EABC: 2015 - A year in perspective

2015

European Association for Business and Commerce (EABC)

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A year in perspective EABC at IP Fair 2015, 27 February 2015

EABC held a European Pavilion in the IP Fair 2015 organised by the Department of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Commerce. This event was aiming to expand awareness of intellectual property (IP) and showcase local and foreign creative works.

EABC President Mr. Rolf-Dieter Daniel had welcomed honorable guests, Ms. Apiradi Tantraporn, Minister of Commerce and Ms. Malee Choklumlerd, Director General of the Department of Intellectual Property who visited EABC Booth and joined the ribbon cutting ceremony, along with representatives from EU and ECAPIII, EABC partners from Mercedes-Benz, Shell and Staedtler.

Launch of “2015 European Business Position Paper”, 5 March 2015

EABC welcomed Miss Chularat Suteethorn, Vice Minister for Finance, Ministry of Finance who presided over the Launch of 2015 European Business Position Paper and a panel discussion on “Strengthening Thai – European Economic Relations towards a More Competitive Thai Economy”, with a welcome remarks from Ms. Luisa Ragher, Chargé d’affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand.

Representatives from EABC Working Groups, Mr. Michael Grewe, Ms. Lyn Kok and Mr. Viriya Chongphaisal, presented Manufacturing & Automotive recommendations, Cross Sectoral Issues recommendations and Innovation recommendations respectively, then followed by a panel discussion from Mr. Siriruj Chulakaratana, Deputy Director, 28

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Office of Industrial Economics and Dr. Wisarn Pupphavesa, Senior Advisor, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).

EABC, for another year, proudly presented its annual European Business Position Paper. Since its successful launch in 2012, the EABC Business Position Paper served as a communication tool on trade and investment supporting the competitiveness of the Thai economy.

The panel discussion was held successfully, all the attendants had a great opportunity to take note of the current vision and highlighted five recommendations to gear up the Thai economy towards more competitiveness and how to apply ‘Innovation as the mean to break loose from middle income trap’.

EABC Breakfast Briefing, 31 March 2015 EABC hosted the Breakfast Briefing on 31 March 2015 with the objective to be continuously informed of promoting EABC activities 2014 and the Business Position Paper 2015 and presented key areas from each of the 10 Working Groups to the EU Member State Embassies and Consortium partners.

EABC Annual General Meeting & European Networking Night, 8 April 2015

EABC hosted the 2015 Annual General Meeting and the European Networking night on Wednesday 8 April 2015 at InterContinental Bangkok Hotel.

In addition to this special event with the honorable key note speaker Ms. Apiradi Tantraporn, Minister of Commerce on the topic “Peering Ahead: Thailand- EU Trade Partnership.” ,

the topic was very interesting and would benefit to the European investors in Thailand.

The Meeting was followed by the European Networking night where EABC members and guests gathered to enjoy the delicious catering in a relaxing atmosphere.

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A year in perspective ICT Conference: DIGITAL ECONOMY: THE INDUSTRY SPEAKS, 28 April 2015 The half-day conference ‘Digital Economy – The Industry Speaks’ was held on 28 April 2015. This was the third jointly organised EABC-JFCCT ICT conference. The conference focused on two key areas of the Digital Economy schematic: 1) The efficient deployment of broadband networks and an appropriate structure for the telecoms sector, which was the foundation of the Digital Economy.

2) A properly governed and trusted internet to harvest the full innovative potential and secure usage of new services.

These were thus the two areas in the schematic chosen for this conference.

EABC at Europe Day Reception, 9 May 2015 On the occasion of Europe Day on 9 May 2015, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand, H.E. Ambassador JesÚsMiguel Sanz, along with 20 Ambassadors of the European Union Member States represented in Thailand, hosted a reception to celebrate the day in style at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok. EABC Board Members also attended the reception.

Pictured are (from left): Jan Eriksson (EABC Vice President), Rolf-Dieter Daniel (EABC President), Patrick Deboyser (Minister-Counsellor, the EU Delegation to Thailand), Michael Grewe (EABC Board Member), H.E. Ambassador Jesús-Miguel Sanz (Head of the EU Delegation to Thailand), Lyn Kok (EABC Vice President), Georg Wolff (EABC Board Member), Antonio Berenguer (Head of Trade and Economic Section, the EU Delegation to Thailand) and Choochai Eiamrungroj (EABC Board Member).

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EABC Exclusive Dinner Talk Series with Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam, 9 June 2015

EABC hosted an exclusive dinner talk series with H.E. Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam. He addressed the European Business Community in Thailand, high-level diplomatic representatives from European Member States Embassies, EU Delegation and Thai authorities on the topic of “Ease of Doing Business and Transparency Upgrade: Thailand’s Facilitation Act.” Dr. Wissanu Krea-ngam, emphasised that “Besides the key benefits aiming for faster, easier, and cheaper; government procedure; this Act encourages a strong incentive for agencies to perform better. It challenges agencies to seek continuous improvements, such as by shortening service time, establishing one stop service centres, and increasing use of ICT to improve convenience”.

The Licensing Facilitation Act was thus an important step taken by the current Government with an effort to upgrade ease of doing business in Thailand. The continuous improvement was also another key aspiration of the law.

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A year in perspective Automotive Summit 2015 : “ASEAN… The Emerging Automotive Hub of the World”, 24 June 2015

EABC was invited to the Automotive Summit 2015 organized

by Thailand Automotive Institute at BITEC Bangna. The EABC‘s support was directed toward the enhancement of knowledge in testing technology and the automotive and auto parts testing standards in ASEAN under the ongoing development of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

EABC at ERASMUS+ Scholarship Awardees 2015, 16 July 2015 EABC participated at the ERASMUS+ Scholarship 2015 Awardees Ceremony, hosted by the Delegation of European Union to Thailand on 16 July 2015 at the Sofitel So hotel in Bangkok.

