FTA Index 2025 · Provincial Brief
Gia Lai
Provincial performance in implementing free trade agreements
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Performance tier
Average
Average
Band 5 of 6 — 22nd of 34 assessed provinces and cities.
Overall score
The score is 3.29 points below the national average of 21.66.
Weakest pillar
25 / 34
Sustainable development — the widest gap of the four pillars (−1.55).
Four component indexes at a glance
A
Information access
Rank 27 / 34
3.33
/ 10
-1.47 vs avg
B
Implementation of Legal Documents
Rank 22 / 34
4.44
/ 10
-0.77 vs avg
C
Policies Supporting Enterprises' FTA Utilisation
Rank 12 / 34
6.03
/ 10
+0.21 vs avg
D
Sustainable development commitments
Rank 25 / 34
4.42
/ 10
-1.55 vs avg
★ Key relative strengths
#1
C8 — Need for FTA support programmes and policies
#2
C5 — Barriers to FTA utilisation
#3
C4 — FTA commitments utilised
#9
B6 — Frequency of enterprise feedback on legal documents related to FTA commitments
Critical areas for improvement
#34
D5 — Perceived importance of compliance with import-market sustainable development commitments
#34
A2 — Authorities providing FTA information
#34
C9.2 — Quality of trade promotion programmes
#33
A3/A7 — Channels through which enterprises access information on FTAs / Quality of FTA-related events
Source: FTA Index 2025; scale 1–5; ranks out of 34 provinces
01
Overview of the result
Gia Lai scored 18.37 out of 40, ranking 22nd of 34, and was placed in the Average tier. The province sits 3.29 points below the national average of 21.66. The result points to an uneven pattern of FTA implementation across the four pillars: support policies is the relative bright spot, ranking 12th and sitting slightly above the national average, which reflects a group of exporters already able to exploit FTAs on several fronts. Meanwhile, information access and sustainable development both still need reinforcing — particularly given that Gia Lai exports coffee, pepper and rubber into markets that place ever more weight on traceability, environmental performance and import standards.
Gia Lai
National average
A
Information access
-1.47
B
Implementation of Legal Documents
-0.77
C
Policies Supporting Enterprises' FTA Utilisation
+0.21
D
Sustainable development commitments
-1.55
02
Detailed analysis by component index
A
Component Index 1
Information access
3.33 / 10
Rank 27 / 34 · -1.47
Overview
Gia Lai has a reasonably good base of FTA awareness: firms' knowledge of FTAs ranks 13th. The bottleneck lies in how information is delivered through official channels: FTA information provided by local authorities ranks 34th, while channels through which enterprises access FTA information and the quality of FTA-related events both rank 33rd. Public support channels are not yet doing enough to supply information that is regular, timely and close to what the market needs.
By firm type
Large firms attend training more often and rate information quality more positively. Small firms rely mainly on the press, websites and social media, while private domestic firms show relatively even access. FDI firms, by contrast, report lower participation in several communication activities. Gia Lai's FTA information system therefore needs to be designed more deliberately around each firm group.
-1.47 vs avg
National rank by indicator
#13 Knowledge of FTAs
#15 Frequency of participation in FTA-related events
#33 Quality of FTA-related events
#33 Channels through which enterprises access information on FTAs
#34 Authorities providing FTA information
B
Component Index 2
Implementation of Legal Documents
4.44 / 10
Rank 22 / 34 · -0.77
Overview
Gia Lai records relatively positive results on firm engagement: participation in training ranks 12th, enterprise feedback on legal documents related to FTA commitments ranks 9th and uptake of enterprise feedback by local authorities ranks 16th. Firms are therefore taking some part in FTA-related legal activity. The quality of guidance on legal documents, however, ranks 32nd and complexity of compliance ranks 31st, showing that participation has not fully translated into the capacity to apply the rules in practice.
By firm type
Private domestic firms present an uneven picture, with some understanding the rules and engaging fairly actively. FDI firms do receive information but typically rate guidance as average or infrequent. Small firms need clearer support on legal information and compliance capacity, especially for technical rules or those that readily generate implementation costs.
