EU, Vietnam push for swift conclusion of free trade deal

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tang Dung and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso pledged their commitment Monday to the swift conclusion of a free trade deal aimed at boosting economic activity between the two sides, dpa reported.
'This is an important deal that will allow all parties to resolve the current and future economic challenges we are facing,' Dung said during a visit to Brussels before he travels to Milan for an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit at the end of the week.
The agreement is intended as an 'essential building block in strengthening the relationship between Europe and South-East Asia,' both officials said in a joint statement, adding that they aim to conclude negotiations 'in the next few months.'
The European Union is Vietnam's second-largest trading partner with trade amounting to 27 billion euros (35 billion dollars) a year.