# EFTA and Vietnam Sign Free Trade Agreement **Category:** Customs | **Source:** EFTA (efta.int) | **Published:** 2026-10-21 | **Updated:** 2026-10-23 **Tags:** Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Seefracht, Zoll > EFTA and Vietnam have signed their free trade agreement in Hanoi. Preparations are worthwhile for exporters, though the new tariff benefits are not yet in effect. --- The EFTA states and Vietnam signed their free trade agreement in Hanoi on October 18, 2026. The European Free Trade Association, or EFTA for short, comprises Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland. The step is confirmed. A date for the agreement's entry into force has not yet been announced on the EFTA member states' website. The agreement is intended to facilitate goods trade. On the EFTA side, complete tariff exemption for industrial and fishery products of Vietnamese origin is provided from the date of entry into force. Vietnam will gradually reduce tariffs on most corresponding EFTA products within a maximum of eleven years. For selected agricultural goods, transition periods can extend up to 16 years. For Swiss companies, therefore, attention to individual products is essential. "Free trade" does not mean that every shipment immediately becomes duty-free. The correct tariff number, the reduction stage, and the proven origin must align. Shipment from Switzerland alone does not establish Swiss origin. Customs agents should therefore view the signing as a starting point for preparation. A list of the most important products with tariff number, country of manufacture, and available supplier documentation is advisable. This can then be reviewed with the Vietnamese importer to determine what documentation will be needed in future. For new offers, current import costs and potential later benefits should remain separate. Expected tariff savings should only be included as binding in the calculation once the applicable rule and its start date are established. Otherwise, the difference may end up between seller and buyer. For ongoing shipments, the signature alone does not result in a new tariff rate. Those who prepare master data and documentation properly now can react more quickly after the confirmed entry into force. A blanket conversion of all Vietnam shipments would be premature. --- Align tariff numbers and goods origin with the customer. Review future preferential benefits per product and monitor the confirmed start date. Also establish responsibility and costs for certificates of origin in advance. The trade volume of approximately 4.8 billion euros indicates the scale; it is not a forecast for additional freight volumes. Always calculate customs savings based on your own shipment. In short: The signature is there; more favorable customs clearance will only follow upon entry into force and with appropriate documentation. --- - Signed on October 18, 2026 in Hanoi. - Contracting parties are Vietnam and the four EFTA states (Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland). - Entry into force is still pending (according to EFTA website: "entry into force is currently pending"). - EFTA provides for complete tariff elimination on industrial and fishery products of Vietnamese origin upon entry into force. - Vietnam will reduce tariffs on the majority of corresponding EFTA goods within a maximum of 11 years (Source: WTO Center Vietnam Factsheet). - Selected EFTA agricultural exports (cheese, coffee, chocolate, baby food, dietary supplements) receive 0% tariffs in Vietnam over a period of up to 16 years. - EFTA-Vietnam merchandise trade amounted to approximately 4.8 billion euros in 2025; Vietnam's trade surplus was 2.5 billion euros (compared to 0.5 billion euros 10 years ago). - Swiss trade figures exclude gold trading. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [Switzerland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ch) - [Norway](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/no) - [Iceland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/is) - [Liechtenstein](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/li) - [Vietnam](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/vn) ### Glossary - [Free trade agreement](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/free-trade-agreement) - [Tariff number](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/tariff-number) - [Shipping](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/shipping) - [Customs Agent](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-agent) - [entry into force](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/entry-into-force) - [EFTA Free Trade Agreement](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/efta-free-trade-agreement) - [Proof of origin](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/proof-of-origin) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/efta-und-vietnam-unterzeichnen-freihandelsabkommen-20261019070524](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/efta-und-vietnam-unterzeichnen-freihandelsabkommen-20261019070524)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/efta-und-vietnam-unterzeichnen-freihandelsabkommen-20261019070524](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/efta-und-vietnam-unterzeichnen-freihandelsabkommen-20261019070524)*