The event began with the welcoming remarks from Ambassador Jesús Miguel Sanz, Head of the EU Delegation to Thailand followed by a very inspirational speech from Mrs. Anne-Marie Machet, a representative of the EABC Board Members. The ceremony was well received, with more than 150 people in attendance, comprising of the Erasmus+ scholarship recipients, Erasmus Mundus alumni, EU Member States representatives, as well as representatives from the European business community in Thailand, including many of the EABC’s board members.

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EABC JOINT CHAMBERS LUNCH TALK ASEAN’S Mid-Year Economic Review 2015: “ASEAN Economic Community (AEC): Illusion or Reality?”, 23 July 2015 EABC successfully organised ASEAN’s Mid-Year Economic Review 2015 at Renaissance Hotel Bangkok with our partnering chambers; • British Chamber of Commerce in Thailand • Belgian-Luxembourg Thai Chamber of Commerce • Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce • Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce • The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce • Irish Thai Chamber of Commerce • The Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce • Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce

There were more than 70 guests from diplomatic missions and private sectors. The panel discussion was very valuable and fruitful with presentations and discussion by Dr. Ulrich Zachau - the Director of World Bank, Mr. Andrew Durieux CEO and Consultant /Coverage Ltd (Thailand) and Ms. Usara Wilaipich - Senior Economist, Standard Chartered Bank PCL.

EABC at Thailand Innovation and Design Expo 2015, 17-20 September 2015 The Thailand Innovation and Design Expo 2015 was a technological innovation exhibition held in Bangkok, at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center from 17 September to 20 September 2015. EABC were also honoured to welcome H.E. General Prayuth Chan-o-cha Prime Minister of Thailand, visiting our booth.

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A year in perspective Launch of EABC 2015 Business Confidence Survey, 25 September 2015

EABC hosted the launch event for its Business Confidence Survey 2015 at the Sofitel Sukhumvit Bangkok on 25 September 2015. The main objectives of this survey was to explore the European business confidence in the Thai economy as well as to investigate their view on current trade-and-investment-related issues, especially the issues of EU – Thailand Free Trade Agreement(FTA) and the Generalised System of Preferences(GSP)cancellation. The result showed that the European business community was still optimistic and confidence in Thailand while EU – Thailand FTA renegotiation was necessary and would be more effective with the complement of regulatory reforms that accommodated favorable trade and investment climate.

For further fruitful discussion, the EABC invited Dr. Phacharaphot Nuntramas, the Head of Economic and Financial Market Research, Economic Intelligence Center, Siam Commercial Bank, as a keynote speaker to share his view on “Investment Direction Towards 2015 and Beyond for European Business Community in Thailand and ASEAN”.

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Launch Event of Thailand Import Export Guide and Networking Event, 26 November 2015

The EABC successfully organised the Launch Event of the Thailand Import Export Guide on 26 November 2015 at Pullman Bangkok Hotel G on Silom, followed by a networking evening. The evening was very interesting and informative with a keynote address from Mr. Chaiyut Kumkun, Director of Suvarnabhumi Airport Passenger Control Customs Bureau delivering a speech on Customs and Trade Facilitation. The EABC was very pleased to welcome the Vice Minister for Commerce, Mr. Winichai Chaemchaeng and representatives from Thai Government Agencies, Embassies, media, EABC members and bilateral chambers members.

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Roadshows and Outreach Events Roundup

EABC Roadshows in Denmark

EABC was invited by The Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) to participate in its investment promotion seminars in Aarhus on 20 May 2015 and in Copenhagen on 21 May 2015, in Denmark.

The seminars were well received by the participants who took sharp interest at the presentations on the state of the Thai market and were introduced to EABC and its activities to support European Business in Thailand.

EABC Outreach in Slovakia

EABC participated in the Slovak Matchmaking Fair 2015 on 10 November 2015, in Bratislava. The event was an annual meeting of Slovak and foreign companies organized by the Slovak Investment and Trade Agency (SARIO), to explore new business opportunities.

EABC at ASEAN Business Seminar EABC Outreach in The Netherlands in Latvia EABC participated in an event in Amsterdam on 10 November EABC, in collaboration with EU-ASEAN Business Networks, and the Latvian CCIC hosted a seminar in Riga, Latvia on 14 May 2015. The event featured presentations on the state of the markets and opportunities for Latvian companies in ASEAN destinations such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as how the various EU-ASEAN Business Networks were able to support Latvian companies; in particular SMEs enter and do business in ASEAN.

2015, organised by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce to help educate Dutch companies of business opportunities in South East Asia.

EABC Outreach in Croatia EABC Roadshows in Bulgaria and Slovenia: Thailand - Your Road to South East Asia Seminars EABC organised roadshow events in Sofia, Bulgaria on 19 May 2015 in collaboration with the Bulgarian CCI and in Ljubljana, Slovenia through cooperation with the CCI of Slovenia on 21 May 2015.

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EABC in collaboration with the EPBN met with representatives of the Croatian Employer’s Association in Zagreb on 12 November 2015, to discuss possible future collaboration to support Croatian SMEs looking to internationalise to ASEAN. Moreover, on 13 November 2015 EABC, EPBN and the Croatian Chamber of Economy organised a seminar in Zagreb, to inform Croatian companies of business opportunities in Thailand and the Philippines, and how the EABC and the EPBN are able to support them.

Thank you to EABC 2015 Sponsors Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

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