Hanoi (VNA) - Experts have recommended the acceleration of greentransformation for businesses to help them avoid being excluded from the value chains as greenconsumption is becoming a trend and a widespread requirement across allsegments and markets.
Ngo Chung Khanh, Deputy Director of the Multilateral TradePolicy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said withcomplementary goods, two-way trade has seen impressive growth after three years of implementing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Many key export items of Vietnamrecorded positive growth such as apparel, footwear and agro-aquatic products.
However, from the third year of the EVFTA implementation,these advantages and results have been somewhat affected by the EU's increasedapplication of higher standards and stricter requirements for quality,especially in the fields of environment and sustainable development, known as"green standards" for imported goods.
To maintain sustainable exports, Vietnamese businesses are forcedto shift towards green production using modern technologies to ensure the supplyof clean and green products and join the sustainable supply chains more deeply.
Vice Chairman of the European Chamberof Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) Jean Jacques Bouflet advised Vietnameseenterprises to ensure green standards by following stricterenvironment regulations, invest heavily in research and development, upgradeinfrastructure, improve logistics capability and invest in workforcetraining.
A quick survey showed that nearly 70% of Vietnamese firmsare aware of the EU’s "From farm to table" green strategy foragricultural and food products. Nearly 80% of respondents know the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) while around 60% of apparel makers become aware of the bloc'stextile strategy.
Deputy Director of the MoIT’s Domestic Market Department Le VietNga said the MoIT has developed an action plan for the National Green Growth Strategyfor the 2021-2030 period with a vision until 2050, as directed by the PrimeMinister. Its subordinate units have been assigned to work on this initiative.
According to Deputy Minister of Industry andTrade Do Thang Hai, the internationalsupply chain connectivity (Outsourcing) activities from September 13-15 in HoChi Minh City helped firms deeply join the global production and supply chains,facilitating connections between distribution channels, foreign importers,domestic manufacturers and exporters. As a result, many contracts were signedand numerous transactions were initiated.
The MoIT also helped 120 companies join the ASEAN-China Expo (CAEXPO)in Nanning, China, where the Vietnamese exhibition area was the second largest, just after the host country. It has been actively promoting exports throughcross-border e-commerce and improving the efficiency of customs clearance atborder gates.
In the coming time, the MoIT will continue working withministries, agencies, localities and firms to step up business activities,including exports, Hai said./.