Overcoming technical barriers to trade on exporting textile and clothing from Vietnam to the EU : Vietnamese stakeholders’ perspective

Vietnamese textile and clothing industry is a long-time traditional industry that has been in the top 10 leading suppliers of textile and clothing products for the EU in many years, according to the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (2018). When the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Vietnam comes into effect, the following elimination in the customs duties for textile and clothing products may bring opportunities to the export. However, non-tariff trade barriers, especially technical barriers to trade (TBT), will remain one of the most challenging obstacles to the export of Vietnamese textile and clothing products to the EU market. The purpose of this study is to investigate how to overcome technical barriers to trade on exporting textile and clothing from Vietnam to the EU from Vietnamese stakeholders’ perspective. The research used qualitative research method to provide findings about overcoming technical barriers to trade on the export of textile and clothing products from both primary and secondary data. Firstly, the overview of exporting textile and clothing products from Vietnam to the EU has provided updating data and analysis in terms of export value, export market, export products, etc. to set a background context for the later analysis of TBT. Secondly, the study has found the types of TBT on the export of textile and clothing products from Vietnam to the EU based on their objectives and forms. Lastly, the perspectives of three main Vietnamese stakeholders, which include firms, government, and associations, in regards to the overcoming of TBT on exporting textiles and clothing to the EU, were examined. The outcomes are the applications of a theoretical framework that developed through literature review about TBT on the specific context and practical data. The empirical results are the achievements and limitations of Vietnamese firms, governments, and associations in overcoming TBT on exporting textile and clothing products to the EU. The findings also revealed the significant roles of three main stakeholders as well as their cooperation in overcoming these TBT from Vietnam to the EU. Applying and developing the stakeholders concept in further research about overcoming technical barriers to trade on exporting products in the international market is recommended