29 March 2022, UK-Vietnam FTA Trade Committee – meeting summary
Published 19 March 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-vietnam-fta-trade-committee-meeting-summary-29-march-2022/29-march-2022-uk-vietnam-fta-trade-committee-meeting-summary--2
This page relates to a meeting that took place on 29 March 2022, during the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government, and was published later.
Summary of the first 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)
London, 29 March 2022
1. Opening remarks and agreement of the agenda
Ministers formally adopted the Rules of Procedure for the committee.
2. Technical provisions of the Agreement
Ministers discussed a timeline for exchange of lists of arbitrators, agreeing to a pragmatic approach to meeting this requirement.
3. Reports of the specialised committees
Officials from the UK and Vietnam delivered reports of the specialised committees under the FTA that were held this year.
4. UK Bilateral issues
Ministers then discussed market access to Vietnam for UK pork and poultry.
Minister Mordaunt signalled that the UK was ready to host an inward visit. Vice Minister Khanh shared that the Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam would organise this visit to the UK. He stated that he looked forward to the resolution of this issue.
Minister Mordaunt outlined two challenges faced by UK pharmaceutical companies:
- meeting the additional requirement to list the source of active ingredients within pharmaceutical products under Circular 32
- maintaining marketing authorisation for medicines
Attendees from Vietnam’s Ministry of Health explained that Circular 32 had been introduced to ensure the quality of medicine manufacturing. This requirement was amended in December 2021 to pause the requirement for certain pharmaceuticals if conditions are met. They also shared that Ministry of Health would issue guidelines for a resolution which would temporarily extend marketing authorisations.
5. Vietnam bilateral issues
Vice Minister Khanh requested more information on the allocation and use of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) under the FTA. Defra outlined the licence administration system that applied to the 3 rice quotas and the first-come, first-served system that applied for the remaining quotas under the FTA.
Vice Minister Khanh referenced Vietnam’s proposal to the UK to update the varieties of fragrant rice that were applicable under the rice TRQ. Defra assured the UKVFTA Trade Committee that they were evaluating the proposal.
6. Promotion of the UKVFTA
Ministers discussed productive work done between the UK and Vietnam to promote the UKVFTA to businesses.
7. Closing remarks
Ministers delivered positive reflections on the UKVFTA Trade Committee and signed the Rules of Procedure.