Vietnam Business Associations Council to be Set up

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has recently met business associations to discuss coordination activities between VCCI and associations as well as seek opinions for VCCI’s action programmes in 2008.

 

Mr Vu Tien Loc, Chairman of VCCI, said VCCI, the Ministry of Home Affairs and business associations need to closely coordinate to submit amendments to Decree 88 to the Government, which is aimed to provide easier regulations on associations. They should also ask the Government to issue a decree on associations as well as decisions on operations of associations.

 

To ensure linkage among associations, Mr Loc proposed setting up the Business Associations Council headquartered at VCCI. Applauding this idea, Mr Nguyen Ngoc Lam, Chief of Nongovernment Organisation Department, said this will be a place for enterprises to meet and exchange and is a bridge for cooperation among business associations. Representatives from business associations absolutely supported this idea and expected the official setup of the Business Association Council in the second quarter of 2008.

 

Regarding labour relation issue, according to Mr Loc, this is an important issue. “In the current context, the competitive advantage will be diminished if the conflicts between employees and employers are not well settled.” Although VCCI is a representative for the employers, Mr Loc proposed adding employer representing functions to business associations. Regarding law construction, representatives from the Vietnam Manpower Export Association hoped enterprises and business associations not only take part in law construction but the Government and competent bodies will train and raise law awareness to business associations.

 

Mr Nguyen Van Toan, Secretary General of Foreign-invested Business Association, said his association proposed allowing foreigners to take part in operations of association instead of only being members. He said foreigners will give much support. Many associations also expressed willing to admit full foreign members, not only associate members.

 

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Vietnam has more than 100 business associations at the central level and more than 400 business associations at the local level.