The EU and Vietnam agreed to a trade deal in June that would eliminate 99% of the tariffs on goods and services between the European and Vietnamese markets. According to The New York Times, “Negotiations between Vietnam and the European Union began in 2012 and were completed last year. After trade talks between the United States and the European Union broke down late in 2016, a newly elected President Trump vowed to protect American workers and goods. In reaction, the E.U. decided to become more assertive in reaching free trade agreements around the world, E.U. officials have said.”