Since Đổi mới was initiated by the Vietnamese government in 1986 the country became a member of various regional and international multilateral organizations.

In 1995 Vietnam became a full member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in 1998 it joined the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and in 2007 Vietnam became a full member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The dimensions of global integration in Vietnam are manifold: local products have to compete in the world market, while trans-border trade of goods and services also changes the domestic market. Global environmental problems and labor migrants do not stop at national borders. Together with urbanization and population growth these trends lead to rapid social and cultural change. In this process, Vietnam currently tries to find the right balance between global integration and keeping its own political, social and cultural identity.

In order to shape a socially just integration, FES aims to be an important and reliable resource for its local partners and to foster regional partnerships.

Together with its partners, FES focuses on implications for Vietnam after joining the World Trade Organization. Recent activities in this area include:

• “Human Rights Implications of Vietnams WTO Accession” - Workshop jointly organized with the Vietnam Institute of Human Rights of the National Political and Administrative Academy Ho Chi Minh
• Impacts on the labor market after WTO accession - Workshops and studies with the Vietnamese General Confederation of Labour and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

All national activities are embedded in regional and global strategies and coordinated with our respective FES projects:

• The "Dialogue on Globalization” is based at FES-offices in New York, Geneva and Berlin. As part of the international work of the Friedrich- Ebert-Stiftung, Dialogue on Globalization contributes worldwide to the debate on globalization and global governance. It is based on the premise that – through an inclusive and responsive global policy approach – globalization can be shaped into a direction that promotes peace, democracy and social justice.
• Regional Cooperation in Southeast Asiasince 1995 is coordinated through our FES Singapore office. Its role is to support, in close co-operation with the country offices in the region, the ASEAN co-operation and Integration and the Asia-Europe dialogue.

To add a social dimension to economic development, competent and internationally acting trade unions are needed. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is historically close to the German democratic labor movement and its basic values of freedom, justice and solidarity. For this reason the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is especially committed to cooperate with trade unions.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Vietnam Union of Industrial Workers are thus key partners of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Vietnam. Vietnamese trade unions are currently facing the challenge to redefine their roles within a market-oriented economy. The FES supports this process in various ways. Some examples of its work in this area include:

• Occupational Health and Safety Programme: Organized in close cooperation with the German Industrial Union for Mining, Chemical and Energy-Sector-Workers (IGBCE), our „Train the Trainer“ project has trained Health and Safety Officers of the Vietnam National Union of Industrial Workers unionists to educate union members about labor law, safety and security at the workplace
• Collective bargaining mechanisms and labor dispute settlement: A number of workshops have discussed the status quo, international experiences and the way forward in this tricky field.
• Tripartism: Various discussions have been organized with stakeholders on labor relations and mechanisms of cooperation between the state, labor unions and the private sector.
• Labour Law Advisory Centers: FES is supporting strongly the VGCL´s efforts to establish centers and offices for legal advice, consultancy and aid at provincial levels.
• Concepts for future trade union structures and work: In 2007, Vietnams Industrial Union for Industry and Trade has been tasked by the Vietnam General Council of Labor to develop new concepts for trade union organization in the textile and garment industries. FES support to this project is an extension of previous workshops and studies on local and international experiences and best practices.
• International Trade Union Dialogue: FES supports Vietnamese trade unions in establishing closer ties with international trade union organizations. FES is congratulating the Vietnam Postal and Telecommunication Workers Union for its recent successful affiliation to a Global Union Federation as first Vietnamese Trade Union Organization ever, namely to the UNI-Gobal Union . This support program benefits from well-established FES-Trade Union cooperation programs with Global Unions as well as the International Trade Union Confederation.

Over the years, our cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) has provided, amongst others, key inputs for drafting the Vietnamese labor code. Other thematical areas of cooperation include Vietnam’s efforts to reform systems of social security including the risks of unemployment, accidents and retirement.