Vietnamese trade officials based in Europe got together at a conference in Brussels from July 14-16 to foster Vietnam-European Union trade relations. Phu Quoc fish sauce receives the certificate of Protected Designation of Origin The conference, the fourth of its kind, organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) with the support of the European Commission (EC) and the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project (EU-MUTRAP). Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa, representatives from several ministries, as well as 18 Vietnamese minister counsellors and commercial counsellors in Europe attended the event. The three-day conference looked at ways to enhance trade between Vietnam and the EU, provided trade officials with the EU’s new regulations on the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Vietnam-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). It also created opportunities for the Vietnam side to hold dialogues with EU trade officials on issues of common concern, including the recognition of Vietnam’s market economy, the EU’s supplementary draft on anti-dumping, and encourage Vietnam to involve itself in more international events. On the occasion, a ceremony was held to grant the certificate of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for Phu Quoc fish sauce (also known as nuoc mam Phu Quoc). It officially received PDO recognition in 2012, and since then has passed all EU food safety regulations. The event contributed to the prestige of the Phu Quoc trademark, created favourable conditions for the fight against counterfeit products in the EU, and enhanced its trading position in domestic and foreign markets. VNA