Duration: 1 hour
On Wednesday 3rd April, EuroCham attended a courtesy meeting with H.E. Dr Sophalleth Eang, Minister of the Environment, to introduce its committees, and explore avenues for further collaboration between EuroCham and the ministry.
EuroCham Chairman, Tassilo Brinzer, provided a brief history of the chamber and outlined its mission to enhance the country’s business framework. He also emphasised the important role of the ministry in enhancing sustainable practices, making it an ideal destination for attracting potential investors from Europe.
Senior Advocacy Officer, Joachim Dautais, then presented an overview of the 2024 White Book, the Advocacy Compass, and the results from the 2024 EuroCham Business Confidence Survey. Among these, he highlighted that 83% of businesses believe that CSR/ESG is environmentally important and are incorporating it into their organizations, while 67% of businesses are implementing measures to reduce waste and promote recycling.
Green Business Government Consultations
Dr. Sajith Edirisuriya, Chairman of the GreenBiz Committee provided an overview of the GreenBiz Committee, including its GreenBiz Forum, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, and waste management initiatives.
Automotive Government Consultations
Mr. Makara Chhoeurn, Chairman of the Automotive Committee briefed the EuroCham Automotive Committee’s initiatives and recommendations, including advocating for the implementation of emission standards regulations for all cars in Cambodia. Additionally, he requested support from His Excellency for either banning the importation of used cars or imposing an age limit to reduce environmental pollution.
Garment & Manufacturing Government Consultations
Mr. Yik Thong Choon, Vice-Chairman of the Garment & Manufacturing Committee and Executive Member of TAFTAC highlighted the overview of the garment sector in contributing to Cambodia’s economy. He outlined the sustainability challenges facing the industry and discussed various initiatives aimed at addressing them. Additionally, he expressed his eagerness to collaborate with the government and relevant stakeholders in tackling these challenges.
The Minister and his team warmly embraced the opportunity to collaborate with the relevant committees and to address the issues raised by them. His Excellency also discussed streamlining administrative procedures within the ministry to enhance efficiency. Furthermore, he emphasised the importance of Green Financing and reiterated the “Today I will not use plastic” campaign as part of efforts to reduce plastic waste.
We extend our sincere gratitude to H.E. Dr Eang Sophalleth and his team for the productive meeting and anticipate future collaborations.