Sportswear firms eye boosting exports to the Netherlands
The conference was organised by the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the Dutch Association of Sport Product Manufacturers and Wholesalers (FGHS).
More than 50 sportswear companies from Viet Nam and the Netherlands held an online conference on Wednesday (Viet Nam time) to discuss enhancing trade between the two countries.
The conference was organised by the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the Dutch Association of Sport Product Manufacturers and Wholesalers (FGHS).
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Director of the department Le Hoang Tai said the MoIT will support and help connect companies from both Viet Nam and the Netherlands.
With the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) about to come into effect on August 1 and Viet Nam's strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnamese sportswear firms were poised to ramp up production and meet demand from international buyers, he said.
As the Netherlands has become one of Viet Nam's largest trading partners in the EU, Tai said his department was looking forward to more activities with the FGSH including business visits and B2B events.
Iwan Rutjens, First Secretary of Economic Affairs at the Dutch Embassy in Viet Nam, said the EVFTA has been an encouragement for Dutch companies to enter Viet Nam and their technological know-how and expertise could help local companies to improve on competitive advantages.
Dirk Vinken, director of FGHS, said despite the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for sportswear products in the Netherland still remains high, making it a market with strong potential for Vietnamese firms.
The EVFTA, which eliminates most tariffs between the EU and Viet Nam, will be a major boon for businesses from both sides.
Vice Chairwoman and General Secretary of the Viet Nam Leather and Footwear Association (LEFASO) Phan Thi Thanh Xuan urged Vietnamese firms to invest in technological upgrades and to study international trade agreements to successfully join the global supply chain. She also said firms must start building business plans for the long-term, get ready to face fierce competition and seek trade partners. — VNS
