EUROCHAM ADVOCACY UPDATE (17 June – 16 July 2017)

I. EVENTS

1. EuroCham Event: EVFTA and What’s in it for SMEs?

On the 22th June, EuroCham Vice Chairman Nicolas Audier and Chairmen of EuroCham Tax & Transfer Pricing Sector Committee and Food, Agri & Aqua Business Sector Committee, Mr. Thomas McClelland and Mr. Thierry Rocaboy respectively, joined the Conference on EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement: What’s in it for SMEs? organised by EuroCham in Ho Chi Minh City. The event gathered top business experts in the area of taxation and legal framework and attracted an audience of around 35 business representatives.

This event covered both the EVFTA, impacts on SME when EVFTA comes into effective as well as Vietnam’s new SME Support Law. Participants also discussed the new Law’s complementarity to the spirit of the EVFTA in creating a business environment where SMEs can grow, particularly regarding tax and other incentives. At the event, IPR protection was also mentioned among other key topics.

More details about the event can be found here.

2. CEC Vietnam Economic Forum 2017

Hanoi, 27 June 2017 

On 27th June, EuroCham Vice-Chairman Mr. Aymar de Liedekerke Beaufort attended the Vietnam Economic Forum 2017 organised by the Party’s Central Economic Commission with EuroCham’s support and coordination and delivered a presentation on EVFTA among other global movements and their impacts upon several key sectors in Vietnam. Mr. Aymar de Liedekerke Beaufort elaborated upon the expected changes in Banking & Finance, Agriculture & Aquaculture, Green Growth, Healthcare, and Transportation & Logistics. He also took the chance to hand Whitebook 2017 to the Mr. Phung Quoc Hien, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly during the event. 

Mr. Thierry Rocaboy, Chaiman of Food, Agri & Aqua Business Sector Committee and representative from Pharma Group also joined the specialised conferences on Agriculture and Healthcare respectively, where Mdm. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, MOH Minister, and MARD Vice-Minister also spoke at these sessions. EuroCham Sector Committees raised their proposals how to best make use of the potential in Healthcare in Vietnam. In parallel, proposals towards a more advanced and sustainable agriculture were also delivered. 

More details about the event can be found here.

3. ICT SC Conference on Cyber security, Internet of Things, and Connected Services towards a Smart city

Ho Chi Minh, 30 June 2017

On 30th June, EuroCham and its Information Communication Technology Sector Committee (ICT SC) organised a half day conference on Cyber security, Internet of Things, and Connected Services towards a Smart city in Ho Chi Minh City following the successful conference on Sustainable Building held in 2016 within the series of events under the theme of Smart City. The event attracted more than 100 participants include the participation of representatives from the HCMC Information and Communications Department, Director of the Binh Duong Smart City Office, and the VINASA Science and Technology Institute, guests speakers from Edenred, Palo Alto Networks, Robert Bosch and joining an audience of business professionals and the media.
 

There was also a dedicated exhibition showcasing solutions implemented in various cities in Europe, and presenting best practices that have achieved successful results. The next event in this EuroCham Smart City Series in 2017 will be dedicated to Green Growth and Transportation challenges of the City. 
 

More details about the event can be found here.

4. IQGx Workshop on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) Methodology and Applications in Decision-Makings for Off-Patent Pharmaceuticals (OPP)

Hanoi, 13 July 2017

On 13th July, EuroCham International Quality Generics (IQGx) Sector Committee cooperated with Ministry of Health (MOH) and Vietnam Economic Health Association (VHEA) to organize the Scientific Symposium Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) Methodology and Applications in Decision-Makings for Off-Patent Pharmaceuticals (OPP) in Hanoi. 

The event was led by MOH VM Pham Le Tuan, Mr. Do Van Dong – Deputy Director General of Drug Administrative of Vietnam, Mr. Duong Huy Lieu – President of VHEA and Ms. Diana Brixner – Professor in Pharmacotherapy from Utah University.

There was participation from Government authorities as well as many Departments under MOH and other representatives from research institution, Medical University of Hanoi, Vietnam Social Security. From EuroCham, Mr. Soren Roed Pedersen, Board member, and IQGx members also joined the workshop.
 

2. MEETINGS 

1 EuroCham ICT SC met with HCMC Department of Science and Technology and HCMC Department of Information and Communication
Ho Chi Minh, 23 & 26 June 2017 
In preparation for the organisation of the conference on Cyber security, Internet of Things, and Connected Services towards a Smart city on 30th June in Ho Chi Minh, Mr. Vo Quang Hue, EuroCham Vice Chairman, Mr. Amanuel Flobbe, Chairman of EuroCham Information & Communication Technology Sector Committee (ICT SC) and EuroCham Advocacy team have met with HCMC Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Department of Information and Communication (DOIC) respectively on 23rd and 26th June 2017.

EuroCham exchanged greetings with representatives from DOST and DOIC and invited both Departments to join the upcoming event on Smart City. It was also stressed by DOST that it would appreciate cooperation and experience sharing from foreign enterprises in order to develop internal strengths and potential of local companies. 

As the main coordinator for the Smart City Project of Ho Chi Minh City, DOIC welcomed information and communication technology solutions from European business community to address key challenges that Ho Chi Minh City was facing towards developing a Smart City.

2 EuroCham met with VPSF
Ho Chi Minh, 29 June 2017 

On 29th June, EuroCham Vice Chairmen Mr. Nicolas Audier & Mr. Tomaso Andreatta together with Ms. Le Thanh Binh, Senior Advocacy Manager met with Vietnam Private Sector Forum’s (VPSF) delegation led by Mr. Dao Huy Giam, VPSF General Secretary. 
Following the first introductory meeting between Mr. Dao Huy Giam and Mr. Jens Ruebbert, EuroCham Chairman, in April, this meeting aimed to further explore the opportunities for closer cooperation between the two organisations. Mr. Giam expressed interest in learning from EuroCham’s experiences in terms of organisation and ways of working, and invited EuroCham representatives to join the next annual meeting of VPSF in late July 2017, which is expected to be chaired by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (tentatively) with nearly 1,000 participants. 

VPSF is looking forward to working with EuroCham on topics related to Agriculture and Public-private partnership, to attend each other events, hold meetings etc. EuroCham and VPSF also agreed to enhance mutual presence in each other’s major activities and assist in participation and circulation of relevant information of the events. The respective Secretariats will work together to identify opportunities for setting up meetings between EuroCham Sector Committees and VPSF Working Groups. 

III. SECTOR COMMITTEE UPDATES 

Whitebook 2018 Guidelines sent out
Following the Sector Committee Chairs’ meeting dated 23rd June 2017, EuroCham Guidelines for Whitebook 2018 has been sent to representatives of Sector Committees to kick off the preparation phase for the 10th version of this annual publication. 

The deadlines for the Sectors to send back to EuroCham Advocacy team the Whitebook Disclaimer is on 21st July 2017 and for sending the 1st draft of Whitebook 2018 is 2nd October, 2017. 

We encourage the Sector Committees and Working Groups members to plan in advance, meet and discuss about their topics.