Meeting between VCCI leaders and the delegation of the Swiss Federal Economic Affairs Office on January 13, 2026 (Photo: Truong Dang)

On January 13, during a working visit in Vietnam, a high-level Swiss delegation led by Ms. Valérie Berset Bircher, State Secretary and Head of the International Labour Affairs Division at the Swiss Federal Economic Affairs Office, held a working session with Ms. Tran Thi Lan Anh, Secretary-General of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).
The meeting aimed to restart labour dialogue and promote sustainable economic cooperation between the two countries, as both sides resume direct exchanges following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Swiss side emphasized the long-standing cooperation with Vietnamese partners, including the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and VCCI. A key goal of the visit was to reconnect labour dialogue with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) based on the Memorandum of Understanding on labour and employment cooperation signed in 2011.
Since the most recent in-person social dialogue occurred in 2018, Switzerland proposed building a cooperation roadmap for the next five years focused on social partnership, social dialogue, collective bargaining, and public employment services.
 

Ms. Tran Thi Lan Anh praises Swiss government cooperation in enhancing Vietnamese labour quality (Photo: Truong Dang)

According to Ms. Lan Anh, VCCI plays a role in policy advocacy and participates in national dialogue mechanisms such as the National Wage Council, the National Labour Relations Council, and the Occupational Safety and Health Council. VCCI has cooperated with the Swiss government to build the capacity of employer organizations and support enterprises in meeting international labour standards and Vietnamese legal requirements, thereby strengthening their position in global supply chains.
Cooperation programmes such as SCORE and Better Work have been highlighted as bright spots in the bilateral relationship. Ms. Lan Anh noted that tools from the Better Work programme have effectively supported textile, garment, and footwear enterprises in meeting international brand requirements, and VCCI is currently working to expand this model to sectors such as electronics.
 

Both sides expect new cooperation programmes to boost labour productivity and trade between Vietnam and Switzerland in the future (Photo: Truong Dang)

At the working session, the Swiss side also introduced new initiatives such as the “Productivity Ecosystem” and the Swiss Trade Programme, aimed at helping Vietnam better utilise free trade agreements, especially the EVFTA.
Despite positive results, VCCI noted that Vietnam faces challenges in transitioning from labour-intensive industries to capital- and technology-intensive models.
Looking ahead, VCCI hopes the Swiss government will continue to support priorities such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, green transformation, and supply chain due diligence. The Swiss side affirmed it will maintain support through global ESG reporting tools and market information sharing.
In conclusion, the Secretary General of VCCI affirmed that cooperation between VCCI and Swiss organisations is not only limited to technical projects but aims at the common goal of building a modern, productive and sustainable labour market in Vietnam.