Vietnam asks Belgium to ratify EVIPA in 2025

VTV.vn - Vietnam requests Belgium to actively consider visa exemption for holders of Vietnamese diplomatic and official passports.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son hopes that Belgium will support Vietnam in developing its marine economy , including sustainable fisheries development, and will have a voice in urging the European Commission (EC) to remove the IUU yellow card for Vietnamese seafood products, based on Vietnam's recent efforts.

On the occasion of attending the 2nd Global Gateway Forum from October 9-10, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son had a working session with Mr. Peter De Roover, President of the Belgian Federal House of Representatives.

At the meeting, the President of the Belgian House of Representatives inquired about the storm and flood situation in Vietnam and expressed his sympathy to the Vietnamese people for the great damage and loss they are suffering. The Deputy Prime Minister thanked the international community, including Belgium, for their concern and support for the Vietnamese people.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the positive developments in the Vietnam-Belgium relationship. The Belgian side affirmed its determination to implement the results achieved after the visit of the King and Queen of Belgium to Vietnam (April 2025); welcomed the completion of the signing of the Cooperation Agreement between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the Belgian Parliament (February 2025), creating an important foundation for the legislative bodies of the two countries to concretize the areas of cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son thanked and appreciated the Belgian House of Representatives for being the first foreign parliament to pass a resolution on supporting Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.

The Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated Belgium's role and voice in the mechanisms of the European Union in particular and Europe in general; proposed that Belgium soon ratify the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in 2025, thereby protecting the rights and encouraging Belgian corporations and enterprises to increase investment in Vietnam in areas of Belgium's strengths such as logistics, seaports, renewable energy, etc.

The Deputy Prime Minister also asked Belgium to support Vietnam in developing its marine economy, including sustainable fisheries development, and to urge the European Commission (EC) to remove the IUU yellow card for Vietnamese seafood products, based on Vietnam's recent efforts.

As Strategic Partners in Agriculture, Vietnam and the Kingdom of Belgium affirmed their determination to further strengthen cooperation in developing circular agricultural economic models, smart agriculture, solutions to cope with saline intrusion and drought, especially in the Mekong Delta, etc., contributing to accelerating the green transition and sustainable development of Vietnam.

The President of the Belgian House of Representatives agreed to increase exchanges between specialized committees and young parliamentarians of the two countries' parliaments, promote the role of Friendship Parliamentary Groups as well as enhance coordination at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums (IPU, APPF, ASEP, AIPA). The President of the House of Representatives affirmed that Belgium attaches importance to promoting multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam in areas such as trade-investment, high-tech agriculture, smart seaports-logistics, climate change, etc.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son thanked and appreciated the Belgian House of Representatives for being the first foreign parliament to pass a resolution on supporting Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange. The Speaker of the House of Representatives suggested that both sides continue to implement the resolution through specific projects to provide aid to Vietnam to overcome the consequences of war, especially cleaning up contaminated areas, restoring ecosystems, and supporting victims of Agent Orange.

Vietnam requests Belgium to actively consider visa exemption for holders of Vietnamese diplomatic and official passports.

The Deputy Prime Minister reiterated that Vietnam has issued a resolution to exempt visas for 45 days for citizens of 12 European countries, including Belgium, entering Vietnam for tourism purposes; and requested Belgium to actively consider visa exemption for holders of Vietnamese diplomatic and official passports.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son respectfully conveyed the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to the President of the Belgian House of Representatives to visit Vietnam in the near future. The President of the Belgian House of Representatives happily accepted the invitation and suggested that the two sides continue to discuss and arrange a suitable time through diplomatic channels.

During his working trip to the Kingdom of Belgium, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son visited and met with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium and the Vietnamese Delegation to the EU.

In a friendly atmosphere, the Deputy Prime Minister commended the efforts and important contributions of the Embassy and agencies of Vietnam in Belgium and the EU in promoting the friendly and cooperative relations between Vietnam with Belgium and the EU.

In the context of the country entering a new era of development, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Embassy and Vietnamese representative agencies in Belgium to continue to innovate their thinking, promote effective and substantive implementation of foreign affairs, focus on implementing Resolution 59 of the Politburo on international integration in the new situation as well as important strategies issued by the Politburo; operate according to the motto of being lean, compact, strong, contributing to socio-economic development, enhancing the image and position of the country in local relations in the international arena, while paying attention to the work of overseas Vietnamese, mobilizing people to always turn to their homeland, contributing to the development of the country.

Source: https://vtv.vn/viet-nam-de-nghi-bi-phe-chuan-evipa-trong-nam-2025-10025101107294603.htm