Duration: 1 hour
EuroCham leadership, joined by H.E. Igor Driesmans, Ambassador of the EU to Cambodia, convened at the Peace Palace on 19 September for a meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet and his team.
In addition to a formal introduction and welcoming remarks, EuroCham Chairman Tassilo Brinzer and Prime Minister Hun Manet engaged in a lively discussion on topics such as reform policy, increasing FDI from Europe, and the path forward for Cambodia to continue its ascension to a high-income country by 2050.
From the European business perspective, Mr. Brinzer made the case that the tourism sector and needs assistance and suggested options such as visa-free travel for digital nomads. Concerning customs procedures, Mr. Brinzer suggested that a task force be created to help streamline these procedures to encourage more trade flow to and from Cambodia.
Prime Minister Hun Manet responded to each request, saying that the government has prioritized engaging more with the private sector during his 13 months in office, including encouraging meetings between EuroCham and the Council for the Development of Cambodia and helping to create new SOPs for tax audits as well as a Special Tax Audit Unit to streamline audits. The unpredictability of tax audits has long been a concern of the private sector.
The prime minister added that Cambodia is evolving, and reforms will take time to create major change, but he is committed to following them through and putting Cambodia in the best position to succeed in the long term as a strong regional and international player.