Slovenian experts appreciate the potential for trade cooperation with Vietnam

Efforts to change the "game" in bilateral trade relations

On the morning of September 26, the Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade) in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sports of Slovenia (Business Development Agency of Slovenia) organized the Vietnam - Slovenia Trade Forum.

At the event, Slovenian experts highly appreciated this meeting and considered it an opportunity to meet, share experiences, learn about market information as well as connect with trade, find partners to consume products, and expand export markets.

Mr. Rok Capl - Director of SPIRIT Business Development Agency, Slovenia - said: “Over the years, SPIRIT Slovenia and its partners have been dedicated to building the relationship between Slovenia and Vietnam. We have facilitated delegations, organized business forums and supported interactions through seminars, export support and trade fair visits. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with VIETRADE today is an important development in our partnership. We are grateful for this opportunity”.

Mr. Rok Capl - Director of SPIRIT Business Development Agency, Slovenia. Photo: Do ​​Nga

He also noted that these efforts mark an important step forward in strengthening the business relationship between the two countries. Along with B2B meetings, Mr. Rok Capl believes that businesses from both countries will gain a deeper understanding of the global supply chain and find solutions to further promote trade. “We appreciate the strong relationship between Vietnam and Slovenia and are committed to supporting businesses to overcome any challenges they may face,” Mr. Rok Capl pledged.

As the leader of Slovenia’s largest transport logistics business delegation to Vietnam, Ms. Vesna Nahtigal - Director of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry - highly appreciated the Vietnam - Slovenia trade forum today. She considered this a potential for the two countries to explore and create new opportunities for Vietnamese companies looking to expand their operations into the European market. In particular, since the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) took effect on August 1, 2020, it has changed the game for bilateral trade relations between the two countries.

According to Ms. Vesna Nahtigal, this ambitious agreement is gradually eliminating nearly 99% of all tariffs between the EU and Vietnam, significantly reducing trade barriers and promoting a more favorable environment for businesses in both countries.

"Essentially, this means easier access to the European market for Vietnamese exporters, increased competitiveness and countless new opportunities for development and cooperation with Slovenian companies," said Ms. Vesna Nahtigal.

In addition, Slovenia boasts a well-developed infrastructure, including modern ports, railways and road networks. In particular, the port of Koper is one of the most important maritime gateways in the region, offering excellent connectivity and significant cost advantages for supplying the Central and Eastern European markets.

With its strategic location, the port can facilitate efficient and cost-effective transportation of goods, becoming an ideal entry point for Vietnamese products into Europe. The port of Koper offers significant cost advantages to supply the Central and Eastern European markets (northern Italy, southern Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Poland, etc.), said Ms. Vesna Nahtigal.

Representatives of Slovenian units and businesses attended the forum. Photo: Do ​​Nga

Taking advantage of strategic advantages brought by EVFTA

Further sharing, experts from Slovenia said that due to its unique geographical location and Slovenian people's ability to speak many foreign languages, Slovenia is an ideal business location, whether for East-West trade or for locating headquarters for a company's business activities in Central, Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans.

Through its partnership with Slovenia, Vietnam can easily access the vast EU market of 450 million EU consumers and 27.5 million EU businesses, which allows goods to freely circulate across the borders of all 27 EU member states, from Germany to Poland and many other countries.

Speaking about the special interest in trade relations, Ms. Vesna Nahtigal emphasized: Slovenian enterprises are particularly interested in developing business cooperation with logistics companies, international freight forwarders, shipping companies calling at the North Adriatic ports, logistics departments of industrial and heavy industry companies, exporters and importers to/from the EU, manufacturers of various goods such as cars, steel, chemicals, dangerous goods, pharmaceuticals, future energy, food, FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), perishable goods, etc., port authorities, postal service providers.

“I encourage all Vietnamese businesses to consider Slovenia as a friendly and reliable partner for growth and prosperity. Together, we can build a brighter future and strengthen the relationship between our two countries. By leveraging the strategic advantages brought by the EVFTA and Slovenia’s strong infrastructure, we can create a dynamic and mutually beneficial partnership that promotes economic growth and innovation,” the Director of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry hopes.

Representatives of Vietnam and Slovenia discussed sea/road transport services in the context of the current global supply chain focusing on the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. Photo: Do ​​Nga

Emphasizing the importance and opportunities for cooperation to promote trade between Vietnam and Slovenia, sharing at the forum, Mr. Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Trade Promotion Agency, emphasized that in the context of green development and global energy transition, Vietnam hopes that Slovenia can provide expertise in areas where Slovenia has strengths such as energy transport, logistics, maritime transport, high technology and renewable energy. These important areas will be new directions of exploitation to promote bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Slovenia in the coming time. "In particular, businesses on both sides need to continue to actively implement the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union, making better use of the opportunities this Agreement brings in the current context" - Director of the Trade Promotion Agency said.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/chuyen-gia-slovenia-danh-gia-cao-tiem-nang-hop-tac-thuong-mai-voi-viet-nam-348525.html