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Vietnam: The European parliament should endorse free trade deal, MEP Zaharadil says
MEP Jan Zaharadil, rapporteur for the EU-Vietnam FTA for the International Trade Committee, urges his colleagues to confirm the deal in an interview with online news service Borderlex.
MEP Zahradil recognised that concerns have been raised by some members of the European Parliament as regards the potential impact of the agreement on civil rights and freedom of expression in Vietnam. However, the rapporteur stressed that clear commitment were made by the Vietnamese authorities: “Setting conditions now, in the final stage or to reject the deal on this basis would be wrong, counterproductive and politically and economically damaging.”
Since the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, each trade agreement must receive the approval of the European Parliament to be adopted. Up to now, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been the only trade agreement rejected by MEPs.
Meanwhile, the signature of the agreement by the negotiating parties is expected to take place on Wednesday 2 December 2015 during a visit of senior Vietnamese leaders in Brussels. Each Member State will then ratify the agreement following its own approval procedure. This exercise should be completed by the end of 2017.