ADVOCACY UPDATE (Oct – Nov 2020)

I. ADVOCACY UPDATE

1. EVBC Launch | 22 October in Hanoi

On 22 October in Hanoi, EuroCham and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce & Industry (VCCI) launched a new forum to monitor the implementation of the EVFTA. This new organisation – the EU-Vietnam Business Council (EVBC) will connect our member companies on both sides, give them a platform through which to raise concerns and a tool with which to resolve them. The launch event featured a high-profile audience including the EU Ambassador to Vietnam, ambassadors from Member States as well as EuroCham members and Sector Committees.
    
  

2. Sector Committees meet with the EU Delegation, Trade Section | 30 October in HCMC

On 30 October, 11 Sector Committees gathered together to meet with Trade Section of the EU Delegation to Vietnam to raise their issues and suggest recommendations for support.
EuroCham and our Pharma Group and IQMed – Generic & Biosimilar Sector Committees also had a meeting with the EU Delegation Trade Section to follow up on the actions taken to support member companies on the issue of drug registration (CPP) to obtain Marketing Authorizations.
    
        

3. [Roundtables 2] The EVFTA and Vietnam’s integration in global value chains in a post COVID-19 world | 5 November in Hanoi

On 5 November, Mr. Alexandre Sompheng – Chairman of Digital Sector Committee –represented EuroCham at the EU Delegation’s Roundtable 2: “The EVFTA and Vietnam’s Integration in Global Value Chains in a Post-COVID-19 World” as a panelist in the panel discussion “Vietnam’s digital economy and the EVFTA: potential impact and prioritized policies and actions and to maximize its benefits”
     
   

II. ACTIVITIES

Digital Sector Committee

September 10: Vice-Chairman Amanuel Flobbe shared his view on the Government’s Security Program between the Vietnamese Government and Microsoft with Nikkei Asia Review.
November 5: Chairman Alexandre Sompheng represented EuroCham as a panelist at the EU Delegation’s EVFTA Roundtable “Digital Economy, Digital Transformation in Vietnam and the EVFTA”
     
   

FAABS

FAABS was interviewed in the October 8 edition of Vietnam Investment Review newspaper on the subject of “Rice exporters gear up to penetrate EU arena”. FAABS’ representative discussed the challenges and opportunities for boosting rice exports to Europe: The EVFTA only helps with a fraction of the Vietnam’s total export volume, which is expected to reach 7 million tons this year.  Some firms able to export to the EU will have opportunities to strengthen their production locally as well as to understand and further adapt to EU standards as both MARD and MOIT are closely observing and regulating the export process to follow commitments. With the help of government bodies here, this can become a reality to improve the entire rice export industry.
   
13 October 2020: FAABS joined the event “Compliance with EVFTA Commitments: Opportunities to Increase Rice Export Quotas to the EU”, highlighting the need for Vietnam to meet EVFTA requirements in order to loosen quotas.
  
29 October 2020: FAABS joined the “VCCI Food and Beverage Online Expert Forum”, helping recognize the role and importance of e-commerce applications in export growth of food and beverage products.
   
        

IQMED-G&B SC

Ongoing advocacy on Marketing Authorization validity and Circular 32 issues (CPP etc.) in joint effort with Pharma Group (joint letter to ACAPR and EU Delegation to Vietnam) 
22 September – 1st meeting with EU Delegation (together with PG)
30 October – 2nd follow-up meeting with EU Delegation
Joint letter with comments on the Draft Circular amending, supplementing and suppressing legal document issued by the Minister of Health. 
   

HR & Training SC

Women’s Day Networking Event organized at Caravelle Hotel with EuroCham, Amcham, Beluxcham with the topic of “Developing Women Leaders” featuring a panel of women leaders from various industries.
HR&T SC was invited to be on advisory board of Anphabe.
   

Legal Sector Committee

Provided comments on the Draft Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 181/2013/ND-CP detailing a number of articles of the Law on Advertising
    

Medical Devices & Diagnostics Sector Committee

02 November: MDDSC held its Annual General Meeting with new elected Board for 2020-2022. The new MDDSC Board will meet in late November to decide on next term’s Chairman, Vice Chairs, and Treasurer.
   

Pharma Group

Ongoing advocacy on Marketing Authorization validity and Circular 32 issues (CPP etc.) Change in PG Chair seats:    Acting Co-Chairs (2 Sept – Jan 2021)
Mr. Koen Kruijtbosch
Mr. John Paul Pullicino
    

Transportation & Logistics Sector Committee

19 October: TLSC organized a lunch meeting with GGSC to discuss potential topics for a meeting request with MOT.
    

Tourism & Hospitality Sector Committee

20 October: T&H SC sent a letter of congratulations to HCMC Department of Tourism on the appointment of new Director and to invite them for a meeting
05 November: T&H SC met representatives from HCMC DOT where the 2 sides proposed to sign an MOU on cooperation in the development and marketing of tourism in HCMC.
    
    

Joint SCs activities on Law on Advertising topic: 

Legal SC, Cosmetics SC and NFG have provided inputs to MOST to comment the Draft Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 181/2013/ND-CP of Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Advertising.
   

Joint SCs activities preparing meeting requests to MOIT and MOT 

On 19 October, GGSC and TLSC held a lunch meeting to discuss potential topics to be raised to MOT.  There will be a second meeting between GGSC, TLSC and Mobility who will request a meeting with MOIT and MOT in November/December to discuss emission reduction and promotion of E-vehicles.