Vietnam-EU to increase garment export quota



Oct. 13 (VNA) -- Viet Nam and the European Union (EU) signed an agreement on Oct. 10 at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, allowing an average increase of 26 percent on Viet Nam's garment exports quota to EU markets.

Signatories were Vietnamese Trade Minister Vu Khoan and EU Commissioner in charge of trade Pascal Lamy, who also signed a memorandum of understanding on fraud prevention in the footwear industry.

Exchanging views with Minister Vu Khoan, the EU Commissioner spoke highly of EU-Viet Nam cooperative relations. He affirmed that the EU would continue supporting Viet Nam's renovation process and its integration into the world by increasing aid for development, encouraging investment in Viet Nam, helping train human resources and supporting Viet Nam's joining the World Trade Organization.

Viet Nam's garment exports to EU fetched USD 590 million in 1999, a year-on-year increase of USD 30 million.