On two days training 29-30/8/2023 in Ha Long city, Quang Ninh Province, German experts Prof. Dr. Matthias Herdegen (University of Bonn) and Mr. Leif Schneider (Eurocham Vietnam) engaged in vivid discussions, together with nearly 100 Vietnamese legal experts from Ministries, offices in the Northern provinces and cities. They shared their experience of actual challenges and put forward opinions and suggestions to improve the legal system and to ensure set standards.

The integration of Vietnam into the international economy is in full swing. The process is getting more comprehensive and complex. The importance of the promotion of foreign investments in Vietnam is increasing rapidly. During this developing process of integration and implementation of international law, new challenges and hurdles appear. The political stakeholders of Vietnam are aware of how important the implementation of international law is, for the further economic but also societal development of Vietnam. Resolutions and decrees have been set to form the political base for further actions. Especially the training of civil servants of local provinces, but also of the ministries has to be the focus of the near future.

Addressing the training, Justice Vice Minister Nguyen Khanh Ngoc and KAS Vietnam Resident Representative Florian Feyerabend emphasize that the knowledge and skills of civil servants in the prevention and settlement of international investment disputes are and will play a key role in overcoming challenges.

High on the agenda, experts have analyzed thoroughly the international investment protection under the principle of fair and equitable treatment (FET). They have shared the actual cases and lessons learned. Moreover, German expert Prof. Dr. Herdegen delivered on international law and arbitral cases from different regions of the globe. In addition, Mr. Leif Schneider added more information by showing Vietnam´s international dispute settlement facilities and its comparison to Germany´s experience and approaches. As a German lawyer working in Vietnam, he could also show the perspective of claimants and arbitrators. Expert from the International Law Department, MoJ also provided a report on the current reforms of dispute settlement mechanisms at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), which was vividly discussed by the participants.