(Chinhphu.vn) – The Government has just issued Resolution 19-2017/NQ-CP dated February 6, 2017, on continuing to implement key tasks and solutions to improve the business environment and enhance national competitiveness in 2017, with a vision to 2020.
Resolution 19-2017/NQ-CP sets the goal of achieving, by the end of 2017, at least the average of the ASEAN 4 countries on business environment indicators, specifically: starting a business (ranking in the top 70 countries); protecting minority investors (ranking in the top 80 countries); and improving transparency and access to credit (according to the World Bank approach) (ranking in the top 30 countries). Regarding the indicator of facilitating access to loans (assessed according to the World Economic Forum approach), the target is to be in the top 40 countries by 2020.
Reducing the time required for procedures, including: Tax and social insurance payments not exceeding 168 hours/year (119 hours for taxes and 49 hours for insurance); Construction permits and related procedures not exceeding 120 days, including: basic design appraisal, technical design appraisal, and construction permit issuance, reduced to 63 days (a reduction of 19 days);…
By 2020, Vietnam aims to achieve the average score of the ASEAN 4 group of countries on competitiveness indicators (as assessed by the World Economic Forum); and the average score of ASEAN 5 on innovation indicators (as assessed by the World Intellectual Property Organization WIPO).
Regarding the implementation of e-government (following the United Nations approach), comprehensive reform will be undertaken across all three indicator groups: Telecommunications Infrastructure (TII), Human Resources (HCI), and Online Public Services (OSI); striving to achieve a ranking of 80th by the end of 2017; and reaching the ASEAN 5 average in terms of scores and a minimum ranking of 70th in the world by 2020.
The goal is that by the end of 2017, most common public services, relevant to many citizens and businesses, will be provided at level 3; allowing online fee payment, online submission of documents and delivery of results online or via the internet (level 4 online public services).
Proactively learn about the methods and calculations used for ranking indicators.
The Government requires Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, government agencies, and chairpersons of provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees to be directly responsible to the Government and the Prime Minister for the results of improving the assigned indicators and to focus on directing the implementation of the Program and Action Plan to implement Resolution 19-2017/NQ-CP, to be completed before February 28, 2017, clearly defining the responsibilities of each agency and unit and the progress of implementation for each task associated with each assigned indicator.
Actively research the methods, calculations, and significance of ranking indicators, and provide timely information so that international organizations have a reliable basis for evaluation and ranking. The Ministries of Planning and Investment, Science and Technology, and Information and Communications shall guide other ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees in implementing this task, to be completed before March 31, 2017.
The ministries and agencies assigned to lead the implementation of improvements for each specific indicator are responsible for coordinating with relevant ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees to organize the implementation of solutions to improve these indicators; if necessary, they shall report to the Prime Minister for guidance. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall be the focal point for monitoring the improvement of indicators on the business environment and national competitiveness. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall be the focal point for monitoring the improvement of indicators on innovation. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall be the focal point for monitoring the implementation of indicators on e-government in 2017.
Ministries and specialized agencies responsible for the management of export and import goods should urgently implement tasks and solutions for comprehensive reform of specialized management and inspection of export and import goods in accordance with the directives of the Government and the Prime Minister in Resolution No. 19/NQ-CP dated March 12, 2015, Resolution No. 19-2016/NQ-CP dated April 28, 2016, and Decision No. 2026/QĐ-TTg dated November 17, 2015, of the Prime Minister approving the Project on Solutions to Enhance the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Specialized Inspection Activities for Export and Import Goods.
In the first quarter of 2017, a list of import and export goods subject to specialized inspection at the customs clearance stage was issued, aiming to minimize inspections, simplify procedures, shorten inspection times, and shift strongly towards post-clearance inspections.
Promote conformity certification for product lines in exporting countries and strengthen post-inspection of imported goods. Digitize specialized inspection procedures (submission of documents, delivery of results, etc.); connect and share information between specialized inspection and management agencies and organizations with the National Single Window Portal and the ASEAN Single Window Mechanism, ensuring that the time required for specialized inspection procedures is shortened to meet the set objectives.
Revise regulations on specialized inspection fees, ensure transparency in cost calculation methods and fee payers, and gradually shift towards a pricing mechanism.
Improve the ranking and scores of the Business Startup metrics.
The Government requests the Ministry of Planning and Investment to monitor and supervise the proper and full implementation of the provisions of the Investment Law, the Enterprise Law, and their guiding documents. It is also tasked with guiding, inspecting, and urging ministries, agencies, and localities to monitor the implementation of laws on investment and business activities, promptly identifying obstacles and shortcomings in practice to amend, supplement, or issue new relevant documents in 2017.
The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Vietnam Social Security will preside over and coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to improve the ranking and scores of the Business Start-up and Investor Protection indicators; and monitor and evaluate conditional business sectors and business conditions in 2017.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment, in coordination with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office, and relevant ministries and agencies, will develop a Decree amending and supplementing several Decrees to address obstacles in investment and business activities, creating a link between investment procedures and procedures related to land, construction, bidding, and environment.
