Within the framework of the first meeting of the Vietnam - Spain Joint Commission on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, in coordination with Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, held the Vietnam - Spain Business Forum in Barcelona on 29 October, 2025.

Attending the event on the Vietnamese side were Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang and representatives from the Ministries of Industry and Trade; National Defense; Finance; Agriculture and Environment; and Science and Technology. The Spanish delegation included Mr. Juan Luis Gimeno, Director-General of the Bureau of Economic and Trade Analysis - State Council; Mr. Josep Santacreu, President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ms. Inmaculada Riera, Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Álvaro Schweinfurth, Deputy Director General for International Relations and Multilateral Organizations of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE); along with representatives of nearly 100 leading Spanish enterprises.

In her remarks, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang noted that bilateral trade cooperation has maintained solid growth in recent years, with the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) serving as a strong catalyst for expansion. She highlighted that the strategic locations of both countries at the gateways to key economic regions of Asia and Europe, enable them to serve as vital bridges connecting two of the world’s most dynamic economic areas.

She emphasized that Vietnamese exports to Spain also open access to the broader EU market of nearly 500 million consumers, while Spanish companies investing in Vietnam can reach ASEAN’s 700 million consumers and nearly six billion people through 17 bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory.

To fully harness these opportunities, she urged both business communities to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest and strength such as food processing, textiles and footwear, mechanical engineering, transport infrastructure and logistics, tourism, as well as renewable and clean energy toward sustainable development.

Speaking on behalf of the Spanish business community, Ms. Inmaculada Riera, Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce affirmed that Spanish corporations and enterprises view Vietnam, and ASEAN as a whole, as an attractive destination to diversify their markets.

She praised the support from both governments, particularly the successful convening of the first session of the Joint Commission, which she said has created an important cooperation mechanism to help businesses from both countries access each other’s markets and effectively implement investment and business projects.

Mr. Juan Luis Gimeno, Director-General of the Bureau of Economic and Trade Analysis - State Council, highlighted the remarkable progress in bilateral relations, especially following the official visit to Vietnam by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in April 2025. He stressed that Spanish companies possess strong production and development capacities suited to Vietnam’s dynamic economy, particularly in infrastructure, railways, and energy, and underscored the importance of establishing direct air routes between the two countries to unlock their cooperation potential.

During the forum, representatives from Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Ministry of National Defense, and Ministry of Science and Technology engaged with Spanish enterprises on topics related to Vietnam’s investment and business environment, agricultural cooperation opportunities, and the comparative advantages of various localities for joint business ventures.

Spanish enterprises shared insights about their operations in Vietnam and discussed prospects for expanding partnerships in seaports, logistics, textiles, footwear, railways, automotive engineering, finance and banking, information technology, and tourism. Many expressed strong interest in expanding their presence in Vietnam, citing the country’s growing economic significance and market appeal within the region and globally. 

The forum concluded with a business-matching session between Spanish enterprises and Vietnamese agencies and companies, offering a platform for direct engagement and partnership discussions.

Spain is Vietnam’s fifth-largest trading partner in the EU, while Vietnam is Spain’s largest in ASEAN. From 2015 to 2023, Vietnam’s exports to Spain averaged USD 2.6 billion annually, with imports averaging USD 524.85 million. Vietnam maintained an average trade surplus of USD 2.08 billion. In 2024, bilateral trade hit a record USD 4.72 billion, up 19.9% year-on-year. Vietnam exported USD 4 billion and imported USD 716.31 million, achieving a USD 3.29 billion surplus.

As of September 2025, Spain had 101 FDI projects in Vietnam worth USD 158.2 million, ranking 44th among 153 investors. While modest in scale, Spanish FDI offers strong potential with high-quality European capital. Vietnam’s total investment in Spain reached USD 65.76 million.