VINACHEM

National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai hosted a reception for a business delegation led by EU-ASEAN Business Council Chairman Jens Rübbert and EuroCham Viet Nam Chairman Dominik Meichle in Ha Noi on June 26.

National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai has praised European businesses in general, the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC), and the European Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam (EuroCham Vietnam) for their positive contributions to Viet Nam's socio-economic development and the Viet Nam-EU comprehensive partnership and cooperation.

He affirmed that the Vietnamese NA and Government always accompany and offer all possible support to firms to do business successfully and sustainably in Viet Nam.

The NA Vice Chairman encouraged increased investment and trade under the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and other bilateral agreements.

Nguyen took the occasion to urge the EU side to expedite the ratification of the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by all member states.

He also called for the European Commission's early removal of the "yellow card" warning against Vietnamese seafood exports, taking into account Viet Nam's efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the challenges and differences in fisheries management capacity and challenges faced by Vietnamese fishermen.

The Vietnamese official affirmed Viet Nam's commitment to creating a business-friendly environment and improving its legal framework to align with international standards.

He highlighted the openness to feedback from European businesses on enhancing the Viet Nam-EU relationship, particularly in economic and trade spheres.

For his part, Jens Rübbert expressed the interest of European businesses in investing and doing business across various sectors in Viet Nam, affirming the Council's support for EVIPA's ratification by EU member parliaments.

EuroCham Viet Nam Dominik Chairman Meichle emphasized their commitment to continued collaboration with Vietnamese authorities for future development.

Both sides discussed Viet Nam's priorities in fiscal policy, public financial management, and business environment improvement, to name but a few./   – VGP –