The Ministry of Finance applies information technology in managing export and import goods, ensuring unified information connectivity between specialized management agencies, the General Department of Customs, and the National Single Window Portal. It presides over and urges ministries and sectors to focus on successfully implementing relevant contents under the overall plan for the implementation of the National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window mechanisms for the period 2016-2020, issued under Decision No. 2185/QD-TTg dated November 14, 2016, by the Prime Minister.
The Ministry of Transport, in coordination with relevant ministries and agencies, shall improve the efficiency of specialized inspection procedures at border gates with high volumes of import and export goods and a large number of goods subject to pre-clearance specialized inspection; upgrade and refine risk management mechanisms, and implement pre-arrival cargo clearance or release of goods immediately upon arrival at the port.
Continue to improve and enhance the efficiency of the electronic customs clearance system, coordinating with relevant units to implement the results of connecting and exchanging trade information with businesses operating in the fields of logistics, insurance, and other related services. Publicize the criteria for evaluating the level of compliance of businesses. Amend relevant legal documents related to the implementation of automated electronic customs clearance, ensuring consistency within the system.
Research on issuing electronic health insurance cards.
The government has requested the Vietnam Social Security to apply information technology, connect the social security agencies of all 63 provinces and centrally-administered cities, create a centralized national social security database, and move towards electronic transactions for procedures related to declaration, payment, and settlement of social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance policies. Research should be conducted on issuing electronic health insurance cards, with the aim of integrating social insurance and unemployment insurance information into a single electronic card.
Improving the quality of health insurance claims assessment, establishing electronic connections with hospitals and clinics, ensuring accurate and timely health insurance payments, and preventing losses.
Proposal to abolish or amend regulations on inappropriate quality management certification.
The resolution states that the Ministry of Science and Technology, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and other specialized ministries, shall review, abolish, or propose the abolition or amendment of regulations on conformity certification and quality management that are inconsistent with the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations, the Law on Product and Goods Quality, and the Law on Food Safety, with a view to abolishing unnecessary administrative procedures, minimizing processing time for administrative procedures related to imported and exported goods, and strengthening post-inspection.
Research, revise, and supplement Circular No. 23/2015/TT-BKHCN dated November 13, 2015, regulating the import of used machinery, equipment, and technology lines, in the following direction: Coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other specialized ministries to develop criteria for importing machinery and equipment based on the age of the equipment (from the year of manufacture to the year of import) for each specific field, and do not apply the general restriction of "not exceeding 10 years" to all machinery and equipment.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is implementing electronic integration and connectivity in resolving administrative procedures related to the issuance of land use right certificates, land allocation, land leasing, land registration, and construction ownership certificates with procedures for determining land-related financial obligations; reviewing, amending, and supplementing land laws and regulations in the direction of reforming administrative processes and procedures, and shortening the time for issuing construction ownership certificates.
Strengthen inspection and supervision of compliance with regulations on public disclosure of unused land, land not yet leased or subleased in industrial parks, industrial clusters, export processing zones, economic zones, and land allocated or leased by the State but slow to be put into use. Facilitate access to land for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.
Research, revise, and supplement regulations related to environmental protection inspection and monitoring, with a focus on applying risk-based management of environmental pollution for production and business establishments in 2017.
The Ministry of Justice, in coordination with the Supreme People's Court, is finalizing legal documents related to the implementation of the 2015 Civil Procedure Code, accelerating the resolution of contract disputes by simplifying procedures and documentation, abolishing unnecessary paperwork and procedures, shortening the time, and reducing the cost of resolving commercial disputes.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade is reviewing, researching, amending, and supplementing Decision No. 35/2015/QD-TTg dated August 20, 2015, of the Prime Minister on the promulgation of the List of essential goods and services requiring registration of standard contracts and general terms and conditions of transactions. The aim is to remove certain banking services (including domestic debit cards; opening and using payment account services for individual customers; and personal loans for consumption purposes) from the List in order to reduce unnecessary administrative procedures, lower compliance costs for credit institutions, and ensure uniformity in state management of service provision by credit institutions.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will, before June 2017, thoroughly resolve the issues related to some regulations in Circular No. 48/2013/TT-BNNPTNT dated November 12, 2013, regarding the sampling rate and sampling method for production batches for inspection; the time frame for re-evaluating enterprises to be included in the Priority List from the date of reassessment that meets the requirements; and the time frame for re-issuing Food Safety Certificates.
Research, revise, and supplement regulations on enterprise and product classification in specialized management and inspection of imported aquatic products in Circular No. 26/2016/TT-BNNPTNT dated June 30, 2016, based on the principles of risk management and priority channeling.
Facilitating the provision of education and training services.
