Key facts
- Vietnam and the EFTA bloc will sign a free trade deal on Sunday in Hanoi.
- The EFTA bloc includes Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
- Negotiations for the deal concluded in July after launching in 2012.
- The agreement covers rules of origin, investment, intellectual property, and competition.
- Norway plans to raise the detention of a Norwegian national with Vietnamese officials.
Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) are scheduled to sign a free trade agreement on Sunday in Hanoi, officials confirmed this week. The deal, which concluded negotiations in July after years of talks initiated in 2012, aims to cover areas including rules of origin, investment, intellectual property rights, and government procurement.