Boosting Vietnamese exports to Italy’s distribution network

Working session with Emilia-Romagna region's chamber of commerce and the system of Coop Italia - Photo: hpa.gov.vn

The program was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the trade office of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, authorities of Emilia-Romagna and Lazio regions, the federation of Italian cooperatives LegaCoop, the system of Italian consumer cooperatives Coop Italia and the Agro-Food Centre of Rome (CAR). During the working session in Bologna, the business delegation of Vietnam, led by Director of the MoIT’s European markets department Dang Hoang Hai, met with the Emilia-Romagna region’s chamber of commerce and Coop Italia.

The Vietnamese businesses directly talked with those in charge of Coop Italia about quality standard for each commodity and asked for details about distributions of Vietnamese goods.

Visiting the system of Italian consumer cooperatives Coop Italia - Photo: hpa.gov.vn

Secretary General of the region’s commerce chamber Claudio Pasini highly appreciated the development potential of Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam.

According to Claudio Pasini, Vietnam is a strongly growing economy that attracts many foreign investors, including those from Emilia-Romagna. Relations between Vietnam and Italy have been enhanced over the past decade, spurring bilateral trade.

He said Vietnamese goods have increased in both quantity and quality in recent years, adding that the country also has a young skilled workforce. These factors have helped Vietnam to success in Europe and the world.

Pasini noted the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement is expected to take effect in 2018, which will facilitate bilateral economic and trade ties.

Photo: hpa.gov.vn

He also added that the Emilia-Romagna region has set up a representative office in Vietnam’s southern province of Binh Duong. Its exports to the country reached 179.5 million USD in 2016 and are expected to grow rapidly.

Director of the European markets department Dang Hoang Hai, for his part, said this is the second time the MoIT has held a trade promotion programme in Italy. The activity is held within the framework of the two countries’ joint committee and the plan to boost Vietnamese firms’ direct participation in foreign distribution networks by 2020; and to promote “Made in Vietnam” products in Italy and the EU in general.

The Vietnamese delegation, during their trip to Italy also visited CAR, the biggest center for agricultural food distribution in Rome and central Italy. The center is also one of Europe’s most important distribution hubs.

In 2016, trade between Vietnam and Italy surpassed 4.68 billion USD, up 8 percent from 2015, including 3.27 billion USD of Vietnam’s exports.

Vietnam’s major exports to Italy include telephones and parts, coffee, footwear, garments and seafood.