Technical Assistance Update
July 2001

• Onsite Legal Expert
  The Forum is pleased to welcome Lisa Yarmoshuk to our Hanoi office. Formally a Senior Associate in the International Group of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Lisa will provide on site legal expertise to our counterparts in Vietnam this summer.

• BTA Implementation – Investment Issues
  At the request of the Ministry of Planning & Investment’s (MPI) Investment Promotion and Legislative Department, the U.S.-Vietnam Forum will provide ongoing technical assistance on Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMs) and issues related to the International Convention for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).Based on issues identified through our Roadmap for BTA implementation, the Forum will conduct an analysis and run small workshops with MPI representatives focusing on the Foreign Investment Law and BTA implementation requirements.

• BTA Implementation – Non-Tariff Barriers and Taxation Policy
  At the request of the Ministry of Finance the Forum will provide technical assistance regarding the elimination of duties, fees and surcharges in accordance with provisions of the BTA.The Ministry of Finance has also requested technical expertise in the area of taxation, countervailing measures, antidumping and comparative information on the implementation experiences of other developing countries. The Forum will conduct several workshops with the ministry this summer and fall and provide them with documents on comparative experiences of other developing countries.

• BTA Implementation – Implementing Legislation and Transparency
  The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has requested technical assistance and information on the experiences of Mexico and China in their process of implementing NAFTA and WTO commitments.Tasked with the overall coordination of BTA legal implementation and transparency, MOJ is researching effective ways of instituting the procedures and publishing requirements for legal reform related to the BTA. MOJ will work with the Forum to conduct small workshops in country and via teleconferencing for members of the implementing task group.

• BTA Implementation – Transparency Study Tour
  In preparation for instituting transparency measures required by the BTA, the Forum is planning to organize and host a study tour to the U.S. this fall for key representatives lead by the Office of the Government, and including officials from the National Assembly Legal Committee, the Ministries of Justice and Trade, and the Official Gazette. The program will include consultations with the Federal Register, private sector publishing/information clearing houses and agents, and offices of the U.S. Trade Representative in charge of issuing information for public comment.

• WTO and BTA Implementation – Dispute Settlement, Transparency
  The Economic Integration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested help in building a website detailing Vietnam’s efforts to conform to bilateral and multilateral economic regimes. The Forum has provided electronic guides and databases per their request and will assist them in their preparation for the next WTO Working Party meeting scheduled for September. At their request, in preparation for BTA implementation the Forum will provide technical assistance in the areas of dispute settlement and transparency.

• Video Conferencing
  With the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, the Forum hopes to test a technical assistance workshop via video conference.  Participants from Vietnam will include representatives from the Ministry of Justice.  Technical assistance will be provided on the U.S. side, by Forum expert Alex Koff of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP.  The Forum would like in particular to thank Tim Hauser – Deputy Undersecretary for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce; Mike Frisby – Director, U.S. Foreign Commercial Service in Hanoi; and Hong Phong Pho – Desk Officer for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, U.S. Department of Commerce for their assistance in organizing this venue.

• Special Thanks to Ambassador Peterson
  The Forum would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Ambassador Pete Peterson for his support and dedication to the success of our technical assistance program since 1997.As Ambassador Peterson leaves Hanoi to return to Florida, we wish him and Mrs. Vi Peterson the best of success in their future endeavors.

The U.S.-Vietnam Trade Forum, the educational affiliate of the U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council has provided technical assistance on international trade and commercial policy to Vietnam since 1997.This update will be published every month and available on our web site http://old.usvtc.org/