A partnership agreement called, “Corporate Alliance on Administrative Procedures Reform and Competitiveness” was signed in Hanoi on October 12 by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham).

In announcing the agreement, the two organisations said they share a common interest in promoting the business environment in Vietnam to benefit businesses and stimulate economic growth.

The launch of the Corporate Alliance is a key step in providing a platform to engage the private sector in building a strong network of partners, mobilising resources to improve advocacy and support for government-initiated administrative procedures reform, and improving Vietnam ’s competitiveness at large.

“EuroCham firmly believes in the power of partnerships and collaborative efforts for a more competitive Vietnam and is fully committed to working together with both government agencies and the corporate sector through this initiative,” said Alain Cany, EuroCham Chairman.

VCCI and EuroCham will be the lead organisations in the alliance, and other technical and corporate partners to provide business expertise, financial resources and communications, he added.

Meanwhile, VCCI’s Vice Chairman Pham Gia Tuc said VCCI will work closely with multinational corporations and national companies to identify, design and implement alliance activities that leverage the strengths of the corporate sector and improve Vietnam ’s business environment, and especially its competitiveness.

Within the framework of cooperation, EuroCham will provide professional knowledge, resources and networks of members and partners at both national and European Union levels.

The chamber will also support government-initiated administrative reforms as a member of the consultative council for administrative reforms, creating conditions for cooperation between the alliance and EuroCham’s member businesses, partners and European government institutions.

To date, several EuroCham member companies have already committed to supporting the alliance, including Holcim ( Vietnam ) Ltd., HSBC Bank ( Vietnam ) Ltd., FrieslandCampina Vietnam , GlaxoSmithKline Pte. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Ltd., Metro Cash & Carry Vietnam , Prudential Vietnam , Schneider Electronic Overseas Asia Pte. Ldt., Siemens Ltd. Vietnam , Standard Chartered Bank, Unilever Vietnam and Sanofi-Aventies./.