Comparative analysis of VietNams bilateral free trade agreements: coverage and depth of integration

Abstract

Since late 2010, Vietnams free trade agreement (FTA) policy has changed from mainly ASEAN+ 1 FTAs to the aggressive conclusion of bilateral agreements with major trading and investment partners. This paper examines the content of Vietnams bilateral FTAs with the United States, Japan, Chile, South Korea, Eurasian Economic Union, and the European Union. In order to compare the cov- erage and depth of integration, this paper focuses on the WTO-plus and WTO-extra provisions of the FTAs, which are policy areas already covered by the WTO agreements and issues falling outside the current WTO mandate, respectively. The findings of this paper could be useful for better understanding of the features of Vietnams bilateral FTA beyond tariff reduction.