On March 24th, 2026, in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung held a meeting with Mr. Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships of the European Union (EU), to exchange views and promote cooperation programs between Vietnam and the EU in the fields of transport infrastructure and sustainable urban development. Ms. Nicola Beer, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB); Mr. Julien Guerrier, Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam; leaders of several units under the Ministry of Construction; and representatives of European corporations and enterprises attended the meeting.
At the meeting, Commissioner Jozef Síkela expressed his pleasure at visiting and working with the Ministry of Construction, noting that since the beginning of 2026, the elevation of Vietnam–EU relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has opened up a new phase of cooperation with significant potential for both sides.
Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung delivered a speech at the meeting.
At the moment, the EU has paid attention to Vietnam’s orientations for developing sustainable transport infrastructure, including the North–South high-speed railway project, the green transition in the transport sector, sustainable urban development, as well as the potential for implementing EU technical and financial assistance programs.
According to Commissioner Jozef Síkela, the EU is expected to launch the Vietnam Transport Facility (VTF), with a non-refundable grant of EUR 40 million, aimed at supporting the preparation of transport infrastructure projects in Vietnam, particularly in the fields of railways, urban transport, and inland waterways; thereby laying the foundation for mobilizing additional concessional financing from European financial institutions.
Commissioner Jozef Síkela emphasized that the EU is ready to support and facilitate Vietnam in the process of adopting, refining, and applying advanced European standards to modernize the country’s railway sector.
Commissioner Jozef Síkela spoke at the meeting.
Welcoming Mr. Jozef Síkela, the EU delegation, and European enterprises to the Ministry of Construction, Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung highly appreciated the EU’s effective support in recent times for Vietnam’s construction sector, urban planning, development of technical infrastructure, public transport, and emission reduction in the transport sector.
In the railway sector, the Ministry of Construction is actively promoting international cooperation to access advanced technologies and modern technical standards to support the implementation of large-scale railway projects. In this context, studying and referencing the European railway standards system is considered necessary and aligned with international development trends.
Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung, Commissioner Jozef Síkela, and Ms. Nicola Beer, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), at the working session.
The North–South high-speed railway project is estimated to have a total investment of approximately USD 67 billion and is preparing investment steps in accordance with regulations. In this process, the Ministry of Construction pays attention particular to selecting appropriate technologies, mobilizing diverse international financial resources, and training high-quality human resources to support the construction, operation, and management of the railway.
Currently, Vietnam is actively implementing energy transition solutions in the transport sector in line with its international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The regulatory and policy framework is also being improved to encourage the development of electric and green-energy vehicles, while promoting infrastructure to support green transport, Dung emphasized.
In the field of urban development, Vietnam has issued numerous important policies and guidelines to promote sustainable urban development. However, Vietnam need to further strengthen management capacity, improve technical infrastructure, and mobilize resources to enhance the quality of urbanization towards a green, smart, and climate-resilient direction.
Scene from the working session.
In addition to numerous topics shared at the meeting, Dung also proposed several directions for future cooperation between the Ministry of Construction and the EU, focusing on strengthening exchange visits, sharing experiences in developing railway technical standards, training human resources, providing technical support for green transport and sustainable urban development, as well as promoting connectivity between enterprises of both sides in transport and urban infrastructure projects.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung thanked Commissioner Jozef Síkela, the EU Delegation to Vietnam, and European enterprises for their attention and support in Vietnam’s infrastructure development. He also expressed his confidence that both sides would continue to strengthen close coordination, contributing to a deeper Vietnam–EU partnership in the fields of construction and transport in the coming time.