Vietnam recorded strong export growth to Sweden, Denmark and Norway during the first half of 2026, supported by improved market access under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.
Vietnamese exports to Norway increased by 47.2 percent compared with the same period last year, according to Vietnam Customs data cited by the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden.
Exports to Denmark rose by 29.9 percent, while exports to Sweden increased by 19.6 percent. Exports to Latvia grew by 36.9 percent.
Imports from Denmark and Latvia also increased during the period, while imports from Sweden and Norway declined.
Nguyen Thi Hoang Thuy, head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, said trade and investment relations between Vietnam and the Nordic markets continued to produce positive results during the first six months of the year.
The office also covers Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Latvia.
The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement has reduced tariffs and other trade barriers while providing businesses with a more stable framework for commercial cooperation.
Vietnamese products including garments, footwear, seafood, coffee, wood products, electronics, machinery and processed industrial goods can benefit from preferential tariffs when they comply with the agreement’s rules of origin.
The agreement has also supported longer-term commercial relationships and encouraged European importers to diversify their supply chains.
At the same time, Vietnamese companies are under growing pressure to meet Nordic and European requirements relating to sustainability, traceability and environmental performance.
Cao Huu Hieu, director general of the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group, said the group is investing in textile and dyeing capacity, circular production and digital technology.
The investments are intended to meet environmental and traceability requirements and strengthen the company’s competitiveness in demanding export markets during the 2026–2030 period.
Nordic investment in Vietnam also remains substantial.
Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Latvia had a combined 359 active investment projects in Vietnam at the end of the first half of 2026. The projects represented approximately US$4.44 billion in registered capital.
Denmark and Sweden were the two largest investors among the five countries.
Further growth will depend increasingly on Vietnamese exporters’ ability to comply with new European regulations.
These include requirements connected with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the EU Deforestation Regulation, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, the General Product Safety Regulation and the introduction of digital product passports.
The regulations will place greater emphasis on supply-chain documentation, product origin, data transparency and sustainability.
The trade figures come ahead of Vietnam International Sourcing 2026, where the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden will bring a delegation of Nordic buyers to meet Vietnamese suppliers.
[Read also: Nordic food buyers return to Vietnam sourcing fair]
