EU Blue Book 2012 Launched

The EU Blue Book 2012 - the annual publication presenting an overview of the European Union development cooperation in Vietnam - was launched May 31 in Hanoi at the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam.

 

The 2012 edition of the European Union Blue Book shows that the European Union remains one of Vietnam's leading providers of development assistance, with a total of € 745.3 million (US$ 1.01 billion) indicative commitment for 2012 or equivalent to (13.24 percent of total committed external aid. Grants' share counts for 32.5 percent or € 245.21 million (US$ 324.05 million)

 

The EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) which will be signed in 2012, illustrates this extensive and progressive interaction between the EU and Vietnam. Furthermore, both sides also recently concluded preparations for starting negotiations of a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).

 

In the context of growing concerns about Vietnam’s quality of growth, the 2012 Blue Book thematic feature focuses on Green Growth as EU Development Partners consider that n order to better target rising socio-economic inequalities and remaining poverty gaps, supporting Green growth could offer opportunities for redirecting socio-–economic programmes and securing new investments and jobs that ensure inclusive growth and efficient resource utilization.