Vietnam’s Coffee Exports and the EVFTA

The purpose of this article is to examine the effect of European Union–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) on Vietnam’s coffee exports. Utilizing secondary data, the research paper employs qualitative techniques. The study surveyed 156 businesses that buy, process, and export Vietnamese coffee products. The results show that this agreement creates opportunities for Vietnamese companies to expand the vast market for all coffee products in European countries. However, these businesses face great challenges from regulations on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, technical barriers to trade, traceability, environmental and social protection requirements, and sustainable development. Vietnamese businesses only have an average awareness of protectionist policies in the EU market. They have not been well prepared when Vietnam joins this trade agreement. From there, three sets of recommendations are made to enhance favourable effects and minimize unfavourable effects of the EVFTA on coffee products sold in the EU.