Finally, Vietnam has taken one step closer to EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreenement (EVFTA) to create a breakthrough for trade with the EU.
On January 21, the International Trade Commission (INTA) of the European Parliament meeting in Brussels to vote for the draft resolution of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) with the results: 29 votes in favor, 6 votes against and 5 votes abstain.
In fact, this is just a recommended step of INTA (European Parliament’s Trade Commission) to submit to the European Parliament for the final vote and in February this year, according to the official news of the European Parliament website just posted on the afternoon of January 21, 2020, Vietnam time.
It also includes legally binding rules on climate, labor and human rights. Vietnam has planned to approve the other two bills on abolishing forced labor and freedom of association by 2020 and 2023, respectively.
If there is a violation of human rights, the commercial agreement may be suspended.
The social network was abuzz with news of a European Representative accusing the Vietnamese Ambassador of bribing Champagne to vote for EVFTA.
Congresswoman Ellie Chowns took a picture of a gift bag with a bottle of Champagne posted on her Twitter page with a brief description that:
“Tomorrow the European Parliament’s Trade Commission will vote to approve the trade agreement’s draft solution with Vietnam. Today I received this at the office: a gift of Champagne from the Vietnamese Embassy.
Completely inappropriate & blatant. I will return them, explaining that the release of political prisoners will influence me even more.”
The Vietnamese Embassy probably misjudged the character and self-esteem of the European parliamentarians, so it was extremely crude. Especially send gifts to them just before voting day or not for Vietnam …
Lawyer Le Quoc Quan said: “It is true that this gift giving does not do better but only dirty the relationship.”
Some are members of the International Trade Commission of the European Parliament (INTA) vowed to oppose the agreement’s adoption due to Vietnam’s human rights violations.
Anna Cavanizzi – member of the EU Trade Commission (INTA) of the European parliament.
She vowed to vote against the EU Trade Commission (INTA)’s draft resolution of the EVFTA on January 21, with the following grounds: The human rights situation in Vietnam is extremely worrying. Vietnam has launched a brutal crackdown on dissent and organized labor, especially since 2016.
To convince the European Parliament, Vietnam recently reformed its Labor Code. It is a step in the right direction, but unfortunately, the Criminal Code with many unjust repression of Vietnam is still effective.
In November 2019, Vietnam arrested the famous independent journalist Pham Chi Dung, who recently sent a letter to the European Parliament to criticize the EVFTA.
EU hopes that the signing of EVFTA will bring Vietnam into human rights constraints and improve workers’ rights.
Mr. Bernd Lange, chairman of the European Parliament’s Trade Committee, stated that:
“I am proud that in the process of negotiating the EU-Vietnam trade agreement, we have used our leverage and made positive changes to improve the situation of millions of workers in Vietnam. We have pressured Vietnam to ratify the Convention on Collective Bargaining, through fundamental labor reforms and commit to a specific roadmap to ratify and implement two prominent Conventions on Forced Labor and Freedom of Association. In order to ensure this process, we voted to support the trade agreement with Vietnam. “
“We ensure that labor and human rights issues remain at the forefront of the political agenda of the negotiations.“
The signed EVFTA will bring great benefits to Vietnamese businesses and the EU for tax exemptions on most goods.
Under the agreement, Vietnam will reduce 65% of import duties on goods from the EU as soon as EVFTA takes effect. The remainder will be removed in a 10-year period.
In addition, the EU will reduce more than 70% of tariffs on Vietnamese goods immediately after the agreement takes effect. The remainder, including motorbikes, cars, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wine, chicken and pork – will be eliminated in the next 7 years.
In order for the EU to pass EVFTA, Vietnam must join three more World Labor Organization (ILO) conventions related to workers’ rights.
The EU is also monitoring developments in the Dong Tam massacre from the beginning on January 9
EU Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti on January 21 having a meeting with Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.
Ambassador Aliberti also on this occasion reiterated the EU’s deep concern about the incident taking place in Dong Tam commune and the use of violence of any kind, as stated by the Agency Spokesperson. EU diplomacy.
The EU regrets the casualties that occurred during a clash between security forces and citizens and demanded full transparency in assessing the cause and context of the event.
The EU will continue to monitor the situation and be willing to assist the Vietnamese government in its independent and transparent investigation.
The EU expresses mourning to the families and friends of the victims.
The Association of Independent Journalists of Vietnam with 80 members can be said to be the largest left-wing organization in Vietnam, which has been operating continuously for 5 years until President Pham Chi Dung was arrested.
The case of Pham Chi Dung, freelance journalist on November 21, 2019 – has been for three months but his family and defense lawyers have not been contacted.
On December 3, the video of independent journalist Pham Chi Dung preparing for the EU-Vietnam Human Rights and Trade Freedom Conference was announced, in which he called on the European Parliament not to ratify the EVFTA Agreement. , or IPA.
Several members of the European parliament have called for the EU to put pressure on the Vietnamese government, as well as consider approving EVFTA for the persecution of human rights and press freedom in Vietnam.
The Dong Tam massacre still shows human rights violations and crimes that the world needs intervention.
On his Facebook, Dr. Nguyen Van A wrote, “To Lam is the most destructive EVFTA agreement”.
Dr. Nguyen Quang A recently called for the application of the Magnisky Human Rights Act to this massacre:
“Please take those supervising the police attack in Dong Tam in the early morning of Dong Tam to the lists of Magnitsky Law in the US, Canada, the UK, Estonia, and Litva.
It is important to collect information on their human rights violations.“
The signing of the EU-VN trade agreement is fundamentally praiseworthy as it is of great benefit to Vietnamese and European businesses trading goods together.
However, this is also a place where activists speak publicly to awaken Communist leaders that the protection of Human Rights must be guaranteed by Law and Government, and cannot use violence to serve for interest groups.
The Vietnamese people have awakened and know how to claim human rights according to the standards applied in democracy and one day, they will stand up to abolish the current cruel Communist regime in Vietnam.
Thu Thuy from Hochiminh city – Thoibao.de (translated)
