appreciated Vietnam's efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, noting that Vietnam has demonstrated a very high level of political determination and made significant efforts to achieve the early removal of the yellow card.

"We see that Vietnam has established a legal framework on this issue and has made efforts such as installing vessel monitoring equipment," the Ambassador remarked.

Some bright spots recognized by the EU are in Kien Giang Province, where certain progress has been made. However, there are still gaps in enforcement, such as fishermen shutting off their engines to avoid monitoring when entering restricted areas or fishing in other countries' waters.

"Vietnam has issued decrees and legal regulations on penalties for violations by fishermen and fishing vessels. I hope that both sides will soon assess the new progress based on Vietnam's efforts," the Ambassador stated.

Guerrier noted that the EU Delegation in Vietnam continues to actively coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to share concrete results achieved. Accordingly, he also expected that the upcoming visit of the European inspection delegation would yield positive results that would form the basis for the removal of the yellow card imposed on Vietnam.

EVIPA: A boost to Vietnam-EU relations

Giving insights into the approval process of the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), Ambassador Guerrier said that to date, 17 EU member states have ratified EVIPA, while 10 others have yet to make a decision.

Accordingly, EVIPA will have a two-way positive positive impact on both the EU and Vietnam. Enterprises will have better protection for their investments once the agreement takes effect. On the other hand, EU member states already have significant investments in Vietnam even before the agreement.

"I keep telling businesses that once EVIPA takes effect, it will provide an even greater boost, that will benefit both sides," emphasized the EU Ambassador.

In the context of the EU's current policy towards the Indian Ocean - Pacific region, Vietnam is seen as an emerging strong economic and geopolitical partner. The two sides have signed many agreements, including EVFTA, EVIPA, and many others.

In terms of rankings, Vietnam is currently the EU's largest trading partner in ASEAN and the largest recipient of EU ODA in the region.

Looking ahead to the 35th anniversary of Vietnam-EU relations next year, the two sides only continue to work closely together on various global issues such as climate change, Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and national security, but both sides also have the potential to make even greater strides in cooperation, Ambassador Julien Guerrier said.