Innovative Water businesses have to implement: environmental, cultural, political and economic topics

3rd Science, Technology and Innovation Days
8.30am, May 10-13 2016 at Melia Hotel Hanoi, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet

Workshop “Innovative Water Businesses”
8.30am, Thursday May 12th 2016 at functionroom7, Melia Hotel Hanoi, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet

The European Union globally robustly with its partners to address challenges faced by our societies and economies in food and water security, climate change, global health, energy or safe transportation. Open science, open innovation and open to the world is the triply “open” approach of the European Union deploying its policies and actions in research and innovation.
 
Between 10th of May 2016 and 12th of May 2016 the 3rd edition of the “ASEAN-EU Science, Technology and Innovation Days” (ASEAN-EU STI Days) took place in the Melia Hotel in Hanoi. 

Over the three days, 500 delegates engaged in workshops and discussions. The main goal of this event was to open up a network for research collaboration between European- and ASEAN partners. ASEAN-EU STI Days addresses innovation policy, regional- and global challenges and management of water resources. **
 
The SEA IPR SME Helpdesk’s expert delivered a presentation named ‘IPR strategy in the future ASEAN knowledge market’ during the Innovation Workshop “Changing innovation framework conditions in ASEAN – regional integration and policy options” within the STI Days. The workshop was built on the results of the recent SEA-EU-NET study on ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and innovation framework conditions, taking stocks of the question ‘Are the policy instruments at hand fit to support innovation framework conditions in an evolving ASEAN economic integration?’ and other relevant topics. The workshop was well attended by 40 participants from both Europe and South-East Asia, including policy makers, research funders, researchers from universities and businesses, chambers’ and companies’ representatives.
 
In the framework of the ASEAN – EU STI Days, EuroCham and Pracsis cooperated to set up a workshop about “Innovative Water Business”. The workshop took place on 12th May 2016 and gave an overview on the interrelated challenges of water supply, discharge, and the cleaning, and keeping clean of water. But it also pointed out the possibilities of electricity generation, industrial use of water, shortages respectively eco-system impacts.
 
The keynote speakers showed their vision on the water business in Vietnam. In his welcome address H.E. Bruno Angelet, Ambassador/Head of the European Union to Vietnam, summarized his vision by: “Innovative water management will contribute to equal and sustainable access to water for the people. While Governments should fix conditions and enforce implementation to ensure equal and sustainable access. The Private sector can effectively manage water with innovative solutions and finance. And the people have to monitor and contribute to the best ways.”
 
The first keynote speaker was Dr. Konstantinos Glinos, European Commission – DG Research and Innovation. He reviewed the importance of water in a political view by saying: “Water management is preventing conflicts. Water crosses many borders and requires confidence and trust in each other.”
 
Dr.  Gellért Horváth, from Budapest Waterworks, explains how the quick urbanization can affect the focus of the water businesses because “A sustainable society can be created by tackling the urbanization and closing the circle of resources.”
 
Dr.  Phan Tuan Pham, CEO of Mekong River Commission Secretariat, has a goal the make the Mekong sustainable for the Water business. “I invite you all to visit the Xayaburi waterpower installation in Laos – maybe the most modern in the world with special focus on environmental impacts.”
Water is a good that will be important now and in the future.  And like Mauriano Anderle, Past President and Honorary Member of the Italian Society for Science and Technology (AIV) said: “Water makes the difference between our planet and others.” To get the same usefulness out of water we will need technology and innovative companies.
 
After the speeches of the keynote speakers there was a panel discussion in which, once again, the necessity of collaboration, knowledge exchange and innovation through business, policy and society, were revealed.
 
Participants from Ministry, academia, business and trade representations appreciated the insights from various ankles and opportunities to exchange and open a dialogue. Jointly with the EVBN, EuroCham will follow up with trade and environmental recommendations and include the water issue in the upcoming edition of the annual Whitebook as well as in consultation with key stakeholders and the Government of Vietnam.  

In May 2014, EuroCham Green Growth Sector Committee (GGSC) was established. Its mission is to facilitate the mainstreaming, abolishment of barriers for its members and development of the conditions that are essential for Green Business to prosper in Vietnam. They aim to work closely with stakeholders and share one of the few government and its agencies, Vietnamese and European companies and others with an interest in focus areas of this committee, namely renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean technologies and environmental technologies, financing green business, sustainable buildings and urban and industrial green growth. The workshop about “Innovative Water Business” offered the opportunity to bring stakeholders, with an interest in environmental technologies and more specific water businesses, together.