According to Vietnam's Customs Department and National Statistics Office of the Ministry of Finance, two-way trade between Vietnam and the European Union has exceeded 900 billion USD since diplomatic trade began in 1995.
Notably, 383.8 billion USD, or 42.6% of the total accumulated trade value over the past three decades, was generated during the six years since the EVFTA took effect in August 2020. In the first half of 2026 alone, bilateral trade reached 41.4 billion USD, including 31.8 billion USD in Vietnamese exports to the EU and 9.7 billion USD in imports from Europe.
The agreement has also strengthened European business confidence in Vietnam. According to the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham)'s Business Confidence Index for the second quarter of 2026, 55% of surveyed European companies regard Vietnam as a core business hub or key growth market, while another 22% consider it an essential part of their regional operations. Half of European firms engaged in bilateral trade reported directly benefiting from EVFTA tariff preferences.
EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert said that following the upgrade of EU-Vietnam ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in January 2026, the EVFTA has become the cornerstone of a new era of economic diplomacy. He noted that the agreement's legacy extends beyond trade figures, laying the foundation for deeper long-term cooperation between the two sides.
