Free trade deal increasing Vietnamâs allure to Brits 09:00 | 25/04/2021 Kenneth Atkinson, executive chairman of Grant Thornton Vietnam The UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UVFTA) is one of the first signed and entered into by the UK after leaving the European Union on December 31 last year. The agreement reflects the importance both the UK and Vietnamese governments place on the strategic partnership developed over the last 10 years and the growing importance of the bilateral relationship between the pair. A recent policy review submitted to the British parliament states âAs an independent trading nation, the UKâs aim is to increase prosperity in all parts of the UK with a values-driven trade policy to open up markets and update international trading rulesâ. It further elaborates that âin the decade ahead, the UK will deepen their engagement in the Indo-Pacific, establishing a greater and more persistent presence than any other European country.â