When European Union Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič embarks on his visit to Vietnam this week, he faces a critical opportunity to confront the Vietnamese government about its ongoing human rights violations linked to the 2020 EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). This agreement was initially heralded as a pathway for Vietnam to embrace necessary reforms, particularly in labor rights, yet the reality has been starkly different.
Ahead of the EVFTA’s ratification, organizations like Human Rights Watch repeatedly cautioned EU officials about Vietnam’s troubling human rights record. Despite these warnings, EU leaders held onto the belief that the trade deal would inspire Vietnam to move toward positive changes. Unfortunately, this optimism has proven unfounded, as Vietnam has not only failed to implement significant reforms but has intensified its systematic repression of fundamental freedoms.
One of the most glaring failures is Vietnam’s reluctance to ratify a vital labor rights convention, which would require the government to allow independent trade unions to register and operate freely. Despite promising compliance by the end of 2023, the government has shown no indication of honoring this commitment. Additionally, Vietnam has not made necessary changes to its labor laws to enable the establishment of independent “worker representative organizations.” Even if such organizations were permitted to form, they would be severely restricted in their ability to conduct basic union activities, such as electing representatives or engaging in collective bargaining. Instead, they would likely be coerced into aligning with the government-controlled Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.
The Vietnamese government has been unequivocal in its stance against independent unions, with state media labeling them as “hostile forces.” A recent directive from the Communist Party of Vietnam has mandated increased scrutiny over labor groups, civil society, and foreign organizations, especially in the context of the nation’s adherence to new trade agreements. This troubling development raises serious questions about the Vietnamese government’s commitment to the principles laid out in the EVFTA.
The situation has grown increasingly dire for activists advocating for labor rights. In 2021, journalist Pham Chi Dung was sentenced to 15 years in prison, partly as a consequence of his public appeal to the European Parliament to reconsider ratifying the EVFTA. Following this, labor rights advocates Mai Phan Loi and Dang Dinh Bach were arrested for attempting to join the EVFTA’s Domestic Advisory Group, which is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the agreement. More recently, in April 2024, police detained Nguyen Van Binh and Vu Minh Tien, both senior officials who had been vocal about the need for more substantial reforms.
In April 2025, a coalition of human rights and labor organizations submitted formal complaints to the EU, asserting that Vietnam has violated the labor and human rights provisions outlined in the EVFTA. It is imperative for the EU to take these complaints seriously and consider punitive measures to compel the Vietnamese government to halt its abuses and move toward the much-needed reforms.
As Šefčovič meets with Vietnamese officials, the stakes could not be higher. The EU has the leverage to push for meaningful change in Vietnam, and it must not shy away from holding the government accountable for its commitments. The EVFTA was not merely an economic agreement; it was meant to be a beacon of hope for progress on human rights. The time has come for the EU to reaffirm its commitment to these values and ensure that trade agreements serve as a means to promote justice and equality, rather than perpetuate oppression.
