On February 1, 2021, the United Kingdom formally submitted its application to join the CPTPP Agreement. Subsequently, accession negotiations between the UK and the CPTPP countries took place. After numerous meetings at various levels, on March 31, 2023, the CPTPP countries and the UK adopted a joint statement concluding the CPTPP accession negotiations.
Then, on June 16, 2023, under the authorization of the Government, at the 7th CPTPP Ministerial Meeting in New Zealand, the Minister of Industry and Trade, together with the Ministers of the CPTPP countries and the UK, signed the UK’s CPTPP Accession Instrument, making the UK the 12th signatory member of the Agreement.
The main content of the UK’s CPTPP Accession Instrument consists of two main parts: (1) The Accession Protocol and its Appendices; and (2) Letters from the UK and bilateral letters between Vietnam and the UK.
At the meeting, before the discussions, the National Assembly Standing Committee listened to the Vice Chairwoman of the Presidential Office, Phan Thi Kim Oanh, and the Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Vu Hai Ha, present the President’s proposal and the preliminary verification report on the proposal for the ratification of the UK’s CPTPP Accession Instrument.
Reporting at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan expressed basic agreement with the contents of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee’s preliminary verification report. Clarifying some of the issues raised, the Deputy Minister provided further explanations and elaborations on the timing of the ratification of the UK’s CPTPP Accession Instrument.
Regarding the necessity of early ratification, Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan stated that, so far, three CPTPP members have announced the completion of their domestic procedures: Singapore, Japan, and Chile. New Zealand, Brunei, Malaysia, and Peru are expected to complete the ratification process in the next few months. The UK Parliament has also completed its overall review of the CPTPP Accession Protocol, and the UK is expected to finalize its ratification by July this year.
Emphasizing the desire for Vietnam to be among the first six CPTPP countries to ratify the Accession Instrument, Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan stated that it is very necessary to submit the ratification of the UK’s CPTPP Accession Instrument to the 15th National Assembly at its 7th session.
The Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade also added that, regarding reservations, amendments, supplements, repeals, or promulgation of laws, resolutions of the National Assembly, ordinances, or resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee to implement the UK’s CPTPP Accession Instrument, the Government does not propose any reservations regarding Vietnam’s obligations in the UK’s CPTPP Accession Protocol, and it does not propose to object to any reservations made by the UK.
At the same time, the Government also does not propose any amendments or new legal documents to implement the Accession Instrument. At the sub-law level, the Government plans to issue a Decree on new export and import tax schedules or a new legal document to guide the implementation of commitments on government procurement and services-investment.
Speaking at the meeting, Vice Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang emphasized the importance and significance of early submission of the ratification of the UK’s CPTPP Accession Instrument to the National Assembly. Taking into account the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Vice Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang stated that the Government would promptly review, supplement, and complete all necessary documents and reports. The Government will also develop a draft Decree on the promulgation of export and import tax schedules for preferential treatment under the CPTPP Agreement to be applied to the UK.
Concluding the meeting, Mr. Tran Thanh Man, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, stated that the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed to submit the ratification of the UK’s CPTPP Accession Instrument to the 15th National Assembly at its 7th session for approval.
At the same time, Mr. Tran Thanh Man requested the Government to complete and submit the full dossier to the National Assembly for the ratification of the Accession Instrument to be sent to the National Assembly deputies at the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly. Specifically, the Government should provide a supplementary report on the contents mentioned in the preliminary verification report, a draft resolution of the National Assembly ratifying the Accession Instrument, and a detailed and feasible plan for its implementation after the ratification by the National Assembly.
The National Assembly Standing Committee also requested the Government to consider developing a draft Government Decree on the promulgation of export and import tax schedules for preferential treatment under the CPTPP Agreement to be applied to the UK. The Government should also review and amend existing legal documents or issue new ones, if necessary, to guide the implementation of commitments on government procurement and services-investment in the Accession Instrument after the UK officially becomes a member of the CPTPP Agreement.
Mr. Tran Thanh Man also noted that the Foreign Affairs Committee should conduct a formal verification after the Government completes and submits the supplementary dossier as concluded by the National Assembly Standing Committee.
