MCI Participates in ACCMSME Workshop

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI), through the National Directorate for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Support, participated in a workshop on "Understanding and Implementing Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS): Emerging Trends, Emerging Sustainability Regulation, and ITC Tools" in Bangkok. The two-day event took place from December 16–17, 2024.

The workshop involved ACCMSME Focal Points representing 10 nations (with Cambodia participating virtually). It was supported by the European Union and organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC).

The key topics presented by speakers during the workshop included:

1. Global Sustainability Landscape

2. The ITC-OECD Typology of Sustainability Initiatives

3. ITC Standards Map Demonstration

4. Training on the ITC Sustainability Toolkit

5. ASEAN Sustainability Landscape and Good Practices

6. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and ITC’s Deforestation-Free Trade Gateway (DFTG)

7. ASEAN Readiness for EUDR

8. The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D)

9. Online CS3D Supplier Preparedness Diagnostic

10. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Digital Product Passport (DPP)

11. ASEAN Priorities and Next Steps

In addition to the presentations, the event featured group discussion sessions to identify the specific problems, challenges, and opportunities faced by each country.