The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement: what’s in it for European enterprises and Vietnam’s reform process?

Trade and international relations Bilateral relations Asia-Pacific

The EU and Vietnam concluded negotiations on a free-trade agreement in December 2015, and once legal review and translation are completed, the deal needs to be ratified. But what is really in it for European enterprises? BusinessEurope, EuroCham Vietnam, the EU-Vietnam Business Network and spiritsEUROPE are organising a conference where government and business representatives will shed some light on the matter. What impact will the free trade agreement have on Vietnam’s reform process, and will this reform process matter for European businesses already in South-East Asia or for those who seek to explore new opportunities? And what about the obstacles that still remain?

Thursday 7 September 2017, 16.00-18.00
followed by a cocktail reception

Venue: BusinessEurope, 168 Avenue de Cortenbergh, 1000 Brussels

Programme

15.30 - 16.00	Registration
16.00 - 16.05	Welcome remarks by: Markus J. Beyrer, Director General, BusinessEurope
16.05 - 16.15	European business in Vietnam - Introductory speech by: Jens Ruebbert, Chairman, EuroCham Vietnam
16.15 - 16.35	The significance of the EU-Vietnam Free-Trade Agreeement - Keynote speeches by: Mauro Petriccione, Deputy Director General, DG Trade, European Commission H.E. Mr Vuong Thua Phong, Ambassador of Vietnam to Belgium and the EU
16.35 - 17.00	The opportunities of the EU-Vietnam Free-Trade Agreement for European enterprises - Panel discussion with: Frank Wouter, General Director, Deep C Industrial Zones Kieran Evans, Business Development Manager, APAC Dairy Gold Alann Bouvot, CEO, Sodex Sport Maily Anna Maria Nguyen, Representative of Becamex IDC in Europe; Head of Emilia-Romagna/Italy Desk in Binh Duong Moderated by Nicolas Audier, Vice Chairman, EuroCham Vietnam
17.00 - 17.10	Q&A session
17.10 - 17.40	The expected impact of the EU-Vietnam Free-Trade Agreement on sustainability and Vietnam's reform process - Panel discussion with: Nguyen Hoang Long, Director General, Department for Foreign Affairs of Provinces, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vietnam Shivam Misra, General Director, Diageo Vietnam Pham Van Hien, CEO, East Sea Travel Jan von Herff, Senior Manager, Trade & Industry Policy, BASF Group Moderated by Luisa Santos, Director of International Relations, BusinessEurope
17.40 - 17.55	Q&A session
17.55 - 18.00	Closing remarks by: Markus J. Beyrer, Director General, BusinessEurope Jens Ruebbert, Chairman, EuroCham Vietnam
18.00 - 19.00	Networking cocktail - Addresses by: H.E. Mr Bruno Angelet, Ambassador/Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam Delphine Rousselet, Director, EU-Vietnam Business Network (EVBN)

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