“The EVFTA: Status, Chances and Challenges” – GBA monthly meeting

Dear Members and Friends,

following-up a successful EuroCham mission to Brussels in October, GBA would like to invite you to their Monthly Business Meeting to learn more about the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and what it means for your business in Vietnam.

GBA Business Meeting – November 2018

Date:               Monday, 12 November 2018
Time:              17:45 – 22:00
Venue:            Ballroom 2, Le Méridien Saigon
3C Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, HCMC
Tel: 028-6263 6688

Agenda:        

17:45 – 18:30:             Registration and networking cocktail
18:30 – 18:45:             Introduction of new members
18:45 – 21:00:             Meeting and presentations
21:00 – 22:00:             Dinner and networking opportunity

Meeting chairman: Mr Thomas Debelic – GBA Chairman 

Meeting program:

“The EVFTA: Status, Chances and Challenges”

With Mr Nicolas Audier, Co-Chairman, Mr Jean Jacques Bouflet, Vice Chairman and Ms Almut Roessner, Executive Director we have won over not only the senior management of EuroCham Vietnam but the distinguished and experienced experts for EU-Vietnam affairs.

1.    Status, Outlook and Challenges of the EVFTA
Mr Jean-Jacques Bouflet, Vice Chairman of EuroCham
Our guest speaker will give us an overview of the current status, the outlook and possible hurdles to be taken until ratification and implementation of the Agreement.
After studying law in France and Germany, Mr Bouflet served the European Commission for 37 years. Among others he participated to the negotiations of the WTO Agreement and also to the taskforce for the accession to the EU of Sweden, Finland and Austria. As member of the legal service of the Commission, he acted for many years as litigator of the EU in the WTO Dispute Settlement Panels. He was also Deputy Representative of the European Commission in France. Finally, he was posted as Head of Trade Affairs in the EU Delegation to Thailand and subsequently in the Delegation to Vietnam where he participated to the lead negotiators meetings of the EVFTA.

2.    Insights and Lessons learned from the Eurocham Brussels Mission 2018
Mr Nicolas Audier, Co-Chairman of EuroCham, Managing Partner of Audier & Partners VN LLC
Nicolas is EuroCham Co-Chair since October 2017, having been a member of its Executive Committee since 2014, with particular involvement in the preparation of several Whitebook editions and advocacy on behalf of foreign investors to the Vietnamese authorities. Member of the Paris Bar, Nicolas Audier is an attorney with 20 years of experience in the ASEAN Region and Vietnam in particular.
You will hear first-hand insights from the delegation’s meetings with various Commissioners, Cabinets,  senior EU officials and Members of the European Parliament in Brussels, get updated on the latest EVFTA discussion and the key findings in EuroCham’s recent EVFTA survey and report. Learn what’s next for this milestone-agreement and more about how your business can benefit from this new chapter in EU-Vietnam relations.

3.    How to contribute to EuroCham’s activities
Ms Almut Roessner, Executive Director of EuroCham 
Almut has been in Vietnam for nearly 9 years and has been leading the EuroCham secretariat since March 2015. Previously, she was based in Hanoi where she managed the representation of Xella, a German sustainable building solutions provider. Between 2012 and 2014 she was a member of the GBA board as well as Vice Chairwoman. Before coming to Vietnam, she worked in consultancy and management positions across Europe in Austria, China and Germany and Ireland as well.
Apart from the EVFTA-related topics, she will give a brief overview on EuroCham’s activities in its Sector Committees and regional Chapters and how you can contribute, participate and profit from their work.

4.    Panel Discussion
An open round table discussion and Q&A session with our guests gives you the opportunity to ask and argue.

5.    Updates GBA Activities
Mr Thomas Debelic – GBA Chairman

Meeting fees:

•    Early bird discount for registration by 07 November 2018:
Member:                  VND    950,000 (from GBA/EUROCHAM, NORDCHAM & SBA)
Non-member:         VND 1,200,000

(Please kindly note that registration on early bird discount is binding confirmation. Cancellation of attendance need to be made latest by 10 am, Thursday, 08 November or you will be charged due to the hotel obligations.)

•    For registration after 07 November 2018:
Member:                  VND 1,500,000 (from GBA/EUROCHAM, NORDCHAM & SBA)
Non-member:         VND 1,800,000

Please be so kind as to register with Ms Mai Anh, Tel: 028 3823 9772, ext 112 or maianh@gba-vietnam.org to enable us to plan successfully.