Is EU putting profits over human rights in Vietnam?
Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam arrived in Brussels on Wednesday for an official visit to the European Union, days after signing a free trade agreement with four European nations.
Vietnam's President To Lam arrived in Brussels on Wednesday for an official visit to the European Union and Belgium, marking a significant expansion of diplomatic and economic ties.
The visit follows a recent signing of a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association, which comprises Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
This development underscores the deepening commercial relationship between the two regions, which has been bolstered by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) since August 2020.
Strategic partnership and trade ties
The EU and Vietnam have upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the first such agreement between the EU and a Southeast Asian nation.
Vietnam is now the EU's largest goods-trading partner in Southeast Asia and its 14th-largest globally, while the EU is Vietnam's fourth-largest trading partner.
This partnership is viewed as crucial for the EU's economic security agenda and its strategy of de-risking from China.
The cooperation is crucial for advancing the EU's economic security agenda and its strategy of de-risking from China.
Human rights and trade obligations
Despite the expanding relationship, the EU faces criticism for overlooking Vietnam's deteriorating human rights record under President To Lam.
In an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, 12 international human rights organizations raised grave concerns over intensifying repression.
The letter highlighted that Vietnam has failed to deliver on its commitments made during the negotiation of the EVFTA, including the ratification of an International Labour Organization convention on freedom of association.
The EU has taken no action in response to Vietnam's repeated breaches of its EVFTA-related obligations and pledges; instead, in January it upgraded bilateral relations.
Uneven benefits and investment challenges
Questions persist about the distribution of benefits from the EVFTA, with large foreign-invested manufacturers gaining more than smaller domestic businesses.
Vietnam's goods-trade deficit with the EU reached €51.7 billion ($57.9 billion) in 2025, up from roughly €24 billion in 2019.
The EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, signed in 2019, has not yet entered into force, with ratification pending in several member states including France and the Netherlands.
European businesses continue to increase investments in Vietnam, but many are closely monitoring the country's legislative program for potential reforms.
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