[Brussels – Thursday, 22 October 2026] The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) today introduced Give Back to Vietnam, a new initiative connecting European business resources and expertise with community needs and potential. Presented at the High-Level Roundtable between General Secretary, President Tô Lâm and leaders of major European and Belgian businesses, with the participation of European Commission Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu and First Vice-President of the Belgian Senate Andries Gryffroy, it expresses a conviction shared by many European businesses: growing with Vietnam also means contributing to the lives and communities around them.
EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert shared: “Many of our members came to Vietnam to invest and grow, drawn by the opportunities the country offers. Over time, many have also made Vietnam their chosen home. Our members are here to make their businesses successful, but they are also well aware that, as foreigners, we have a responsibility to give something back to the country that has welcomed us. EuroCham is the voice of the European business community, and this responsibility connects all our work. Our advocacy helps businesses invest with confidence. We organise trade shows such as the Growth Economic Forum & Exhibition 2027 (GEFE27), bringing partners together to build capabilities and showcase European innovation and technology in Vietnam. And last, but definitely not least, we have established Give Back to Vietnam, extending that same spirit of cooperation into local communities.”
That relationship is reflected in business decisions made for the decades ahead. 23% of respondents to EuroCham’s latest Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey look beyond 20 years when planning their operations in Vietnam. Such horizons involve lasting ties with employees, suppliers, customers, and neighbours. They give European businesses a shared interest in Vietnam’s prosperity and in how widely its benefits reach.
Giving back as part of growing together
As part of EuroCham’s IMPACT 2030 strategy, Give Back to Vietnam will connect European expertise and networks with the knowledge, strengths and aspirations of Vietnamese communities. It will encompass distinct projects responding to local priorities, from practical assistance to livelihood opportunities and longer-term community development.
The first partnership was introduced today through the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between EuroCham and the Aquitara Philanthropic Fund, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, witnessed by Vietnam’s General Secretary & President Tô Lâm and European Commission Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu.
The collaboration will support An Vui Mart, meaning “peace and joy”, working with the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin to help affected families establish neighbourhood shops at home. Shop ownership, practical support, and business coaching will give families an opportunity to earn an income while continuing to care for loved ones.
This is a meaningful starting point for partners with a shared entrepreneurial foundation: SMEs represent 99.8% of EU enterprises and nearly 98% of active enterprises in Vietnam. A neighbourhood shop brings that experience into everyday family life, where local knowledge and effort can turn support into a livelihood.
Elisabeth Leysen, Director of the Aquitara Philanthropic Fund, said: “More than fifty years after the war, around 800,000 recognised victims of Agent Orange still live with its consequences, mostly in rural areas. In many families, caring for a loved one means giving up paid work. An Vui Mart offers a way to earn an income without leaving home or stepping away from that care. A shop of their own gives families something they can build on through their own knowledge and effort, creating the possibility of greater independence, choice and confidence in the future.”
Further collaborations under Give Back to Vietnam will seek similarly relevant connections across different community needs, inviting businesses and partners to contribute.
A sustained voice, a practical platform for growth
The roundtable, jointly organised by Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance and the Embassy of Vietnam in Belgium with EuroCham’s support, brought together European and Belgian business leaders. Speakers at the event included active EuroCham members, such as DEEP C (industrial park and seaport infrastructure), Ericsson (telecommunications and digital infrastructure), Heineken (food and beverages), Hettich Group (furniture fittings and manufacturing), John Cockerill Group (energy, industry and defence technologies), Leonardo (aerospace, defence and security), and Siemens (transport and railway technologies).
Their contributions gave the shared growth agenda a practical business perspective: how European capabilities can support Vietnam’s development priorities while offering new opportunities for both sides. Their participation also reflected EuroCham’s role as a bridge between policymakers and businesses committed to Vietnam’s future.
The event also concluded EuroCham’s Annual Mission to Brussels (19-22 October 2026), led by Chairman Jaspaert and joined by EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier. High-level engagements included meetings with Maroš Šefčovič (Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security), the Cabinet of António Costa, (President of the European Council), and the Cabinets of Jozef Síkela (Commissioner for International Partnerships), Christophe Hansen (Commissioner for Agriculture and Food), and Jessika Roswall (Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy), alongside representatives from other European institutions.
Across discussions spanning trade, energy, healthcare, agriculture, climate, and digital development, EuroCham encountered keen interest in Vietnam’s potential as a regional economic frontrunner. The mission connected that strategic attention with EuroCham members’ experience, bringing both investment opportunities and the conditions needed to realise them.
The latest BCI result of 78.3 (out of 100), with nine in ten respondents recommending Vietnam as an investment destination, gave the delegation a strong message of confidence. EuroCham’s role is to help translate that confidence into continued engagement and practical progress.
