This month the EU-ABC organised two Mission Trips for our members to Brussels and Vietnam to both provide an update on EU-ABC activities, the current outlook for EU-ASEAN trade relations, and the objectives and challenges facing ASEAN as it moves forward with regional integration. The visits also allowed our members to raise areas of particular concern to them with the relevant DGs in the European Commission, and the Ministries in Vietnam.

In Brussels, meetings were held with Vice President Katainen; the EU’s Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmström; DGTrade officials; Angelos Pangratis, the Head of Economic Diplomacy; External Action Serivce; Director General for DGGrow; The head of co-operation for Southeast Asia in DGDEVCO; Head of International Relations in DGFISMA; and also with all of the ASEAN Ambassadors to the EU.

In Vietnam, meetings were held with the Ministry of Industry and Trade; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Planning and Investment; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Ministry of Science and Technology; General Department of Customs and Excise; Committee 389 (the Government co-ordinating committee for combating illicit trade); and, the PM’s Economic Team.

Upcoming Mission Trips in 2018: Indonesia & Myanmar