EU Ambassador to ASEAN Sujiro Seam (Photo courtesy of the EU Delegation to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are working towards upgrading their current Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Throughout this process of interregional cooperation, the EU would continue to count on Vietnam’s leadership and coordinating role in advancing EU-ASEAN relations, EU Ambassador to ASEAN Sujiro Seam told the press in Hanoi on July 15.
He described Vietnam as a strong and strategic partner of the EU in political and security affairs, while also recognising the country as one of its leading ASEAN partners in economic, business, trade and investment cooperation.
According to the diplomat, the strength of the EU-Vietnam relationship is reflected in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), as well as the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during European Council President António Costa’s visit to Vietnam in January 2026.
He told the Vietnam News Agency that the EU would like Vietnam to share its practical implementation experience and the benefits it has gained from the agreement with other ASEAN member states. “Vietnam’s experience could help other ASEAN member states better understand the potential advantages of such an agreement.”
Placing the EVFTA within the broader EU-ASEAN trade agenda, the Ambassador said the long-term objective of the EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership is to establish a region-to-region free trade agreement. “Bilateral FTAs between the EU and individual ASEAN member states would serve as building blocks towards that goal,” he said.
Beyond trade, Vietnam and the EU also recorded effective cooperation in green transition, digital and maritime affairs, according to the Ambassador.
He underscored Vietnam as an important partner in advancing the region’s green energy transition. Vietnam and Indonesia are the two ASEAN countries participating in Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) supported by the EU and other international partners, he noted.
In the digital sphere, Vietnam plays an important coordinating role within ASEAN in discussions with the EU on a framework for digital trade principles, he said.
Regarding maritime cooperation, Vietnam and the EU are working within the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), including a jointly chaired activity focusing on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The increasing bilateral maritime cooperation also reflects the broader convergence between the EU and ASEAN on upholding multilateralism and ASEAN Centrality, the Ambassador affirmed.
He emphasised that both the EU and ASEAN recognised the value of multilateralism and shared respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of any disputes.
Amid increasingly complex regional and global security challenges, multilateral cooperation has become more important than ever. In this context, the Ambassador underlined that Vietnam once again plays a crucial coordinating role in advancing cooperation between ASEAN and the EU.
As two of the world’s leading examples of successful regional cooperation, the diplomat said closer and more effective cooperation between the two groupings is both natural and necessary.
Linh Ha/VNA
