on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam The European Parliament, having regard to the draft Council decision (06050/2019), having regard to the draft Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (06051/2019), having regard to the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of the investment protection agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, of the other part (0000/2019), having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Articles 91(1), 100(2), 207(4), first subparagraph, Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), and Article 218(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) (C9-0023/2019), having regard to the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA) between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, of the other part, signed in Brussels on 27 June 2012, which entered into force in October 2016[1], having regard to the Framework Participation Agreement, signed on 17 October 2019, which will facilitate Vietnam's participation in European Union-led civilian and military crisis management operations and show strong commitment from both sides to a rules-based multilateral approach to international peace and security, having regard to the opinion of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 16 May 2017 in procedure 2/15[2], pursuant to Article 218(11) TFEU, requested on 10 July 2015 by the Commission, having regard to its resolution of 5 July 2016 on a new forward-looking and innovative future strategy for trade and investment[3], having regard to the Commission communication entitled Trade for all - towards a more responsible trade and investment policy, having regard to the Council decision of 22 December 2009 to pursue bilateral FTA negotiations with individual member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), having regard to the negotiating directives of 23 April 2007 for a region-to-region FTA with ASEAN member states, having regard to its resolution of 9 June 2016 on Vietnam[4], having regard to its resolution of 14 December 2017 on freedom of expression in Vietnam, notably the case of Nguyen Van Hoa[5], having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2018 on Vietnam, notably the situation of political prisoners[6], having regard to the decision of the European Ombudsman of 26 February 2016 in case 1409/2014/MHZ on the European Commissions failure to carry out a prior human rights impact assessment of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement[7], having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), and in particular Title V thereof on the Unions external action, having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular its Articles 91, 100, 168 and 207 in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a)(v), having regard to the Council conclusions on child labour of 20 June 2016, having regard to the Council conclusions on business and human rights of 20 June 2016, having regard to the economic impact of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement[8], having regard to the 2019 Universal Periodic Review on Vietnam undertaken by the UN Human Rights Council, having regard to the conclusions following its fact-finding mission to Vietnam (28October to 1 November 2018) and the Commissions evaluation of May 2018 on the countrys progress in tackling illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing following the notification by the Commission of a yellow card on 23 October 2017, having regard to its legislative resolution of ...[9] on the draft decision, having regard to Rule 105(2) of its Rules of Procedure, having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Development and the Committee on Fisheries, having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade (A9-0017/2020), A.whereas Vietnam is a strategic partner for the European Union, and whereas the EU and Vietnam share a common agenda, namely to stimulate growth and employment, improve competitiveness, fight poverty and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as a strong commitment to open, rules-based trade and to the multilateral trading system; B.whereas this is the second bilateral trade agreement concluded between the EU and an ASEAN member state and is an important stepping-stone towards a region-to-region FTA; whereas this agreement, along with the FTA between the EU and the Republic of Singapore to which Parliament gave its consent on 13 February 2019, will also serve as a benchmark for the agreements the EU is currently negotiating with the other main ASEAN economies; C.whereas 90 % of future world economic growth is predicted to be generated outside Europe, with a significant part occurring in Asia; D.whereas Vietnam joined the WTO in 2007 and is now an open and pro-free trade economy, as shown by its 16 trade agreements with 56 countries; E.whereas Vietnam is a founding member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and a party to the recently concluded negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); F.whereas Vietnam is a booming, competitive and connected economy with almost 100 million citizens, a growing middle class and a young and dynamic workforce, although it remains a lower-middle income economy faced with specific development challenges, as illustrated by its position on the UNDP human development index, which currently stands at 116 out of 189 countries; G.whereas Vietnam is also one of the fastest-growing countries in ASEAN, with average GDP growth of around 6.51 % in the period 2000-2018; whereas Vietnam is estimated to continue growing at similarly strong rates in the upcoming years; H.whereas the EU is currently Vietnams third largest trading partner after China and South Korea, and its second largest export market after the US; whereas EU exports to the country in the last ten years have been growing annually at an estimated average rate of 5 to 7 %; whereas the economic impact assessment carried out by the Commission predicted export gains of EUR 8 billion by 2035 for EU firms, with Vietnams exports to the EU being expected to grow by EUR 15 billion; whereas it is important to maximise the opportunities offered by this agreement in the most inclusive manner for businesses, in particular SMEs; I.whereas the Council has emphasised that it is in the EU's interest to continue to play a leading role in implementing the 2030 Agenda in a coherent, comprehensive, and effective manner, as an overarching priority of the EU, for the benefit of its citizens and for upholding its credibility within Europe and globally; whereas in the mission letter sent to all commissioners-designate President-elect von der Leyen insisted that all commissioners will ensure the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals within their policy area; J.whereas Vietnam still faces challenges in relation to sustainable development, human, political and civil rights, with particular reference to the situation of minorities, fundamental freedoms, freedom of religious belief and freedom of the press, and the exploitation of natural resources (e.g.