Investment opportunities in Vietnam discussed in Belgium

A workshop on Vietnam’s demand and investment opportunities was held in Brussels, Belgium, on September 22.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Vuong Thua Phong presented the country’s socio-economic situation and business policies while underscoring potential boasted by the upcoming signing of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement (EVFTA).

Phong said he hopes for a greater flow of Belgian and European investors to Vietnam in the near future.

Francois De Maeyer, Head of the Belgium-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIBV) , lauded contributions made by Belgian enterprises in stimulating economic cooperation with Vietnam and expressed his belief in the bright outlook of the EVFTA for both sides.

CCIBV Deputy Head and General Director of the Menart company Berengere Menart told Vietnam News Agency correspondents that all four waste treatment projects that her company has carried out in Vietnam receive assistance from local authorities and relevant State agencies.

The EU is one of the large import markets for Vietnamese commodities, particularly footwear, garments, farm produce and aquaculture. After signing the trade deal, 90 percent of Vietnamese goods being exported to European markets will go enjoy tariff of zero percent.

Belgium is Vietnam’s sixth largest trade partner in the EU with two-way trade hitting 2 billion EUR (2.29 billion USD) a year. It has invested 281.34 million USD in 53 projects in Vietnam.

In 2014, trade between the two countries experienced a year-on-year growth of 27.4 percent to reach over 2.3 billion USD.-VNA