U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council Educational Forum

 

The U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council Education Forum is the educational affiliate of the U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council. The Forum is dedicated to strengthening the foundation for a positive long-term relationship between the United States and Vietnam by way of educational programs such as fellowships, conferences, seminars and exchanges organized by Forum staff in Washington and Hanoi .  Member companies participation is both beneficial to the companies, their counterparts, and to the overall relationship. 

International Trade Policy and Commercial Law Technical Assistance Program

The Forum, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. foundations including Atlantic Philanthropies, and U.S. corporations, provides technical assistance to officials and experts in Vietnam on issues of legal reform and the structural changes necessary to facilitate Vietnam ’s integration into the global economy. The Forum provides seminars, courses, research services and legal expertise to Vietnam through our top notch on the ground technical assistance team, the law offices of Sidley Austin Brown and Wood LLP, as well as our on site international trade law specialists. We have since 1997 worked on international trade and investment issues related to the BTA and global integration, and since the conclusion of the trade agreement on issues related to BTA implementation, WTO accession and overall economic integration and reform.  Current projects include:

          BTA Implementation: The Trade Council’s Education Forum remains committed to assisting Vietnam implement policies and legal changes associated with implementing the bilateral trade agreement.  Our work thus far has focused on inter-ministerial policy missions on areas such as Transparency, Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMs); Domestic Regulation on Investment; Tariffs; IPR; Agriculture; Customs; and Financial Services including Insurance, Accounting, Banking, and Taxation services.  

         WTO Accession:  The Trade Council’s Education Forum is currently working with key officials and experts on the issues raised by Vietnam ’s goal to accede to the WTO and providing programs and research to assist in this effort.

         Legal Curriculum: To assist in longer term capacity building for Vietnam , the Education Forum will partner with the Ministry of Justice, Hanoi Law School , other legal programs and legal professional organizations on the development of a legal curriculum on disciplines of the WTO.  Carefully selected international practitioners have been recruited to develop the materials and deliver modules on specific topics such as trade in agriculture, trade remedies, competition policy, investment, financial services, telecommunications, and institution building.     

       Radio and TV Program: The Trade Council Education Forum is providing sponsorship and participants to the Ho Chi Minh City Economics University for the production of a series of TV and radio programs to discuss international business and economic integration issues.  

The Forum works with the Ministry of Trade, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Planning and Investment, Justice, the State Bank, the Government Office, and the National Assembly as well as a range of key think tanks and institutes. On the U.S. side, the Forum works closely with the private sector on-the-ground and U.S. government counterparts such as the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, Treasury and Agriculture.