Abstract:
This study examines the impact of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) on Vietnam’s footwear exports to the European Union during the period 2017–2023, with a specific focus on segment-level performance across key product categories. Drawing on trade data disaggregated at both HS 2-digit and 4-digit levels, the research applies three complementary indices—Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), Trade Intensity Index (TII), and Regional Orientation (RO)—to assess shifts in competitiveness, bilateral trade depth, and market alignment before and after the EVFTA’s enforcement. The findings show that Vietnam’s core export segments, particularly textile-upper and rubber/plastic footwear, achieved stronger comparative advantage and tighter alignment with EU demand in the post-EVFTA era. However, performance remained volatile, with a notable contraction in 2023 following a peak in 2022, highlighting external economic pressures and persistent structural dependencies, especially on foreign-invested enterprises. Notably, exports of eco-friendly footwear rose despite the broader downturn, signaling emerging trends in EU consumer preferences. This study fills a gap in the literature by providing the first systematic, indicator-based assessment of the EVFTA’s effects at the sub-sectoral level within Vietnam’s footwear industry, moving beyond aggregated trade analysis common in prior research. The article contributes to existing scholarship by offering empirical insights that can inform targeted policy measures to enhance value-chain upgrading, promote sustainable manufacturing, and improve the EVFTA’s utilization by domestic firms.

Keywords:
EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA); Vietnam footwear exports; Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA); Trade Intensity Index (TII); Regional Orientation Index (RO); HS-4-digit segment analysis; Eco-friendly footwear; Value-chain upgrading.