-0.77 vs avg
National rank by indicator
#9 Frequency of enterprise feedback on legal documents related to FTA commitments
#16 Uptake of enterprise feedback by local authorities
#23 Frequency of local-authority guidance on legal documents
#31 Complexity of compliance with legal documents
#32 Quality of guidance on legal documents
C
Component Index 3
Policies Supporting Enterprises' FTA Utilisation
6.03 / 10
Rank 12 / 34 · +0.21
Overview
The province's bright spot is that several indicators of firms' demand for, and ability to exploit, FTAs rank very high: need for FTA support programmes and policies ranks 1st and the FTA commitments utilised ranks 3rd nationally. FTA utilisation itself, however, ranks 32nd and the quality of trade promotion programmes ranks 34th. The gap points to the challenge of lifting FTA utilisation across a broader base of firms, on a steadier footing, and tied to more substantive market support.
By firm type
FTA utilisation differs sharply by firm size and ownership. Tariff preferences remain the most widely used benefit, while technical content — rules of origin, SPS, TBT, labour, environment and trade remedies — stays harder to reach for small, medium-sized and private domestic firms. State-owned and FDI firms pay more attention to the newer environmental and labour commitments, but knowledge gaps persist in several groups.
+0.21 vs avg
National rank by indicator
#1 Need for FTA support programmes and policies
#2 Barriers to FTA utilisation
#3 FTA commitments utilised
#31 Effectiveness of support policies and programmes implemented by local authorities
#34 Quality of trade promotion programmes
D
Component Index 4
Sustainable development commitments
4.42 / 10
Rank 25 / 34 · -1.55
Overview
Gia Lai shows some early signs of preparation: readiness to comply with sustainable development commitments ranks 15th and perceived impact of those commitments ranks 19th. The perceived importance of complying with import-market sustainable development commitments, however, ranks 34th, indicating that many firms do not yet see the link between sustainability requirements and commercial benefit, orders and market access. Given the province’s strength in coffee, pepper and rubber exports, this demands closer attention, especially as import markets focus increasingly on traceability, environment and supply-chain management.
By firm type
FDI firms understand technical content such as biodiversity and sustainable forest management better. State-owned, small and private domestic firms show wider awareness gaps, particularly on newer frameworks such as EUDR and CBAM. Medium-sized and private firms also tend to feel the labour and environmental commitments more acutely.
-1.55 vs avg
National rank by indicator
#15 Readiness to comply with sustainable development commitments
#19 Perceived impact of sustainable development commitments
#20 Effectiveness of support from local authorities
#21 Understanding of sustainable development commitments
#34 Perceived importance of compliance with import-market sustainable development commitments
03
Conclusions & implications
Strengths to build on
A reasonably good base for exploiting FTAs: Gia Lai stands out on the FTA commitments utilised and on demand for FTA support programmes, indicating a relatively active body of exporters in the province.
Firms take some part in legal activity: policy feedback, training participation and legal-document updates return better results, giving the province a base on which to raise the quality of guidance and advice on FTA implementation.
Limitations to address
Official information channels must be more proactive: access to information from state agencies, delivery formats and event quality all fall short of what the export sector needs.
Legal guidance needs to become more practical: firms need clearer guidance on technical rules, compliance costs and how to apply them sector by sector.
Support policy must shift from demand to real effectiveness: policy effectiveness and trade promotion quality both need to improve if firms are to expand into markets on a steadier footing.
Next steps
Address the bottlenecks to move into the highest group
1
Make FTA information channels proactive
Step up updates through the online portal, industry associations and digital channels so firms reach state-agency information regularly.
A · Rank 27 / 34
2
Raise the quality of legal guidance
Run practical guidance on rules of origin and technical regulations by sector, especially for coffee, pepper and rubber.
B · Rank 22 / 34
3
Improve support effectiveness and trade promotion
Design support programmes around firms’ specific needs, focused on market information, partner matching and scope to expand exports into FTA markets.
C · Rank 12 / 34
4
Link sustainability to commercial benefit
Help firms understand traceability, environment, EUDR, CBAM and supply-chain requirements so they prepare early for market-access conditions.
D · Rank 25 / 34
