In recent months, several policy issues affecting our business community have been on the agenda, highlighting the need for AmCham's advocacy work. In light of the above, we have been continuing our advocacy efforts to facilitate the dialogue between private and public sector decision-makers to improve the country's competitiveness.
We have formulated positions in 3 major policy areas, Education, Healthcare, and Taxation. These positions have been conveyed to the key decisions makers including the respective ministers.
We are proud that these positions were supported by several other chambers of commerce, further enhancing the voice of AmCham to represent a wide and diverse community of international as well as domestic businesses in Hungary.
Our position on Education highlights the need to modernize public education to prepare students for the challenges of the information economy and labor market expectations. The proposals urge for developing a skill- and competences-based education system, one that is based on equal opportunities. It is equally important to raise the prestige and recognition of the teaching profession. The chambers also recommend that the ministries responsible for education, in accordance with previous practice, establish a dialogue between private and public actors including education and business professionals where regular and constructive cooperation regarding the development of education is possible.
The proposals on Education were also signed the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Netherlands-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, the Swiss-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce.
In Healthcare, we state our position on the need for a predictable business environment for life science companies to ensure a security of supply in the healthcare system. We highlight the large contribution of member companies to the Hungarian healthcare ecosystem since across the signatory chambers, there are nearly 50 innovative life science companies who in 2022 initiated more than 40% of all clinical trials.
Our proposals on Healthcare were supported by the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Hungarian-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Netherlands-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, the Swiss-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce.
Moreover, as part of its advocacy work and under the leadership of the Tax Committee, AmCham has stressed the importance of negotiations for a new US - Hungarian Double Taxation Treaty on several channels (professional forums and discussions, interviews) and engaged in a dialogue with both the US and Hungarian decisions makers including a policy letter.
In our letter we have described the possible negative impacts of a hiatus of a bilateral agreement with the aim of facilitating the dialogue between decision-makers. The treaty had been terminated by the US in July 2022 and will lose force from next January. The letter provides an assessment of the short- and long-term effects of the termination of the treaty on companies and individuals as well as the unintended consequences brought about by the absence of a treaty. We also call for continued dialogue between the US and Hungary to resolve the situation.
Should you have any questions regarding our policy work, please contact the AmCham Staff.