On 23 June in Hanoi, EuroCham was honoured to receive a Certificate of Merit from Minister of Planning & Investment H.E. Nguyen Chi Dung. Minister Dung awarded EuroCham for its contribution and achievements in building and developing the planning and investment sectors in Vietnam.
Two key priorities were discussed in the meeting: the current fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which entered into force last August.
EuroCham shared its appreciation for the government’s successful control of the pandemic, which has reaffirmed Vietnam’s position as one of the top investment destinations in the region. During this current outbreak, together with other foreign business associations, EuroCham Chairman Alain Cany shared that EuroCham is working hard to support the Government’s vaccination campaign.
Turning to the EVFTA, Minister Dung shared the appreciation of the Ministry of Planning & Investment (MPI) for EuroCham’s role in its signature and ratification. He suggested that EuroCham build a practical action plan so that both EU and Vietnamese business communities could benefit from the EVFTA and address the challenges in its implementation.
MPI also requested that EuroCham continue to provide recommendations to ensure the smooth implementation of the agreement. Mr Cany welcomed the Minister’s proposal and also updated that EuroCham has been working with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and other business associations on the EVFTA’s implementation.
The Minister also provided an update on Vietnam’s ongoing reform process, sharing that the Government is conducting reforms in many areas including administrative procedures, infrastructure improvement, human resources and training, to name just a few. As a standing member of the Government’s FDI Working group, MPI will continue to act as the focal point to pass the issues and recommendations of the foreign private sector to line ministries, improving the business and investment environment in Vietnam.
EuroCham – represented by Chair Alain Cany, Vice Chairs Torben Minko and Nguyen Hai Minh, and Executive Committee members Claudia Anselmi and Gianluca Fiume – also congratulated Minister Dung on his re-election in the new Government term.
