FAQs

10 difficult questions to EuroCham

The below is not the traditional way of doing FAQs but rather the most difficult questions we think you can ask EuroCham. Any other information should (hopefully) be clear on the website. If you have a question (difficult or ‘easy’) you would like to ask us, please contact us at [email protected] or on (08) 3827 2715

 

10 difficult questions to EuroCham

What is EuroCham and how is it different from national Business Associations?

National European business associations, we have a stronger voice on business matters. This makes business sense and is also why individuals, companies and organisations that join a partner business association automatically become member of EuroCham at no additional cost.

EuroCham focuses on getting Government access and advocating change for the benefit of the business community – with a special focus on the European companies. 

Why should I join EuroCham/What do I get in return for my membership fee?

First it should be noted that companies, who join one of our partner Business Associations, automatically become member of EuroCham – now that is what we call a ‘happy-hour’ offer! Furthermore, you receive various benefits as a EuroCham member, which can broadly be divided into three main categories: Information, advocacy and other benefits.

Information
  • Membership Directory: display your corporate profile and see which other companies are active in Vietnam
  • Newsletter, e-Bulletin: Receive up-to-date business information and news
  • Events: A chance for you to network and meet the key decision-makers
Advocacy
  • Sector Committees: Raise – and advocate - issues of interest (or concern) to your business with key stakeholders
  • Vietnam-EU Business Forum: A great platform for dialogue between the EU and Vietnam  -particularly interesting with the ongoing EU-Vietnam FTA negotiations.
  • EuroCham Whitebook: Get your key issues across to the Vietnamese authorities through our well-renowned publication.
Other Services
  • Membership Card: Get interesting discounts at leading hotels, resorts, restaurants...
  • Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities: Expose your company profile through our various advertisement tools
  • EuroCham Facilities: Get access to our office space, meeting rooms and state-of-the-art video conferencing equipment in Hanoi and HCMC
  • Services: A range of interesting services, tailored to your needs
 

I am an SME, the issues you are advocating for all seem to be for big corporations. If I have an issue will you help me solve it?

First of all, we are here to help. However, we do not have sufficient resources to fully engage in each individual issue that our members are faced with. We divide issues into two categories: administrative and market access issues. Below we have described how we seek to address these:
 
Administrative
-    Members get access to the online EuroCham Forum, where you can raise questions or concerns/issues and exchange information with other companies. Share best practices and find out where to find relevant information. 
 
Market access issues
-    Most market access issues are dealt with through Sector Committees. Hence, it is highly recommended that you engage in the relevant Sector Committee to shine a light on your issue(s). If no Sector Committee exists, give us a call to discuss how we can help you.

With almost 800 members, will I have a say?

You will always have a say in EuroCham – we are an organisation for our members, by our members. Basically, EuroCham is what you make of it - you can; put yourself forward for the Board; engage with our Sector Committees, host an event, you can… yes, you can. If you have another idea for how to engage, give us a call or shoot us an email.

Why is the Board/Executive Committee so big?

This is a question which has been asked quite often and as a consequence, a sub-committee of the current Board has been formed to review how an alternative structure of the Executive Committee could give you even more value for your membership fee.

What is the Whitebook and how effective is it?

The EuroCham Whitebook identifies the key business, trade and investment issues by sector. It is prepared by our Sector Committees and offers holistic and realistic recommendations to the authorities.

The Whitebook is very effective! It is used as a reference tool by the WTO, FTA negotiators… But more importantly than the book is how it is used. This is why we encourage our members to bring it to meetings (Whitebook Delegations) with Government officials. We of course also use it in our own meetings and communications so as to get the issues addressed rather than just listed in a book. If you have another idea for how to improve the Whitebook, contact us and help make the business climate in Vietnam even better.

Are the Sector Committees more than talking shops? I cannot afford to waste my time on things that are not helpful in my everyday life

Advocacy lies at the heart of Sector Committees’ existence and operation. Besides having meetings on a regular basis to identify and discuss common interests, Sector Committees take advantages of pooled resources to organise events, media news clipping, information and data sharing and networking. 
 

The main benefit for member companies is that, by speaking to the Government under the umbrella of EuroCham, they can have a greater potential influence on the development of the legal environment, which governs their sectors. Furthermore, it means that no company is being singled out for proposing alternative recommendations.
 
Again, Sector Committees are what you make of it; some are more focused on sharing information, whereas others are very active on a number of different fronts.  

What have you done for your members in the last year?

In 2013, EuroCham has organised numerous events and activities that facilitate doing business in Vietnam. Again, we have split these into information sharing, advocacy and other activities:
Information sharing.
 
Dialogues with Government officials and meetings with high-level visitors such as, H.E. Karel de Gucht, EU Commissioner for Trade, H.E. Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission and EU Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, H.E. Lê Lương Minh, Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to just mention a few. 
 
Advocacy activities
Provided input on multiple regulatory initiatives, organised the ASEAN-EU Business Summit 2013, written the Whitebook 2013, inputted into the WTO review of Vietnam, supported the EU FTA negotiators with on-the-ground experiences. 
 
Other activities
We have organised numerous events of social and business nature, from the European Food Festival through GreenBiz2013 to high-level meetings with Vietnamese Ministers and European Commissioners. 

I need to find a Vietnamese partner – can you help me?

EuroCham does not offer the partner search facility. However, we can point you in the right direction by referring you to our Business Associations and relevant trade associations.

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