(VOVworld) - Vietnam and the European Union conducted the sixth round of free trade agreement negotiations in Brussels from January 13-17 and planned to end bilateral talks in September. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Truong Dinh Tuyen, advisor to the Vietnamese delegation to the negotiations, said both sides defined the roadmap for concluding the talks and their leaders would release a joint statement to mark the event.

Former Trade Minister Truong Dinh Tuyen

According to Tuyen, who was also former Trade Minister, both sides are likely to sign the trade pact during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s scheduled visit to the EU this October. Mauro Petriccione, Director at European Commission's Directorate General for Trade, EU chief negotiator, acknowledged both sides’ efforts in addressing differences during the talks, saying they had found common ground on sensitive issues. He said the signing of the agreement greatly depends on technical and legal work, but expressed his belief the FTA will be reached this year.