The Czech Republic is one of the most open economies in the world, with exports accounting for over 70% of its GDP. Therefore, the government places great emphasis on supporting businesses to expand into international markets. In 2025, trade relations between Vietnam and the Czech Republic continue to thrive thanks to the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Czech Republic’s market diversification policies.

In January 2025, the two countries elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership, committing to further facilitate cooperation in economics, tourism, transport, and labor. Leaders from both sides set the goal of increasing bilateral trade turnover to USD 5 billion in the coming years—a significant leap from USD 2 billion in 2024, which was already an 80% increase compared to 2023.
Caption: Leather shoe production line for export in Vietnam—a sector greatly benefiting from EVFTA when exporting to the Czech Republic and the EU.

EVFTA Facilitates Exports of Textiles, Footwear, and Agricultural Products

Thanks to EVFTA, 62% of Vietnam’s export tariff lines to the EU were eliminated immediately upon the agreement’s entry into force, and up to 99.2% will be eliminated within seven years. Many key products such as textiles, footwear, and seafood from Vietnam to the EU (including the Czech Republic) will enjoy 0% tariffs within seven years, with many items already tariff-free. This provides a significant competitive advantage for Vietnamese goods over those from outside the bloc.

In fact, Vietnam’s exports to the Czech Republic increased by 62.3% in Q1 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, reaching USD 495 million, quickly positioning Vietnam as a leading ASEAN supplier to the Czech market. Vietnamese products such as garments, footwear, and agricultural food are becoming increasingly present in Czech and Eastern European distribution systems due to improved quality and compliance with EU standards. EVFTA also provides tariff preferences for coffee, cashews, and tropical fruits—Vietnamese agricultural products in high demand in the Czech Republic. For sensitive items such as rice and sugar, the EU has committed to 0% tariff quotas under EVFTA.

Market Diversification, Support for Industry and Components

On the import side, the Czech Republic benefits from Vietnam's commitment to eliminate 48.5% of tariff lines for EU goods immediately under EVFTA, moving towards 99% over ten years. This facilitates easier market access for Czech machinery, equipment, and components to Vietnam. In fact, machinery, tools, and parts are the largest Czech export group to Vietnam (worth ~USD 65.5 million in 2022). Computers, electronic products, and components from the Czech Republic to Vietnam also reached ~USD 23.5 million. Czech industrial strengths such as automobiles, mechanical equipment, environmental technologies, and energy have ample opportunities thanks to Vietnam’s tariff reduction roadmap under EVFTA (e.g., car import taxes to be eliminated after 9–10 years, auto parts after 7 years).

In 2023, the Czech government approved the 2023–2033 Export Strategy aimed at helping businesses enhance added value and diversify markets beyond the EU. Accordingly, the Czech Republic does not limit itself to a few "key markets" but seeks opportunities in any country considered a safe and reliable partner. Vietnam—recognized as the Czech Republic’s top economic partner in Southeast Asia—is highly valued in this strategy. The Czech Republic also sees itself as a “gateway” for Vietnamese goods to penetrate deeper into the EU market thanks to its central location and developed logistics infrastructure.

Focus on Traditional Sectors While Expanding into New Fields

Traditional sectors in Vietnam–Czech relations continue to be promoted through the Intergovernmental Committee framework and bilateral agreements. The Czech Republic encourages businesses to focus on its areas of strength such as automobile manufacturing, digital technology, renewable energy, and infrastructure—while also facilitating easier access for Vietnamese agricultural and seafood products to the Czech market. In March 2025, the Thanh Cong Group – Skoda Auto joint venture inaugurated the first Skoda car assembly plant in Vietnam (also the first in ASEAN) with a capacity of 120,000 vehicles per year.

This project marks an important industrial cooperation milestone, capitalizing on Vietnam’s gradual removal of import duties on EU cars and its policy of encouraging domestic automobile industry development. Moreover, the two governments aim to expand cooperation into high-tech sectors. In recent bilateral visits, Czech and Vietnamese leaders emphasized the need to diversify supply chains and focus on emerging industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, big data, AI, cloud computing, and biotechnology—to align with future market trends.

