Exports to the EU soared 18 per cent in the first quarter buoyed by the EVFTA According to figures from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), since the landmark EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) came into force, Vietnamese exports to EU member states managed impressive growth and hit nearly $10 billion in the first quarter of 2021, up 18 per cent on-year. The best-performing sectors were textile and clothing, electronics, and agro-fishery products, among others. In particular, shrimp exports surpassed $150 million, up 11 per cent over the same period of last year. Besides, Vietnam's leather and footwear export turnover in the first eight months of 2020 dropped more than 10 per cent due to the COVID-19 pandemic but quickly regained its growth momentum after the EVFTA took effect. In January alone, the turnover expanded 26 per cent compared to the corresponding period in 2020.