Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and President To Lam met EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on 22 October to discuss deeper cooperation in trade, technology, energy and strategic infrastructure. This high‑level meeting signals a new phase in Vietnam‑EU relations.

To Lam said the meeting was part of his official visit to the EU and Belgium, intended to turn the newly created Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into concrete economic and development projects. He added that both leaders want the partnership to move from words to actions.

Ursula von der Leyen said the EU sees Vietnam as a reliable and like‑minded partner in the Indo‑Pacific, while To Lam said Vietnam regards the EU as a priority partner. This mutual trust makes it easier to plan joint work on trade, investment and technology.

To Lam explained that Vietnam is targeting its strategic goals for 2030 and 2045, seeking rapid, sustainable development. He said the country wants to integrate more fully into the global economy and use international resources, knowledge and advanced technology to reach these goals.

Ursula von der Leyen said the EU wants to cooperate closely with Vietnam on trade, investment, science, technology, innovation and sustainable development, mentioning programmes such as the Global Gateway initiative, the Just Energy Transition Partnership and Horizon Europe. Both leaders agreed to use the EU‑Vietnam Free Trade Agreement working group and to work on removing the EU’s yellow‑card warning on Vietnam’s seafood sector.

In short, Vietnam and the EU are deepening their partnership now because each sees the other as a reliable ally that can help achieve important economic, technological and sustainability objectives. Their joint actions are expected to turn the strategic partnership into real results.