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24 August 2023: UK-Vietnam FTA Trade Committee meeting – summary

Published 19 March 2025

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This page relates to a meeting that took place on 24 August 2023, during the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government, and was published later.

Summary of the second UK-Vietnam Trade Committee meeting under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (Vietnam)

Ha Noi, 24 August 2023

1. Opening remarks

Vice Minister Phan Thi Thang and Minister for International Trade Nigel Huddleston co-chaired the meeting.

Vice Minister Phan Thi Thang noted the positive developments in the bilateral trade and economic relations between Vietnam and the UK since the first Trade Committee meeting in April 2022.

Vice Minister Phan Thi Thang also celebrated the UK joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and recognised its importance in further improving the trade and investment relations between the two countries.

Minister Huddleston reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to a deeper trade partnership with Vietnam. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Vietnam updated the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) Trade Committee on:

  • the selection of the list of arbitrators under ‘Chapter 15 – Dispute Settlement’
  • the panel list under ‘Chapter 13 – Sustainable Development’

Both sides agreed to exchange approved lists once Vietnam has completed their domestic process.

3. Reports of specialised committees

Vice Minister Phan Thi Thang and Minister Huddleston heard reports from each of the specialised committees held this year. These included the committees on:

  • Investment, Trade in Services, Electronic Commerce and Government Procurement
  • Trade in Goods – including intellectual property (IP) and geographical indications (GI)
  • Customs
  • Food Safety and Phytosanitary Measures
  • Trade and Sustainable Development

4. Bilateral issues

Rice tariff rate quotas and fragrant rice varieties

Vietnam raised ‘Article 8 – Review of rice tariff rate quotas’ of the UKVFTA and proposed to undertake a review of the rice tariff rate quota (TRQ).

Vietnam also requested further information on the use and administration of the TRQs under the UKVFTA.

The UK was content to share relevant information on TRQs under the UKVFTA but does not believe it would be appropriate to start a review under the UKVFTA.

Vietnam raised a request to amend its current list of fragrant rice varieties for the application of the rice TRQ under the UKVFTA.

The UK thanked Vietnam for its patience while the UK government considered this request.

Preference utilisation rate (PUR) methodology

The UK raised the important role of accurate data on how businesses were using the FTA.

Both sides agreed to have further discussions at a technical level on PURs, including on the calculation methodology.

5. Closing remarks

Both Vice Minister Phan Thi Thang and Minister Huddleston agreed that the mutual focus should be on encouraging businesses to make the best use of this far-reaching and modern FTA.

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