The Prime Minister issued a directive to support businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has just signed Directive No. 11/CT-TTg on urgent tasks and solutions to support businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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With the decisive involvement of the entire political system and the high efforts and determination of the entire Party, people, and army, the work of preventing, controlling, and managing the Covid-19 epidemic has achieved important initial results.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to evolve in a complex and unpredictable manner, spreading increasingly widely and affecting import, export, circulation, and transportation of goods and passengers in many sectors. In reality, many businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and businesses in areas affected by the pandemic, have had to scale back production and business operations or temporarily cease operations. Supporting businesses during the pandemic. 

Seven tasks that ministries, sectors, and localities should implement to support businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

To stabilize the economy, the government has issued specific directives and actions for ministries, agencies, and local authorities to implement urgently to support businesses. Specifically, the Prime Minister has outlined the following seven tasks and solutions:

1. Create conditions for businesses to "access capital, credit, finance, taxes, trade, and electronic payments."

The Prime Minister assigned the task to State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Instructing credit institutions to implement support solutions to fully and promptly meet the capital needs for production and business activities. Specifically:

• Promote administrative reform, Shortening loan application processing times improves customers' access to loan capital.
• Debt rescheduling, Consider waiving or reducing loan interest.Maintaining the same debt classification, reducing fees… for customers facing difficulties due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Implement solutions to promote Non-cash payments: A program to waive or reduce fees for electronic payment services, especially online payment fees for public administrative services.

See more: Businesses and individuals affected by Covid-19 are eligible for debt relief and reduced interest rates.

The State Bank of Vietnam will immediately submit to the Prime Minister a specific decision regarding the matter. pilot program using telecommunications accounts To pay for low-value services (Mobile Money services).

In addition, the Ministry of Finance has submitted to the Government a Decree on extending the deadline for paying taxes and land rent for those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

See more: Instructions on extending tax payment deadlines and waiving late payment penalties due to the impact of Covid-19.

2. Review and reduce administrative procedures and costs for businesses.

For the Ministry of Transport

The Prime Minister has instructed the Ministry of Transport to take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies to immediately direct and guide business units. reducing administrative procedures, reduce logistics costs maritime, aviation, road, inland waterway, railway..., and report to the Prime Minister in March 2020.

For the Tax Authority and the Customs Authority

The Ministry of Finance directs the Tax Authority and the Customs Authority. Consider not conducting the scheduled inspections in 2020. For businesses showing no signs of violations, the aim is to create favorable conditions for them to focus on resolving difficulties and maintaining production and business operations; at the same time, to prevent businesses from exploiting the policy to violate the law; and to promptly report to the Government in March 2020 to submit the draft Resolution to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly. Adjusting and increasing the personal income tax deduction for dependents., contributing to reducing the tax burden for citizens.

For Ministries, Departments, and Local Authorities

Ministries, departments, and localities, within their respective areas of management and supervision, shall review and implement the following:

• Fee reduction, fees For those affected by the epidemic, propose solutions for reducing fees and charges and submit them to the Ministry of Finance before March 15, 2020 for compilation and processing.
• No price increase has been implemented yet. In the first and second quarters of 2020, for goods that are inputs for production of enterprises and are subject to state-regulated pricing within the managed sector.
• Focus on restructuring business processes and administrative procedures at levels 3 and 4. Integration with the National Public Service Portal aims to significantly reduce costs and facilitate services for citizens and businesses.

3. Facilitating production and business activities, promoting exports and imports.

The Prime Minister assigned Ministry of Industry and Trade The presiding body, in coordination with the Ministries, includes: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Construction and related agencies perform:

• Review and report on the current status and needs of input materials, and propose solutions for diversification. Bao ensure sufficient supply for domestic production activities.
• Demand forecast of both domestic and international markets.
• Implement the measure ensuring raw material supply for production and business organizational plan Production, distribution, circulation, and supply of goods to meet consumer needs.
• Consolidate the market Domestic support to address difficulties in retail operations; report to the Prime Minister in March 2020.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Industry and Trade must also take supportive actions:

• Implement the measure Boosting exports, improving the effectiveness of trade promotion, diversifying export and import markets, and finding new markets.
• Positive seize opportunities of free trade agreements (FTAs).
• Be proactive Prepare the necessary conditions, Proactively implement plans and solutions for exporting goods to the EU market after the EVFTA Agreement comes into effect (from mid-2020).

All actions must be reported to the Prime Minister by March 2020.

At the same time, strengthen inspections and strictly handle cases of smuggling, trade fraud, hoarding, creating artificial shortages, counterfeit goods, and imitation goods on the market, especially essential items in epidemic prevention such as face masks, hand sanitizer, and medical supplies.

In addition, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to take the lead, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant agencies, in directing efforts to boost the production and processing of agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products; to implement specific measures to reduce pork prices; to propose solutions to strengthen traceability for agricultural products to promote official exports to China and other countries; to research opportunities and transform business methods for the consumption and export of key agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products; and to submit these proposals to the Prime Minister before March 20, 2020.

