Vietnam Trade Status
Granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations
OnMay 31, 2006, United Statesand Vietnamese negotiators signed a bilateral agreement on the conditions for Vietnam’saccession [entry] into the World Trade Organization (WTO). The agreement isjust one in a number of steps that Vietnam must take to complete its11-year quest to join the multilateral trade body. However, the agreement withthe United States was thelast and, seemingly, the most difficult of the bilateral agreements thatVietnamhad to negotiate with 28 WTO members (including the European Union (EU)counting as one but representing 25 countries). Thus, the U.S.-Vietnambilateral agreement on WTO accession signifies that Vietnam’s accession process isdrawing to a close. The U.S….
