Brussels (VNA) – The Vietnam-Belgian business forum took place in Brussels on October 23, offering a chance for enterprises of the two countries to introduce their products and explore new cooperation opportunities.
Addressing the forum, Vice President of the Belgian Senate and President of the Vietnam - Belgian Vietnamese Alliance Andries Gryffoy affirmed that Vietnam is emerging as one of the dynamic and attractive destinations for foreign investors, with an important role in promoting future economic growth.
Economic stability, strategic location, strong integration into global trade, and political stability, along with an increasingly skilled young population and unique cultural identity, are factors that make Vietnam very attractive to the international community, he said.
Gryffoy noted that Belgium investors have run 95 projects worth about 1.1 billion USD in Vietnam.
For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the EU Nguyen Van Thao highlighted the great cooperation potential and demand between the two sides, especially in logistics, seaports, and renewable energy.
Representatives of Belgian businesses shared opinions on advantages and difficulties while operating in Vietnam.
François Coloval, Director of South Export Alliance, said that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has helped Vietnam become more competitive than neighbouring countries, while creating favourable conditions for investment activities and market expansion.
Elyse Kneller from VBB law firm said that Vietnamese exporters should understand and strictly comply with regulations related to the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to ensure not only the legality of their business operations but also increase their competitive advantage in the European market. These regulations can affect the costs and ability of Vietnamese goods to penetrate the market, she added.
Natalia Yerashevich from Ohana Group said that in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of the European market, Vietnamese textile and garment manufacturers need to proactively monitor changes in the EU legal system.
Dao Hong Hai, CEO of the Hanoi Station restaurant chain in Brussels, introduced the Vietnam Business Association in Belgium, which was established to promote cooperation and import and export between the two countries' markets in particular and Europe in general, creating an effective bridge between Vietnamese and Belgian businesses, enabling their mutual support in the process of seeking business opportunities and market development.
At the forum, Vietnamese firms introduced their unique products to the Belgian market./.
