Counsellor and Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Economic Mission to ASEAN Nguyen Anh Duc and Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to ASEAN Jerome Pons co-chaired the event.
With a total budget of about 20 million euros (23.4 million USD) for the 2025–2029 period, SCOPE Trade is a flagship initiative under the ASEAN–EU Sustainable Connectivity Package, aimed at promoting ASEAN economic integration and strengthening economic ties between the two regions. The project focuses on policy improvement and trade facilitation; digital connectivity; and sustainable value chain development.
In Vietnam, the project has supported the review of the investment commitments under the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) and organized capacity-building activities for negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).
At the meeting, ASEAN and EU countries agreed to adopt the project’s 2026 Action Plan.
Nguyen Anh Duc, Counsellor and Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Economic Mission to ASEAN, said: “The adoption of the 2026 Action Plan lays the foundation for SCOPE Trade to move into a phase of substantive implementation, delivering concrete and practical results for ASEAN member states. As the coordinator of ASEAN–EU economic cooperation, Vietnam continues to steer cooperation between the two regions. Successfully co-chairing the first Steering Committee meeting helps advance the effective implementation of the SCOPE Trade project and affirms Vietnam’s position in leading regional economic cooperation initiatives.”
