Strengthening Coordination for Better Business and Investment Climate

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has actively coordinated with central agencies to carry out its tasks such as trade and investment promotion and legal policy advice to facilitate and support the business community and entrepreneurs.

VCCI regularly coordinates with the Ministry of Finance to hold dialogues on tax and customs policies to remove obstacles for the business community

VCCI has always consolidated coordination with central agencies to give opinions on law making, policy making and administrative procedure reform. VCCI has strengthened government-business dialogues; developed national programs, projects, schemes and tasks on improving the business environment and enhancing corporate competitiveness; and enhanced policy making quality.

In 2022, VCCI organized nearly 200 conferences, seminars, and talks on lawmaking and policymaking for over 25,000 participants, 30% more than a year earlier. In addition, VCCI commented on 230 draft legal documents and nearly 200 other documents, an increase of 207% over 2021; and released the Vietnam Business Law Report 2021 and the Annual Report on Vietnamese Enterprises 2021.

Many proposals and recommendations on economic and business policies and laws by VCCI were highly appreciated by law/policy drafting and issuing agencies. This move has helped support business development and remove many unreasonable business conditions and administrative procedures.

To develop entrepreneurs, VCCI cooperated with the Central Economic Commission to carry out the contents of the “Project on 10-year review of implementation of Resolution 09-NQ/TW dated December 9, 2011 of the 11th Politburo on building and promoting the role of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the period of accelerating industrialization, modernization and international integration”.

In addition, VCCI coordinated with relevant central agencies to execute the following tasks: Project "Strengthening cooperation in building a press and media environment to support business development”; supporting businesses by fostering sustainability initiatives launched by the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development; supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and women-owned enterprises; supporting and promoting enterprises to implement digital transformation; effectively supporting startups and innovations; boosting human resource training and improving corporate governance capacity for enterprises.

In particular, VCCI has productively coordinated with ministries to connect and support businesses in international integration. In 2022, the number of incoming and outgoing business delegations doubled from the previous year. VCCI also welcomed nearly 100 delegations led by state leaders, trade associations and companies to visit and work in Vietnam; hosted more than 440 trade fairs and exhibitions, an increase of 150% over 2021; and granted 460,000 certificates of origin.

VCCI's external affairs were also well implemented, featuring Vietnam’s successful organization of the third meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC III) in Ha Long, Quang Ninh province in July 2022. The coordination with diplomatic agencies to successfully organize international events such as ABAC III helped enhance Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena as well as affirm the image and capacity of VCCI as the President of ABAC Vietnam.

VCCI President Pham Tan Cong addressed the seminar to collect opinions for the draft Law on Consumer Protection jointly organized by the National Assembly's Committee for Science, Technology and Environment and VCCI

VCCI also worked with the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Customs and the General Department of Taxation to organize periodic dialogue conferences on tax and customs policies and procedures for businesses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. These events focused on two main contents: General information on policy changes and new administrative procedures relating tax and customs and questions & answers on difficulties and problems faced by companies in addition to constructive suggestions of companies for legal documents.

As an active member that represents the voice of employers at the National Wage Council, VCCI held technical meetings with employer representative member agencies, domestic business associations, foreign business associations and sectoral associations to discuss and agree on the general plan of the Employer Representative Agency on changes in regional minimum wage bracket, thus helping balance interests of employees and employers and build harmonious labor relationships in enterprises.

With its active and close coordination with ministries and branches, VCCI completed its assigned tasks, clearly demonstrated its role and position as a representative of the business community and had a convincing voice with the Party and the Government.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum