The European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines welcomes Lars Wittig, the Philippine country manager of IWG as the new president after a successful election in June 2021.
“I am most honored and humbled to be elected president of the ECCP especially at this critical time for foreign and domestic companies alike. Since the start of the pandemic, the chamber has continued to be a steadfast partner of the government and the European-Philippine business community in the country’s transition towards the new normal. During my term, I look forward to building on the excellent work that the Chamber has done,” Wittig said in a forum detailing the group’s milestones in the Philippines.
The ECCP has developed ties with the Philippine government for more than 40 years and actively advocated for reforms to make the Philippines a more competitive destination for local and foreign investments.
Maintaining its good relations and increasingly good relations with the local business sectors, the group cited PEZA for recognizing and granting ECCP their Galing Pinas Ecozone Investment Partnership Award earlier this year.
The chamber is also an active champion of sustainability and has been deeply involved in sustainability-related advocacies covering energy efficiency and conservation, water management, circular economy, among others. For this year, ECCP launched two milestone events related to sustainability, Wittig said.
In February 2021, the ECCP, in partnership with the DOE-National Renewable Energy Board, launched the REPH100 movement which is a private sector-driven effort aimed at supporting the Department of Energy’s Green Energy Option Program, as well as encouraging local players and international players of various sizes to shift to 100-percent renewable energy.
The REPH100 initiative was inspired by the global RE100 initiative which was directed at encouraging global companies to commit to 100-percent renewable energy operations by 2030.
In June 2021, the ECCP hosted the first-ever ECCP Europa Awards on Sustainability which awarded companies that exemplified best practices on smart and safer mobility, clean and efficient energy, circular economy, sustainable food and nutrition, green and inclusive finance solutions, and water resource management.
The event received 70 entries that were eventually narrowed down to 22 finalists. During the online event, the ECCP also launched a publication featuring in-depth accounts of the winners’ entries and the ECCP Sustainability Whitebook containing the chamber’s policy recommendations on focus areas and how these policy advocacies are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Philippine Development Plan.
“As we continue to navigate the ‘new normal’, it is crucial that the government intensifies its efforts to improve the country’s overall competitiveness and make the country a more attractive destination for trade and investments to recover from the adverse effect of the pandemic. The signing of the landmark tax reform law also known as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act earlier this year is a positive step to attaining this. We urge the Philippine government to maintain the momentum and enact major economic reforms including amendments to the Foreign Investments Act, Public Services Act, and Retail Trade Act to accelerate recovery, further facilitate more FDIs, create more jobs for Filipinos, and drive the Philippine economy to greater heights,” Wittig said.
He said that equally important to the passage of the economic reforms is ensuring that the basic elements for conducive business environment are met. These include political stability and predictability of the regulatory environment which are crucial factors for investors.
Additionally, human capital remains a key consideration of investors most especially now with the ongoing pandemic, he said.
“Undeniably, the country’s relatively young and highly literate labor force will continue to play a vital role in the country’s overall competitiveness. Thus, it is imperative that policymakers, together with other stakeholders, should continue to build, invest, and protect the accumulated knowledge, skills, and health of the economy to ensure that tangible benefits will be realized through higher earnings, heightened business dynamism, and poverty reduction in the long run,” Wittig said.
The ECCP, he said, appreciates the efforts of the Philippine government and seeks efficient implementation of the national COVID-19 vaccination program.
“As we continue to battle against the pandemic, the chamber remains committed to working with the government and other stakeholders towards the recovery of the country especially now with the elevated threat brought about by the new variants, and fostering closer economic cooperation between Europe and the Philippines,” he said.
He also gave a rundown on upcoming flagship events and touched on the chamber’s legislative priorities as well as industry issues of the European-Philippine business community.
On Sept. 23 and 30, the ECCP will host the 2021 European-Philippine Business Summit which will bring a series of high-level online conversations on how to set a course for the next decade of stronger European-Philippine economic ties and brighter economic opportunities. Now on its 8th run, the summit will feature key government figures, business leaders and experts who will take a closer look at the country’s long-term economic outlook, promising growth sectors, and the next agenda of doing business in the Philippines.
During the forum, Wittig highlighted deepening the ties with European Chamber regional counterparts and fueling the growth of ECCP members in their regional offices. He also looked forward to further strengthening government and media relations. Lars also holds a seat at the Joint Foreign Chambers group.