VietNamNet Bridge – The European Union wants to have a higher-quality relationship with Vietnam through the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), an EU high official said in Hanoi yesterday.

Deputy Director-General for External Relations, Joao Aguiar Machado. (Photo: XL)

The first round of negotiations concluded on June 18, 2008 in Brussels and the coming third round will be held early next year in Brussels.

Negotiations on the PCA between Vietnam and EU are expected to be wrapped up in late 2009 and then submitted to the 27 members of the EU for approval.

Although no breakthrough was reached in the second round, EU hopes to take the relations to a higher level, Joao Aguiar Machado said at a press conference yesterday.

The PCA is a comprehensive agreement covering a broad range of subjects of dialogue and cooperation in political, economic, development co-operation, social and cultural fields. The PCA will enable the two sides to better address the regional and global challenges the world faces today against the background of the dynamic developments in Vietnam and the European Union.

The PCA builds on the 1995 Vietnam-EC Cooperation Agreement.

Xuan Linh