Mr. Le Quang Manh
General Director – Agency for Business Registration, Ministry of Planning and Investment
In conjunction with efforts by national management agencies and the business community, international support has played an encouraging role in reforming the business environment, simplifying market entry, mobilizing resources for the national development, and promoting the image of Vietnam on the global arena.
In views of business registration reforms, particular achievements have been made thanks to effective and efficient cooperation between the Vietnamese government’s agencies and international organizations.
In the recent years, sound leadership, realistic goals and plans and international best practices on administration and transparency of business registration have greatly improved Vietnam’s image in the eyes of international organizations. The United Nation for Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) have worked closely with Vietnamese authorities to realize the reform process. Vietnam has recognized that international donors are trustworthy partners and share its long-term vision of getting business registration on par with the rest of the world. International organizations, donors have succeeded in encouraging the exchange of knowledge and experience as regards the reform progress. Valuable lessons have been drawn from of the business registration legal framework in Norway and market-based information provision in Hong Kong and Singapore. Meanwhile, data digitalization solutions and e-signature applications of Sweden and India have been studied, developed and incorporated into Vietnam’s online business registration system.
In additional to financial support and knowledge sharing, NORAD, SECO and UNIDO are supporting business registration from the central to provincial level in terms of legal framework and technical infrastructure development. Technology and techniques have been shared by international donors and the National Business Registration System has been developed from the Norwegian system. The local technical crew is working with foreign experts to ensure the process moves smoothly. The National Business Registration System began operation in 2011 and in the second quarter of this year, it experienced a major overhaul to provide modern services that included online registration, e-gazette, online data correction and many more functions.
In terms of enhancing expertise and awareness of registration staff, training courses and programs on professionalism, and market entry procedures have been held with support from international donors, which have shifted the staff’s mindset and actions toward professional, modernized administrative services recognized by enterprises and the international community.
Thanks to international donor’s significant and all-round supports, which are based on strong political commitment and aim at boosting Vietnam’s development, business registration reform have made the following achievements: :
In terms of law, it follows international best practices and unifies business and tax registration with favorable conditions for enterprises to access the market, computerizes fundamental tasks and establishs and improves the national business registration database.
Technically, business registration procedures have been computerized and information technology has been applied to the whole process. The National Business Registration System has helped increase the productivity of registration offices while automating the process and reducing human intervention in administrative decision making.
In terms of making information available to the public, the national business registration database has made it possible for authorities, businesses and others access legal, correct information about companies operating in Vietnam, notably supporting state management of enterprises. Therefore, it provides society an additional tool in supervising operations and promoting legal compliance. .
Generally speaking, reform and simplification of market entry procedures have had a tremendous impact on the market and has helped mobilize public capital in production and economic development. It promotes Vietnam’s image in the areas of transparency, business environment improvement and competitiveness.
Business registration reform in the coming time will aim for an equal business environment for all commercial entities, both local and foreign. The Agency for Business Registration maintains the belief that strong leadership in conjunction with high market demand will always lend support to the success of international organizations.
