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Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, founded in 1963, is a national organisation which assembles and represents business enterprises of all economic sectors and business associations in Vietnam. The purpose of the Chamber is to protect and assist business enterprises to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country, and to promote commercial, economic and technological relations between Vietnam and the rest of the world on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.
The Chamber is an independent, non-governmental organisation enjoying the status of juridical person and operating on financial autonomy. Its main functions is to represent the Vietnamese business community for the promotion and protection of its interests in domestic and international relations; and to promote and offer assistance in trade and investment, economic and technological co-operation and other business activities of enterprises in Vietnam and abroad.
Activities
Dialogue with government
As only representative body of the nation-wide business community, the Chamber submits to the National Assembly and the Government of Vietnam collective views and consultative proposals on legislation and policy particularly in regard to economic activities and the business environment in Vietnam. It maintains regular relations with the National Assembly's Office, the Office of the Government, and relevant governmental bodies as well as provincial authorities. In addition, the President of the Chamber is invited to participate in the National Assembly and the Cabinet meetings on related matters.
It organises regular and direct meetings and dialogues between the Prime Minister, Cabinet members and local authorities with the businesses to discuss on measures to promote socio-economic development of the country and to strengthen Government-business partnership.
Community development
It embraces almost all Vietnamese professional associations and unions and foreign business groups. Beside being active in international and regional trade promotion organisations such as International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the ASEAN Chambers of Commerce..., the Chamber has been co-sponsoring several bilateral trade promotion institutions in forms of mixed chambers, trade councils, committees and associations.
The Chamber is also a founding member and provides leadership as well as secretariat for Vietnam National Committee for the Pacific Economic Co-operation Council (PECC).
The Chamber maintains good working relations with the ITC, UNDP, UNIDO, ESCAP, UNCTAD, the EU Commission... as well as international financial institutions like the World Bank, IMF, ADB, IFC... The Chamber is representing Vietnamese employers in activities organised by International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Improvement of international cooperation
The Chamber has concluded over 70 Co-operation agreements with chambers of commerce, trade promotion organisations, industry and business associations of more than 60 countries and territories. These agreements aim at facilitating and fostering business links between Vietnamese companies and foreign partners.
The Chamber also provides assistance to foreign businesses operating in Vietnam to set up their entities, and assist them on their daily work by providing them with information, guidance, business contacts as well as other services they may need. Moreover, the Chamber has been advising the Government on macro policies so as to create better environment for the development of economic co-operation between foreign and Vietnamese businesses.
Assistance to foreign business and business association
The Chamber has always opened its membership to foreign businesses as associated members. It is responsible to help the establishment and operation of foreign associations and clubs in Vietnam. Basing on the letter of introduction of the Chamber, local authorities shall consider and permit such establishments.
The Chamber also organise regular meetings between the Prime Minister and Government officials with foreign businesses to help the latter promote trade and investment in Vietnam.
Assisting overseas delegations
The Chamber hosts foreign governmental and non-governmental delegations particularly those from business promotion organisations and private establishments. In connection with these visits, interested entrepreneurs will have ample occasions to discuss with relevant authorities and partners on the environment and business opportunities in Vietnam. The Chamber also assists foreign businessmen who contemplate doing business in Vietnam in such useful services as intermediation, business information and consultancy, establishment of their representative offices, arrangement for business tours, appointments, leisure and entertainment...
The Chamber also organises business meetings between Vietnamese entrepreneurs and business delegations accompanying foreign Heads of State or Government visiting Vietnam.
Business missions
In the continued search for new trade and investment opportunities, business missions are regularly organised by the Chamber for its members to various countries in the world. It also organises business delegations accompanying the President, Prime Minister or Deputy-Prime Ministers during their visits to other countries, thus contributing further to economic co-operation and deepening the bonds of friendship with other countries.
Trade fairs, exhibitions and asvertisement
The Chamber has always considered trade fairs and exhibitions as important activities. It has its own Trade Fair and Exhibition Department, Trade Fair and Exhibition Centres and Trade and Service Company holding general and specialised exhibitions abroad to afford its members chances of internationally promoting available products and services. Likewise, the Chamber also assists foreign partners in organising exhibitions and displaying their products in Vietnam.
The Chamber acts as an advertising agency for foreign and local businessmen in introducing their products, services and business operations both in Vietnam and in other countries.
Business information
The Chamber monitors and supplies overall information on Vietnam's economy, foreign trade and foreign investment as well as the new laws and regulations on related fields. Apart from that, updated files of Vietnamese manufacturers, traders, agents and joint venture partners are being available to meet detailed inquiries from foreign businessmen and its members.
Seminars and conferences
It arranges seminars and talks with competent organisations both at home and abroad on selected topics like banking, finance, foreign direct investment, trade, legal and management issues, technologies...The Chamber also hosts international conferences or fora in Vietnam and organises for Vietnamese business to enhance international co-operation and integration.
Training
In co-operation with several Vietnamese and overseas educational institutes, the Chamber organises various courses on business and investment management, enterprise start-up, marketing, foreign business languages, etc.
Consultance services
The consultancy board extends assistance to Vietnamese and foreign business people in solving matters arising from their transactions. The Board also provides services to foreign businessmen seeking the opportunities in trade and investment in Vietnam from supplying research reports on the domestic market and potential partners. Legal consultancy, technology transfer consultancy are also available from a wealthy staff of lawyers, solicitors and attorneys who are members of Vietnam Bar Association, International Bar Association, International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property (AIPPI) and Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA).
Certificate of origin (C/O)
Being the organisation in Vietnam authorised to issue certificates of origin and certify other documents used in international trade, the Chamber is staffed with qualified personnel to monitor the work and to maintain trustful relations with the organisations concerned around the world.
Industrial and intellectual property protection
The Chamber is the biggest among the patent and trade mark agents in the country. With a qualified staff, the Chamber can duly meet all the requirements of domestic and foreign clients relating to the filing of applications for Patents, Utility Solutions, Trade/Service marks and Industrial Designs, Copyrights, enforcing of these rights as well as the protection of all registered objects of Industrial and Intellectual Property in Vietnam.
Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises
The Chamber has established a network of Small and Medium Enterprise Centres (SME-PC) to sponsor activities of SMEs in the whole country with their offices system in big cities. In addition to their own staff, Vietnamese and foreign experts in various fields assist these centres.
Employers’ activities
The Bureau for Employers' Activities of VCCI (BEA-VCCI) is established with the aim of promoting sound labour and social relations of the country.
VCCI - (31/10/2003)
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