Photo: Nhat Bac/VGP
2026 begins with landmark news as the European Union and Vietnam elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership – a milestone that reflects 35 years of deepening cooperation and shared commitment to peace, prosperity, and open, rules-based trade.
This partnership elevation has been officially and jointly announced by European Council President Antonio Costa and State President Luong Cuong on 29 Jan 2026, during President Costa’s visit to Vietnam.
Ambassador Julien Guerrier remarked: “Such an upgrade reflects the reality of what our partnership has already become. It provides a stronger platform to deepen cooperation in areas that matter most: green energy, advanced technologies, skills, and security. It also sends a powerful signal in an unsettled world – that the EU and Vietnam are choosing long-term cooperation over short-term hedging.”
EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert echoed the sentiment: “This upgrade comes at a defining moment for Vietnam. The country is entering a new era of rising, marked by strong fundamentals and growth that has already outperformed global projections in 2025. With the EU now alongside Vietnam at the highest level of partnership, this is more than a diplomatic milestone – it is a powerful signal of confidence in the road ahead. For EuroCham members, this partnership provides momentum for a new wave of European investors and offers a shared platform to fast-track investments that deliver sustained, inclusive growth across the key areas covered by this Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
The upgraded partnership strengthens cooperation across key areas:
- Trade and investment
- Peace, defence and security
- Science, technology and people-to-people ties
- Inclusive and sustainable development
- Agriculture, blue economy and ocean conservation
- Low-carbon energy transition and climate action
- Digitalisation, connectivity and sustainable transport
- Regional and multilateral cooperation
Building on cornerstone frameworks such as EVFTA, this new chapter lays even stronger foundations for resilient, future-oriented growth, benefiting businesses and communities on both sides.
As the unified voice of the European business community in Vietnam, EuroCham welcomes this milestone and reaffirms our commitment to constructive advocacy, supporting regulatory convergence, and fostering dialogue to help translate high-level commitments into real-world outcomes.
Encouraging signals from renewed business confidence, with our Business Confidence Index reaching a seven-year high, alongside Vietnam’s new leadership and this strengthened EU partnership, point to a moment of genuine momentum.
Here’s to a promising start of the year and the journey ahead.
Read the full joint statement HERE.
