OneStepVietnam presents
Monthly Newsletter of February 2026
ECONOMIC NEWS
Negotiators from Viet Nam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) are holding the 19th round of free trade agreement (FTA) talks in Geneva, signaling renewed momentum toward concluding the long-awaited deal. Both sides have shown a strong political commitment to accelerate negotiations and finalize the agreement soon. The EFTA bloc – comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein – has been working with Viet Nam to strengthen trade and investment relations. Once signed, the Viet Nam – EFTA FTA is expected to expand market access, boost bilateral trade and investment, and deepen cooperation with some of Europe’s most advanced economies while contributing to more resilient supply chains and sustainable economic growth.
Meanwhile, international assessments of Viet Nam’s economic outlook are increasingly focused not only on headline growth but also on the country’s macroeconomic stability and capacity for structural reforms and innovation-driven development. Major financial institutions such as UOB, Citigroup, and Standard Chartered forecast GDP growth of 7.2 – 8 percent, supported by steady foreign direct investment inflows and expanding industrial production, particularly in high-technology sectors, semiconductors, and renewable energy. More cautious projections from the ADB, IMF, and OECD place growth at 6 – 6.5 percent, still well above the global average. Despite differing forecasts, analysts broadly agree that Viet Nam’s economy has become more resilient to global uncertainties.
Source: Online Newspaper of the Government
NEW LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Circular No. 60/2025/TT-BYT on Occupational Diseases Covered by Social Insurance, and Guidelines for Diagnosis and Assessment of Labor Capacity Reduction due to Occupational Diseases
Circular No. 60/2025/TT-BYT, issued by the Ministry of Health on 31 December 2025, regulates the list of occupational diseases eligible for social insurance benefits and provides guidelines for diagnosis and assessment of working capacity impairment caused by occupational diseases.
The Circular establishes a list of 35 occupational diseases eligible for social insurance benefits. These diseases are classified into groups based on hazardous exposure factors, such as dust and respiratory diseases, chemical poisoning, infectious diseases, physical factors, and other occupational hazards. Each disease has a corresponding appendix that specifies exposure conditions, diagnostic criteria, and methods for assessing the degree of work capacity reduction.
It also provides principles for diagnosing, treating, and preventing occupational diseases. Workers diagnosed with occupational diseases must limit exposure to harmful factors and receive treatment according to the Ministry of Health guidelines. Employers are responsible for referring affected workers for medical assessment to determine the level of work capacity impairment, which serves as the basis for social insurance benefits, treatment, rehabilitation, and convalescence.
This Circular took effect on February 15, 2026. At the same time, Circular No. 15/2016/TT-BYT and Circular No. 02/2023/TT-BYT ceased to be effective.
ONESTEPVIETNAM NEWS
This month, we continued to deliver our core services to clients, including regular audits, assessments, Higg FEM verifications, and SLCP verifications, as part of our ongoing business operations.
In observance of the Lunar New Year holiday, our office was closed from February 12 to February 24, 2026, and operations resumed on February 25, 2026.
OneStepVietnam team – February 2026