EU Business Leaders Seek High-Tech Investment in Vietnam
European executives and diplomats met with Vietnamese officials in Hanoi to expand trade in green technology and high-tech manufacturing under a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The Government of Vietnam and the European Union held the Vietnam-EU Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum 2026 in Hanoi on November 4 to strengthen economic ties. This meeting followed the recent elevation of their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and coincided with a visit from a delegation of 110 senior executives from nearly 40 European companies led by the EU-ASEAN Business Council.
Bilateral trade grew nearly 20 percent year-on-year, reaching $65.48 billion in the first nine months of 2026. Vietnam is now prioritizing the import of European green technologies and advanced machinery to transition toward exporting higher value-added products. Specifically, Vietnam requested European investment in power generation and grid infrastructure to meet its 2050 net-zero target.
European business leaders identified Vietnam as a top growth market in ASEAN, focusing on renewable energy, healthcare modernization, financial services, and high-tech manufacturing. While acknowledging the benefits of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the delegation urged the Vietnamese government to reduce regulatory hurdles, streamline customs procedures, and enhance intellectual property protection to ensure long-term competitiveness.