These directions show that the Czech Republic’s trade policy not only supports traditional import-export sectors (textiles, footwear, agriculture, electronics, machinery) but also targets innovative fields, laying the foundation for sustainable growth in the next decade.

Key Points – Czech Republic

• Leveraging EVFTA: Import tariffs into the EU for Vietnam’s textiles, footwear, and seafood will drop to 0% within seven years (many items are already at 0%). As a result, Vietnam’s exports to the Czech Republic have surged, particularly in consumer goods like clothing, footwear, and food. The Czech Republic serves as a gateway for Vietnamese goods into the EU bloc.

• Agricultural Support: The Czech Republic imports large volumes of Vietnamese coffee, cashews, tea, fruits, and seafood. EVFTA significantly reduces tariffs on these items, and the EU also allocates 0% tariff quotas for sensitive products like rice and sugar. The quality of Vietnamese agricultural products is increasingly meeting EU standards, helping processed foods, spices, and instant noodles penetrate Czech supermarkets.

• Electronics and Components: Vietnam is now among the Czech Republic’s top 20 supply partners, largely due to the strong growth in electronics, phones, and components. Vietnam’s exports of computers, electronics, and phones to the Czech Republic reached ~USD 958 million in 2023 (up 43%). Vietnamese electronic products are competitively priced and benefit from EVFTA tax preferences, meeting the Czech Republic’s demand for components and tech devices.

• Machinery and Industrial Equipment: Vietnam removed tariffs on 64.5% of EU imports in 2020 and will eliminate ~99% within ten years. As a result, Czech machinery, tools, mechanical equipment, and components enjoy easier access to Vietnam. In 2022, machinery and equipment accounted for the largest share of Czech exports to Vietnam. Czech companies (in power, energy, locomotives, irrigation equipment, etc.) have greater opportunities to expand their market share as Vietnam lowers tariffs and industrialization demand grows.

Slovakia: Enhancing Traditional Cooperation and Fully Leveraging EVFTA
 

Although Slovakia’s market is smaller than that of the Czech Republic, trade relations with Vietnam have also made positive strides in 2025. Slovakia views Vietnam as a priority partner in the Asia-Pacific region and actively promotes bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Bilateral trade has rebounded and steadily grown since the pandemic. After four years of EVFTA implementation, Vietnam–Slovakia trade has consistently grown at double-digit rates.

In just the first 10 months of 2024, Vietnam’s exports to Slovakia rose 57.4% year-on-year, contributing to a projected total trade value of about 680 million euros (over USD 730 million) for the full year—far exceeding the half-billion-dollar level of previous years. Vietnam is now among Slovakia’s top trading partners in the Asia-Pacific region. In response, Slovakia has sent additional economic counselors to Vietnam to promote trade and connect businesses between the two countries.

On the policy front, Slovakia was among the EU countries that swiftly ratified the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in February 2023. This reflects the Slovak government’s commitment to protecting investors and encouraging bilateral investment flows. Once fully in effect, EVIPA will build trust for enterprises in both countries and support cooperative projects in Slovakia’s strong industries (e.g., automotive manufacturing, mechanical engineering, energy) and Vietnam’s priority sectors (e.g., infrastructure, supporting industries).

The year 2025 also marks the 75th anniversary of Vietnam–Slovakia diplomatic relations. Both sides plan to organize numerous trade and investment promotion activities, product fairs, and business delegation exchanges to tap into cooperation potential.

EVFTA Drives Export Growth in Traditional Sectors
The trade structure between Vietnam and Slovakia is complementary, focusing on traditional sectors where both sides have strengths. Vietnam mainly exports consumer and tropical agricultural products to Slovakia...

(Let me know if you'd like me to continue translating the rest of the text starting from the last sentence.)