The Forum aims to create a business platform for trade and investment promotion between Vietnam and the Netherlands, encourage knowledge exchange and the transfer of technology to develop the sustainable aquaculture industry in Vietnam. The Forum also creates an opportunity for stakeholders to address key challenges in the Mekong Delta and allows Vietnamese top enterprises to share their experiences and vision on their journey to sustainable aquaculture business development. The Netherlands believes in Vietnam’s potential to become a supplier of sustainable seafood for a growing world population, and stands ready to cooperate from different perspectives, such as sustainable innovation, research and technology application, and inclusive approach. An inter-ministerial delegation from the Netherlands will have opportunities to meet and engage with their Vietnamese Mekong Delta counterparts in the framework of this event.

The opening remarks of Netherlands Consul General Daniël Stork at the Forum highlights the long-lasting and close cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands in a water – agriculture – agrologistics integrated approach, as well as in sustainable value chain development in the Mekong Delta: “Together we will work on sustainable contributions and solutions to strengthen the aquaculture sector of Vietnam to be competitive on the global market, and at the same time taking care of the people and the nature of the Mekong Delta.”

The Forum is organised by the Netherlands missions in Vietnam in collaboration with strategic partners: Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in Can Tho, The Vietnam Sustainable Shrimp Alliance (VSSA) and The Vietnam Pangasius Association (VINAPA) and The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH).

On the same day, the Vietnam - Netherlands Business Matchmaking Event will take place from 13:00 – 17:00. This is a business platform for Vietnamese and Dutch aquaculture industry stakeholders to discuss both prospects and challenges for the Mekong Delta region and explore potential business cooperation opportunities.

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The EU is one of the five largest seafood export markets of Vietnam while Vietnam is the second largest seafood supplier to the EU amongst all Asian countries and territories. According to VASEP, in recent years, Netherlands is the largest seafood export market of Vietnam in the EU. In 2021, exports of all major Vietnamese seafood products to the EU countries grew positively. The demand for annual seafood import is estimated at about US$50 billion and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has provided Vietnam with major opportunities to increase seafood export turnover. Under the EVFTA, out of  approximately 220 tariff lines, most that were in the high range of 6-22 percent were reduced to zero percent immediately after the trade deal took effect. The remaining tax lines will be phased out to zero after 3-7 years.

The Netherlands and Vietnam have a long-lasting and trusted relationship. The two countries have established strategic partnerships in “Water & Climate Change Adaptation” and “Agriculture and Food Security”. The Netherlands provides technical support and advice to Vietnamese government to develop Vietnam’s Mekong Delta Regional Master Plan in 2022. The Netherlands is the largest EU investor in Vietnam. At the same time, the Netherlands is also Vietnam's largest export market in the EU, and the sixth largest globally. In 2021, the bilateral trade amounted to 8,373 billion USD, an increase of 9.4% compared to 2020. The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement is an important driving force behind the growing sustainable and inclusive trade between Vietnam and the EU. In 2023, Vietnam and the Netherlands will celebrate 50 years of bilateral relations and more than 400 years of people-to-people contacts.

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For more information, please contact:

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hanoi
Address: Floor 7, BIDV Tower, 194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Email: see contact page
Press officer: Ms. Pham Hong Van | +84 4 3935 2919 

On September, The Netherlands - Vietnam Sustainable Aquaculture Business Forum 2022 takes place in Can Tho. 

Press release in Vietnamese and Agenda of the Aquaculture Business Forum
Netherlands - Vietnam Sustainable Aquaculture Business Forum 2022

Download the press release in Vietnamese and programme agendas of the Forum in English and Vietnamese from the above-provided links.