The government has requested the Ministry of Education and Training to expand the autonomy of educational institutions in student admissions, financial management, curriculum development, training content, and examinations; to facilitate the provision of educational services under a market mechanism while strictly controlling quality and outcomes; and to promote the application of information technology in teaching and learning at educational institutions.
The Ministry of Transport applies management based on assessing the risk level of goods and the level of legal compliance of businesses in specialized management and inspection; simplifying administrative procedures, and promoting online connection with the National Single Window Portal in receiving and returning specialized inspection results.
The Ministry of Construction, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, is researching and proposing the integration of fire safety design review procedures with project appraisal and construction design appraisal procedures; coordinating with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to implement procedures for issuing Certificates of Ownership for Construction Works; and coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to manage, supervise, inspect, and audit the implementation of professional liability insurance in construction investment activities.
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs is finalizing procedures and conditions for the establishment and operation of non-public vocational training organizations; abolishing or recommending the abolition of inappropriate procedures and conditions; and encouraging and facilitating the participation of domestic and foreign private sectors and social organizations in vocational training.
Innovate vocational training mechanisms and policies towards expanding autonomy in student recruitment, financial management, curriculum development, content, and service offerings, and providing education and training services according to market mechanisms.
Review and revise regulations on printing activities.
The government has requested the Ministry of Information and Communications to review and propose amendments to Government Decree No. 60/2014/ND-CP dated June 19, 2014, regulating printing activities, in order to clearly define the list of subjects subject to regulation, thereby excluding printing on packaging and product surfaces. Regulations that restrict freedom of expression should be abolished. work Business activities of enterprises in 2017 (such as regulations restricting cooperation between printing establishments; licensing the import of post-printing processing machinery; regulations requiring the head of a printing establishment to have a college certificate in the printing industry; licensing for printing contracts from abroad, etc.).
The Ministry of Health is reviewing and amending the authority of agencies receiving registration dossiers and issuing certificates of conformity and certificates confirming compliance with food safety regulations for imported and exported products, with a view to decentralizing this authority to specialized agencies at the local level.
Direct healthcare facilities to connect their databases with the Ministry of Health and Vietnam Social Security to conduct electronic transactions for state management of health insurance and for the assessment and payment of health insurance medical expenses.
Improve the effectiveness of forums for receiving policy feedback.
The Government Office enhances the effectiveness of the forum for receiving policy feedback from businesses and citizens on the Government's electronic information portal. It coordinates with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to strengthen the organization of inspection teams to monitor the implementation of the Resolution, and compiles reports for the Government at regular meetings at the end of each quarter and year. The results of the Resolution's implementation are included in the assessment of the performance of each ministry, agency, and locality at the Government's regular December meeting each year. It implements the one-stop shop and integrated one-stop shop mechanisms; reforms and controls administrative procedures; and reviews and compiles a list of public services at levels 3 and 4.
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Vietnam Lawyers Association, the Vietnam Bar Association, and various business and industry associations conduct independent surveys and assessments of the quality of administrative procedures, and make recommendations to the Government. They also research and rank the trustworthiness of ministries, agencies, and localities among the business community.
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry aims to improve the quality and prestige of the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI); and to support and guide provincial People's Committees in improving the PCI index in conjunction with the implementation of tasks outlined in Resolution 19.
The organization collects feedback on policies, obstacles, and difficulties encountered by businesses and investors in implementing administrative procedures, and reports them to competent authorities for timely consideration and resolution, and publicly disseminates this information through mass media. Simultaneously, it compiles reports for the National Council on Sustainable Development and Competitiveness Enhancement and the Government Office for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.
Implement an electronic one-stop mechanism for handling administrative procedures related to taxation.
Also in this 2017 Resolution, the Government requested the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities to fully and consistently implement the reforms stipulated in the Enterprise Law and its guiding decrees regarding business commencement and business registration certificates. The business registration agency is to take the lead in coordinating with tax, labor, and social insurance agencies to streamline procedures in order to shorten the time required for businesses to commence operations.
Implement a streamlined, electronically connected, one-stop mechanism to simplify procedures and shorten the time for granting construction permits and related procedures; and register ownership and use rights of assets. Specify regulations on completion documents to facilitate the registration of assets formed during construction. Publicize relevant administrative procedures for registering ownership and use rights of assets.
Implement a streamlined, electronic one-stop mechanism for handling administrative procedures related to taxes and fees; and ensure seamless integration of administrative procedures related to land with procedures for determining land-related financial obligations.
Implement administrative and judicial procedure reforms in accordance with the spirit of the 2015 Civil Procedure Code and the 2014 Bankruptcy Law; shorten the time and improve the efficiency of enforcement work as required by the Resolution; support the activities of courts, enforcement agencies, bailiffs, and lawyers; develop the number and quality of insolvency administrators and businesses practicing asset management and liquidation in the locality; and publicly disclose complete and timely information about the team of lawyers, insolvency administrators, and businesses practicing asset management and liquidation in the area.
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