Labour
provisions in the European Union – Vietnam
free trade agreement (EVFTA) play a critical role in labour reform in Viet Nam.
After four years in effect, Vietnam has made concerted efforts to implement labour commitments in EVFTA, yielding
concrete results in fulfilment of labour obligations, arrangement
of institutions and preparation for a dispute settlement mechanism. Vietnam’s revised 2019 labour code has been in force, bringing significant reforms to the working conditions. Nevertheless, there is
room for improvement, particularly in operating grassroots representative
organizations and accelerating the ratification of the International Labour
Organization (ILO) convention No. 87. This article will first summarize recent developments in implementation of labour
provisions in EU’s FTAs. It will then briefly analyse labour provisions of EVFTA in comparison with other
labour provisions in the EU’s FTAs. Finally, the article will review
Vietnam’s progress in fulfilling EVFTA labour commitments aligning
with contemporary approaches, and offer suggestions for further compliance.