4. Urgently restore and develop the tourism and aviation industries.

The Prime Minister assigned Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Perform the following tasks:

• Accelerate the implementation of work national-level tourism promotion and marketing.
• Collaborate with tourism professional associations to develop and implement Program Stimulating domestic tourism.
• Strengthen communication, promotion, marketing, and new product development to Attracting international tourists, including tourists from regions unaffected by the pandemic..
• Concentrate Strongly develop domestic tourism. in various regions of the country.

Foreign Office preside over and coordinate with Ministry of Culture, Sports and Travel, Police, Finance , and relevant agencies expand area Review and improve the electronic visa issuance procedure., Proposal for visa exemption For tourists traveling under package tours until the end of 2020, prioritizing regions and countries free from outbreaks, a report should be submitted to the Prime Minister in March 2020.

The transportation preside over and coordinate with others. Relevant Ministries and Departments to perform:

• Implement specific solutions. remove difficulties for the aviation industry.
• Review and handle matters in accordance with the law. discounts, fees, charges, costs of the aviation industry.
• In coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism expedite the connection process. Direct flights to key markets.

5. Accelerate the implementation and disbursement of investment capital and improve the business environment.

The Prime Minister requested the The set, Central agency , and Local Please urgently carry out the following tasks:

• Complete the procedures. Invest and allocate all planned investment capital from the state budget for 2020 within March 2020;
• Speeding Implement and disburse the remaining public investment capital plan for 2019 and 2020 (including ODA capital);
• Focus on leadershipTo expedite the completion and commissioning of major and important infrastructure projects, maximizing their design capacity and socio-economic efficiency.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need for ministries, sectors, localities, and state-owned corporations and companies to regularly inspect and take measures to resolve difficulties and obstacles to ensure the progress, volume, and quality of construction projects.

Ministry of Planning and Investment preside over and coordinate with The financial , and relevant agencies Preparations are underway to organize a nationwide online conference of the Government on accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital in March 2020, and the following conditions must be met:

• Clearly demonstrate responsibility. This applies to organizations and individuals, especially their leaders, in the implementation and disbursement of funds according to the plan.
• Regular check, Assess the implementation of the 2020 public investment plan, promptly provide guidance to resolve difficulties and obstacles to accelerate implementation and disbursement, ensuring that all remaining public investment capital from 2019 and planned capital for 2020 is disbursed.
• There are sanctions. Strict action will be taken if delays occur.

The transportation The presiding body, in coordination with the Ministries, includes: Ministry of Planning and Investment, Finance , and relevant agencies perform:

• Research and propose to the competent authorities regarding the following: conversion from investment From public-private partnership to public investment for key projects, such as the My Thuan - Can Tho expressway project and component projects of the investment and construction project of some sections on the North-South East Expressway in the 2017-2020 period.
• Consider the Applying the method of appointing investors or awarding contracts., Ensuring strict adherence to legal regulations is crucial to expedite project implementation.
• Perform Government report Before March 15, 2020, to report to the competent authority as required.

The Ministry of Transport is urgently completing the procedures and expedite disbursement, implement large-scale public investment projects, Important projects with widespread impact, creating momentum for socio-economic development such as the Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai International Airport expansion projects, the construction of the new Long Thanh International Airport, and the North-South Expressway (Eastern section) in the 2017-2020 period… must not be delayed as they have been recently.

6. Focus on resolving labor-related issues.

Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs preside over and coordinate with agencies and localities Urgently focus on addressing and resolving labor-related issues, and report the following matters to the Prime Minister in March 2020:

• Labor and employment situation in enterprises: diversifying forms of communication and solutions.  Boosting employee morale; There are plans to support worker training. Suitable and supportive for workers who have been laid off or lost their jobs due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Managing foreign workers currently working in Vietnam: Assess the current situation and propose solutions for labor management. Foreign workers currently working in Vietnam should be identified by local authorities, especially those coming from or traveling through areas affected by the epidemic; and plans should be in place to support businesses. find alternative labor sources In case of labor shortages, foreign experts may be needed.

7. Strengthen information and communication.

The Prime Minister assigned Ministry of Information and Communications associate with Central Department of Propaganda and Education (of VCP) and preside over the meeting with others Ministries, departments, and localities directing the communication agencies timely Provide official informationto publicly, transparently, and objectively report on the results of Vietnam's COVID-19 prevention and control efforts; Promote the dissemination of information about the solutions. The Government, ministries, sectors, and localities have proactively, synchronously, and decisively prevented and responded to the developments of the epidemic, focusing on removing difficulties, promoting production and business, and ensuring social security, health, and the livelihoods of the people.

Strengthen communication on the themes of "Living Safely" and "Vietnam is Safe"., which affirms that Vietnam is a safe destination and always creates favorable conditions for tourists and domestic and international investors.

The Prime Minister requested that ministries, central and local agencies focus on thoroughly understanding and promptly developing specific action programs and plans to support and address difficulties in production and business, and ensure social security in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, in accordance with the spirit of this Directive. In particular, they must absolutely avoid favoritism and creating difficulties and inconveniences for people and businesses, and must proactively coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to handle arising obstacles. They must periodically report on the implementation situation and propose solutions monthly, submitting them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Government Office before the 20th of each month for compilation and reporting to the Government and the Prime Minister.