In the context of the ongoing cooperation between the German Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) and the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance/Corporate finance Department (MoF/CFD) on reforming the corporate governance framework and portfolio management of SOEs – the project being implemented by indecon consulting – a delegation from the MoF/CFD visited Berlin from 19th to the 26th of August 2018. The delegation comprised representatives of the MoF/CFD and included state financial controllers deployed to large SOEs (coal mining [vinacomin], electricity [EVN], Oil and Gas, and Telecommunication group).

The objective of the study tour was to learn about the German experience and applied procedures in introducing and ensuring private competition in sectors traditionally operated by state monopolies, structure, operation and independence of the multisector regulator (Bundesnetzagentur), instruments to control financial and non-financial performance of monitored SOEs, SOEs’ financial reporting, and experience and applied methods to restructure the coal mining sector.

Presentations followed by discussions were held among other by the German Federal Ministry of Finance, the federal regulatory authority (Bundesnetzagentur), Ministry of Finance of the State of Berlin, Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Bahn, Berliner Wasserbetriebe (water/waste water utility), and of course indecon.