EuroCham’s approach combines quarterly business intelligence, the sector expertise behind ourannual Whitebook, and sustained dialogue with both businesses and the EU-Vietnam governments. May’s Whitebook Dialogue Week in Hanoi and October’s Brussels Mission provide concentrated moments within that year-round work, allowing recommendations to be developed, discussed and followed through.
With 93% of BCI respondents reporting regulatory and administrative challenges affecting growth, more predictable implementation could release capacity for expansion, supplier development and further investment.
EuroCham will carry these connections forward at the Growth Economic Forum & Exhibition 2027 (GEFE27), taking place in Ho Chi Minh City from 9 to 11 March 2027, under the theme “Where Green Meets Growth.” Through public-private dialogue, technology showcases, and business matchmaking, GEFE27 will connect European capabilities with Vietnamese infrastructure, industrial and digital priorities. Developing local skills and enterprises to create lasting value will also take the central stage.
From investment partnerships to neighbourhood livelihoods, EuroCham’s ambition is to help growth create opportunities at every level. For businesses that have made Vietnam home, that also means caring for what takes root around them.
Tham khảo thông cáo báo chí bản tiếng Việt tại đây.
###
About EuroCham Vietnam
Founded in 1998, the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) has established itself as the unified voice of the European business community in Vietnam. With offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, we represent a diverse spectrum of companies, ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to multinational corporations. EuroCham plays a crucial role in shaping policy dialogues, fostering bilateral trade and investment, and fortifying economic ties between Europe and Vietnam, particularly within the framework of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
EuroCham Vietnam boasts a substantial membership base comprising over 1,400 companies, solidifying its position as one of the largest foreign chambers operating in Vietnam. We unite eight prominent national European business associations in Vietnam, which include:
EuroCham’s diversified influence is underpinned by our extensive network of 19 specialised Sector Committees. Serving as think tanks within their respective industries, these committees provide invaluable expertise, steer policy recommendations, and stimulate industry-specific dialogues. This organisational framework guarantees that the concerns and viewpoints of diverse sectors are actively considered, thereby moulding EuroCham’s cross-sectoral agenda and magnifying its overall influence.
For more information about EuroCham, visit: www.eurochamvn.org.
About EuroCham’s Mission to Brussels 2026
EuroCham’s annual Mission to Brussels, from 19 to 22 October 2026, brought European businesses’ experience and priorities directly to EU decisionmakers. Drawing on expertise from its eight affiliated Business Associations and 19 Sector Committees, the mission advanced practical recommendations to strengthen the business environment and deepen long-term EU–Vietnam trade and investment cooperation.
High-level engagements included Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, also responsible for Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency; the Cabinet of António Costa, President of the European Council; and the Cabinets of Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships; Christophe Hansen, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food; and Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy.
The delegation also met the European Commission’s Directorates-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, Health and Food Safety, Trade and Economic Security, Climate Action, and Energy; the European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic service; and BusinessEurope, representing national business federations across Europe. Ahead of the mission, the delegation met H.E. Nguyen Huong Tra, Vietnam’s Ambassador to Belgium and Head of Vietnam’s Mission to the EU.
The delegation was led by Bruno Jaspaert, EuroCham Chairman and CEO of DEEP C Industrial Zones, and joined by H.E. Julien Guerrier, EU Ambassador to Vietnam. Business and sector representatives included Jean-Jacques Bouflet, EuroCham Vice-Chair for Advocacy; Rita Mokbel, EuroCham Vice-Chair and President & CEO of Ericsson Vietnam & Myanmar; Minh Nguyen, EuroCham Vice-Chair for External Relations and Partner & Head of Advisory at Forvis Mazars; Alexander Ziehe, Chairman of the German Business Association in Vietnam and Vice President Southeast Asia at Hettich Group; Bruno Sivanandan, Co-Chair of EuroCham’s Digital Sector Committee and Founder of Cycle; and Paul-Antoine Croizé, Co-Chair of EuroCham’s Food, Agri & Aqua Business Sector Committee and Managing Director of M Delta.
EuroCham team was represented by Delphine Rousselet, Executive Director; Van Nguyen, External Relations Manager; Tram Hoang, Senior Media & Communications Officer; and Duyen Dao, Project Executive.
The EuroCham Mission to Brussels 2026 was supported by Air France.
About the King Baudouin Foundation
The King Baudouin Foundation (KBF) is one of Europe’s most respected public-benefit foundations, known for its strong governance and transparent management of philanthropic initiatives. It accompanies philanthropists and donors (individuals, companies or organisations) wishing to act for the common good on any continent, notably through its founding membership of the Myriad alliance for borderless giving.
About the Aquitara Philanthropic Fund
The Aquitara Philanthropic Fund supports families affected by Agent Orange in Vietnam through its An Vui Mart programme. The fund is managed by the King Baudouin Foundation. It was initiated by the founders of 5I2 Capital, a Belgian-Vietnamese impact firm that connects European expertise and capital with Vietnam to drive long-term, sustainable impact.
