Through its membership of ILO and in recent international trade negotiations and agreements, Viet Nam has confirmed its commitment to respecting fundamental principles and rights at work (FPRW), as set out in the ILO’s 1998 Declaration. It has also made clear its determination to ensure inclusive growth and continued development through a strategy that harnesses trade and investment opportunities through increased international integration. The joining of the CPTPP (The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) and signing the EVFTA (EU-Viet Nam free trade agreement), both of which include labour provisions, are the latest public confirmation of this.

With these commitments and ambitions, Viet Nam is enacting reforms in the areas of industrial relations and labour laws, in order to improve and updates its’ industrial relations framework and align labour laws with International Labour Standards, on freedom of association, collective bargaining, forced labour, child labour and non-discrimination.

As the media plays a key role in these reforms, the ILO and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (Legal Department) collaborate with the Party Committee for Propaganda and Education to hold a 2-day workshop for the media representatives across the country covering the topics of EVFTA, ILO fundamental conventions, and Labour Code revision on 27-28 September 2019 in Da Nang City.

This is a joint activity of the New Industrial Relations Framework project funded by the US Department of Labor and Canadian Government and the EU-funded project on Promoting the application of ILO Fundamental Conventions under the EVFTA framework.