The Vietnam-Europe Business Forum (VEBF) approved by the Vietnamese Government will be launched on May 22, 2006 in Hanoi. The forum aims of providing a platform to promote and enhance the trade relation between EU and Vietnam based on the fact that the EU is Vietnam’s leading partner in term of trade and investment. On the occasion, VCCI’s Vietnam Business Forum would like to introduce ideas of some experts about this event.
Mr. Nguyen Hoang Luu, vice chairman of Hanoi Small and Medium Enterprise Association
The Vietnam-EU business forum is a chance for the Hanoi Small and Medium Enterprise Association to set up relations with supporting, sponsoring and related organisations, domestically and internationally. Via this forum, we can exchange experience and operations of our association expose our advantages and hardships of Vietnamese small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Especially, this forum can provide business opportunities for our member enterprises to seek partners from the European Union (EU).
In my opinion, to boost business exchange between Vietnamese enterprises with EU partners, a close link between Vietnamese enterprises themselves and between Vietnamese and EU enterprises are essential. The Government needs to create a better legal environment to facilitate business operations. At present, the Decree 90, the Unified Enterprise Law or the Common Investment Law has formed a favourable legal corridor for SMEs. However, in addition to the legal corridor, a full and unified mechanism and whole-hearted business-supporting authorities are also needed.
On the other hand, supporting organisations such as our association also need to improve capacities and relations, and provide sufficient information for enterprises. The Hanoi Small and Medium Enterprise Association has recently implemented a project to improve its information provision capacities. This project also covers the information related to the law, policies, customs and especially the EU market. This is a good foundation for member enterprises to survey the market before joining hands with EU firms. However, the most important issue is that enterprises should improve themselves and invest in their market surveys.
Mr Pham Quang, General Director of Tien Phong Co. Ltd
Before making investment and export decisions, we wanted to know who they are and what they want. A business trip to other countries is quite costly for Vietnamese firms. Hence, this forum is a good chance for us to know more about the EU market. In addition, we also wanted to learn about programmes and supports of VCCI and the State when we do business with the EU market.
Tien Phong Co., Ltd is mainly engaged in information technology, telecommunication and software. Notably, our product is the biometric software, which is used to identify humans. Especially, this product is very modern and in high demand but it is not easy to export due to the security matters.
The EU is our export-targeted market. However, it is not easy at all to enter this market and we need meticulous preparations and plans. At present, our company is promoting for the opening of a branch in Hanover, Germany. The procedures in Germany have been completed but the procedures in Vietnam have not been accepted. Hence, we need support from the State to facilitate our business.
Mr. Le Trang, chief representative of the Der Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammertag (DIHK)
More and more German enterprises tended to enter Vietnam, especially when Vietnam obtains the WTO entry ticket, expected this year. However, a strong investment wave from Germany into Vietnam has not become true. Each year, Germany invests abroad 60 billion euros but only 250-300 million euros are for Vietnam. The traditional markets of Germany are Europe, Japan, South Korea and China. Southeast Asia is still a prospect.
Vietnam now mainly calls investment from giant firms. However, this is not easy because Vietnam is not a big income earner for German firms. Therefore, Vietnamese policymakers should pay more intention to German SMEs. This group of enterprises have high capital accumulation, technology and self-motivation. They are suitable for the current Vietnamese economy.
The upcoming Vietnam-EU Forum will be a good opportunity for Vietnam to introduce potentialities of trade and investment to European enterprises. To achieve the best targets, organisers should provide more sufficient and systematic materials and limit the reading of already-prepared speeches, which are delivered to lecturers.
Tung Lam
April 24–25, 2026
Kinh Bac Cultural Center, Bac Ninh Province
Vietnamese
