The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) launched its "Give Back to Vietnam" initiative at a high-level dialogue between General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and leading European and Belgian business executives, held in Brussels on October 22 (local time) as part of the top Vietnamese leader's official visit to the European Union (EU) and Belgium.
The event was attended by Vice-President of the European Commission Roxana Mînzatu and First Vice-President of the Belgian Senate Andries Gryffroy.
The initiative aims at channeling the expertise and resources of European businesses into addressing the practical needs of local communities.
The initiative reflects the European business community’s firm commitment to pairing sustainable commercial growth in Vietnam with tangible contributions to improving local livelihoods.
Highlighting the significance of the program, EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert noted that, fueled by the opportunities Vietnam offers, many EuroCham members have chosen the country not only as an investment destination but as a second home. Beyond building successful enterprises, EuroCham is deeply conscious of its responsibility to give back to the host nation.
EuroCham considers this responsibility a consistent thread across all its operations—ranging from policy advocacy to foster investor confidence, to hosting the Green Economy Forum & Exhibition (GEFE 2027) to advance technology and innovation, to launching "Give Back to Vietnam" to bring this collaborative spirit directly to local communities.
This shared commitment is evidenced by long-term business strategies. According to EuroCham’s latest Business Confidence Index (BCI), 23% of European enterprises are planning operations in Vietnam with a horizon exceeding 20 years. Close integration with the local workforce, domestic suppliers, and communities serves as the bedrock aligning corporate growth with Vietnam’s broader prosperity.
As part of the chamber's broader IMPACT 2030 long-term strategy, the initiative bridges European know-how and partner networks with local grassroots understanding to resolve community priorities, ranging from emergency relief to sustainable livelihood generation.
At the dialogue, witnessed by General Secretary and President To Lam and Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu, EuroCham and the Aquitara Philanthropic Fund (managed by the King Baudouin Foundation - KBF) exchanged the first memorandum of cooperation under the initiative.
Under this partnership, the two entities will collaborate with the An Vui Mart project and the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) to help victims' families establish home-based grocery kiosks. This micro-enterprise model offers pragmatic value reflecting economic realities: small and medium-sized enterprises represent the overwhelming majority of businesses in both jurisdictions (99.8% in the EU and nearly 98% in Vietnam). Enabling home-based shop ownership empowers families to generate independent incomes while continuing to provide necessary at-home care for their relatives.
Google translate