Vietnam is set to sign a European Free Trade Association (EFTA) this week, as Hanoi closes in on a final trade agreement with the United States. Reuters
reported yesterday that the agreement with the EFTA bloc, which consists of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, will be signed in Hanoi on Sunday in the presence of Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin, who is currently on a trip to Asia.
The talks between Vietnam and the ETFA began in 2012 and have proceeded at a steady pace since. The two sides officially
concluded the negotiations in July, following a ministerial meeting in Reykjavik that involved “intensive technical talks.”
