DANISH SUPPORT TO VIETNAMESE TECHNICAL BARRIER TO TRADE OFFICE

To assist Vietnam to respond to requirements of WTO admission, Danida has since 2006 provided support to the Technical Barrier to Trade TBT Office under the Ministry of Science and Technology through a 3-year twining partnership with Danish Standard (DS). The project aims to increase competitiveness through the transformation of Vietnam TBT Office into a proactive TBT information provider from Vietnamese exporters and importers.

During the past 3 years, the project significantly contributed to upgrading of the capacity of TBT office’s employees and increase of professionalism and efficiency of the office’s operation. As a result, TBT Office made very good progress in establishing transparent procedures to fulfill Vietnam’s obligations to WTO - especially in communicating to the rest of the world about the regulations, standards, testing, and certification procedures required for imports to Vietnam. Also, efforts to establish an information network and framework conditions for disseminating information about requirements for Vietnamese exporters to several countries have been initiated.

At the project-end conference organized on 20 January 2010, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan remarked: The project contributed to the strengthening of capacity of the TBT Viet Nam Office to fulfill promptly the Viet Nam’s commitment under the TBT Agreement of WTO. On behalf of the Ministry, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Denmark for valuable support and cooperation in general and in TBT aspects in particular.

Participants at the End-conference: From left: Dr. Ngo Tat Thang, Head, Department of International Cooperation, STAMEQ; Ms. Tove Degnbol, Deputy Head of Embassy of Denmark; Mr. Nguyen Quan, Vice Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology; and Mr. Vu Van Dien, Head of STAMEQ

Although, there is still some ground to be covered before the TBT Vietnam Office is seen to be the most reliable information and consultancy services provider to Vietnamese enterprises, particularly Vietnamese exporters, the Embassy found that important progress has been made. The TBT officer’s leaders, thus, have shown commitment to take up the challenge and put down concrete steps to better serve demands of the private sector in the future based on the improved office’s capacity, technical expertise and network with business associations that office has built up thanks to the project.

For more information about the activities of the Business Sector Programme Support please click here