Inconsistencies and overlaps in existing business regulations must be removed to create a favourable environment for enterprises, according to the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. — Photo tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

HÀ NỘI — It is critical for Việt Nam to focus on removing inconsistencies and overlaps in business regulations to create a favourable climate for enterprises, attendees heard at a conference held by the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on Wednesday in Hà Nội.

VCCI’s Chairman Vũ Tiến Lộc said that the business community was highly expectant of the Government’s new wave of reforms, making regulations stronger and more practical. The Government carried out two waves of reforms in the past five years. The first was in 2016 with the highlighted requirement that no business prerequisites were raised in decrees and the second was in 2018 with the focus on simplifying and removing business prerequisites.

The third reform wave should be removing overlapping and inconsistent regulations, Lộc stressed, adding that the management agencies needed to make greater efforts to create a favourable environment for businesses.

Some ministries reported that around 60 per cent of business prerequisites under their management were removed or simplified, however, the figure was only on paper, Lộc said. In fact, businesses felt that the simplification or removal of business prerequisites was not that much, at only around 30-40 per cent, according to VCCI.

VCCI said that the current legal system of business and investment still had a number of problems. Many business lines which required prerequistes needed to be abolished or simplified, Lộc said, adding that complicated procedures for joining the market remained barriers to small- and medium-sized enterprises.

After reviewing 411 legal documents on business prerequisites, VCCI also raised 106 proposals, including amendments to 93 legal documents, 32 laws, 51 decrees and 10 circulars, Đậu Anh Tuấn, head of VCCI’s Legal Department said.

VCCI also planned to carry out a more comprehensive review of existing legal documents with a focus on regulations about market entry and enterprise operation management.

Recently, VCCI proposed the Government to tackle 25 points of overlaps and inconsistencies in the existing regulations.

Tuấn said that the business environment could not improve if business prerequisites remained in place.

Nguyễn Hoài Nam, deputy general secretary of the Việt Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, said he felt that ministries were still slow in carrying out reforms although the Government issued resolutions about improving the business and investment climate every year.

For example, in seafood processing and export, Việt Nam had some standards which were even stricter than the US, causing a lot of difficulties for firms, Nam said.

Lê Nết from law firm LNT & Partners said it was necessary to announce the list of business lines which required prerequisites for foreign investors to participate in. — VNS