EC President hosts welcome ceremony for top leader To Lam
VGP - President of the European Council António Costa hosted an official welcome ceremony for General Secretary and President To Lam in Brussels, Belgium, on October 22.
President of the European Council António Costa (R) hosts an official welcome ceremony for General Secretary and President of Viet Nam To Lam, Brussels, Belgium, October 22, 2026 - Photo: VNA
Following the welcome ceremony, the two leaders held talks.
Since establishing diplomatic relations on November 28, 1990, Viet Nam and the EU have developed increasingly close ties.
The upgrade to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Costa's visit to Viet Nam in January 2026 marked a historic milestone, making Viet Nam the first ASEAN member state to establish the highest-level partnership framework with the EU.
In 2025, two-way trade reached US$73.81 billion, up 7.79 percent from 2024 and accounting for 7.9 percent of Viet Nam's total trade. Viet Nam recorded a trade surplus of US$38.54 billion with the bloc, up from US$35 billion in 2024.
The positive trend continued in the first eight months of 2026, when bilateral trade totalled US$57.16 billion, up 18 percent year on year. Viet Nam's exports reached US$44.26 billion, an increase of 19.66 percent, while its imports rose 12.75 percent to US$12.91 billion.
EU Ambassador to Viet Nam Julien Guerrier underscored the strategic significance of the top Vietnamese leader's ongoing visit to the EU, describing it as an important opportunity to review progress in bilateral ties, advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and translate shared ambitions into concrete outcomes.
The visit reflects the importance both sides attach to their relationship. It also provides an opportunity to review the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, identify new areas for cooperation and elevate bilateral relations to a higher level.
According to the Ambassador, discussions between To Lam and the EU leaders will cover a broad range of shared priorities, including trade and investment, energy, education, science and technology, and security, with an emphasis on converting common strategic objectives into practical achievements./.