(VOVWORLD) -The EU and Vietnam have established different levels of cooperation and partnership, EC vice president Josep Borrell Fontelles said, adding that the current bilateral cooperation is not commensurate with the depth of the relationship in practice, so the EU wants to upgrade relations with Vietnam.
 Vice President of the European Commission (EC), High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. Photo: An Dang/VNA
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Fontelles, who is also High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, informed the press about the results of his visit to Vietnam and the EU-Vietnam relations in Hanoi on Wednesday.
He said that among ASEAN countries, Vietnam has signed the largest number of agreements and treaties with the EU. Among the agreements are the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the EU-Vietnam Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA), the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) agreement.
The EC vice president said that to date 18 out of 27 EU countries have ratified the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). He assured that the EC would encourage the remaining countries to speed up the ratification of the document for mutual interest.
Asked when the EC will lift the "yellow card" imposed on Vietnam's seafood exports on the basis of recognizing Vietnam's efforts and achievements in preventing and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Fontelles emphasized that the EU has effectively discussed and worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam on measures, such as installing cruise monitoring equipment on fishing vessels. What needs to be done now is to ensure these measures are taken effectively in localities, he said.