On March 23rd, 2022, Decision No. 415 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade was just issued amending and adding the Vietnam Elevator Association to the list of official members of the Vietnam Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Previously, Decision 1175 of the Prime Minister assigned the focal task in chapter 13 (EVFTA Agreement) – Trade and sustainable development to the Ministry of Industry and Trade to act as the focal point to build the DAG Group.
Chairman of Vietnam Elevator Association (VNEA) Nguyen Hai Duc
Vietnam Elevator Association (VNEA) is a socio-professional organization of citizens, a Vietnamese organization operating in the field of elevators and escalators; operates under the Charter approved by the Minister of Home Affairs in Decision No. 897/QD-BNV dated October 23rd, 2020. VNEA has its own legal status, its own seal and account, its own funding, headquarters and means of operation.
Decision No. 1175/QD-TTg dated August 4th, 2020 of the Prime Minister on appointing focal agencies to implement the EVFTA Agreement, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is the focal point to perform tasks related to the DAG.
On that basis, the Vietnam DAG Group was established on August 17th, 2021 according to Decision No. 1972/QD-BCT of the Minister of Industry and Trade, based on the provisions of Article 13.15 of the EVFTA Agreement. DAG Vietnam includes Vietnamese associations, non-goverment, non-profits, legally established and operating organization in Vietnam, representing legitimate interests in Vietnam related to trade and sustainable development. The main function of the Vietnam DAG Group is to gather, present views, and provide recommendations and advice on the implementation of the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the EVFTA Agreement, in line with the commitments in the Agreement. Members of DAG Vietnam operate independently of the state management agency to which DAG Vietnam provides advice.
Up to now, the Vietnam DAG Group under the EVFTA has a total of 7 member organizations, including: (1) Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (representative of employers); (2) Center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD); (3) Institute of Workers – Trade Union (under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor); (4) Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV); (5) Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS); (6) Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP); and (7) Vietnam Elevator Association (VNEA).
On March 22nd, 2022, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien signed and promulgated Decision No. 401/QD-BCT establishing and stipulating the organization and operation mechanism of the Vietnam DAG Group within the framework of Chapter 13 of this Decree. Free trade agreement between The Vietnam – UK Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA). Accordingly, the members of Vietnam’s DAG under the EVFTA are specified in the Appendix to Decision No. 1972/QD-BCT dated August 17, 2021 and documents amending and supplementing Decision No. 1972/ QD-BCT is also a member of Vietnam’s DAG under the UKVFTA Agreement.
Thus, by becoming a member of DAG Vietnam in the EVFTA, the Vietnam Elevator Association also becomes a member of DAG Vietnam in the UKVFTA Agreement. The Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade temporarily performs the function of the Vietnam DAG Group Secretariat in the UKVFTA until the Secretariat is officially established.
The free trade agreement between Vietnam and the UK (referred to as UKVFTA) was officially signed on December 29th, 2020. UKVFTA is temporarily applied from January 1st, 2021 and officially takes effect from May 1st, 2021. UKVFTA is negotiated on the basis of inheriting the commitments in the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) with some adjustments and amendments to suit the bilateral trade relationship between Vietnam and UK. Basically, the commitments of Chapter 13 of the UKVFTA Agreement inherit the commitments of Chapter 13 of the EVFTA Agreement. Accordingly, each Party shall establish a new domestic advisory group (DAG) or consult an existing national advisory group on sustainable development with a mandate to advise on the implementation of this Chapter. This national advisory group consists of independent representative organizations, ensuring balanced representation across economic, social and environmental sectors, including workers’ and employers’ organizations, businesses and environmental organizations.
