Policy transfer from the European Union to Vietnam : the case of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing

Abstract

As the world's largest importer of fishery products, the European Union (EU) has adopted a “zero-tolerance” approach towards Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. Under the EU’s IUU Regulation, the European Commission (EC) has assisted Vietnam in reforming its fisheries policies. This thesis applies the policy transfer framework to investigate the transfer process of IUU fishing policy from the EU to Vietnam. A qualitative research approach is adopted with primary data collected from interviews with eight key stakeholders. Interview data is complemented by official legislation, policy documents, and relevant secondary literature. Data analysis suggests that the EU has transferred policy ideas, goals, and instruments to Vietnam. The EU-Vietnam dialogue on IUU fishing is a form of voluntary and indirect coercive transfer using the mechanism of conditionality. The policy transfer process has resulted in substantial improvements in Vietnam’s fisheries policies and laws. However, it remains incomplete as the policy goals set by the EC have not been achieved. Four recommendations are proposed for Vietnam to better address the IUU problem. The findings herein shed light on the policy transfer process from the EU to non-European states and empirically expand the literature.