On 19 October 2018, after eight years of negotiations, the Voluntary Partnership Agreement – a timber trade deal between the European Union (EU) and Vietnam – was signed in Brussels.

Civil society has been rightly concerned about such a deal being signed whilst Vietnam remains a regional hub for illegal timber, but this briefing note explains why the trade agreement offers to Vietnam the opportunity to clean up its act.

It concludes that stopping the deal would shut down the opportunity for reform, but that reforms will only work if civil society must maintain scrutiny and vigilance during the implementation process.