Businesses urge stronger reform at local levels

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The business community wants stronger reform efforts at local levels, according to a recent survey conducted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

Survey participants said the settlement of complaints and petitions by local administrations was not as efficient as by ministries and central-level agencies.

While the business community recognised improvements in the investment and business environment and efforts of all-level administrations, there is much room for improvements, said VCCI Chairman Vu Tien Loc.

Loc said ministries, agencies and local administrations have announced many reforms and measures, but it seems to take a long time for them to have direct impacts on enterprises.

“There is still a far distance from support policy to the target beneficiaries,” according to Loc.

Head of the VCCI’s Legal Department Dau Anh Tuan said a number of public servants have limited working capability and bureaucracy and harassment still exist. Problems have arisen in the streamlining of business conditions, especially the different criteria used by ministries in deciding which conditions should be abolished and which should not.

The problems aside, the business community have acknowledged that under the drastic instruction of the Prime Minister and Government, the streamlining of administrative procedures and barriers to business has become a bright spot in the implementation of Resolution 35 on administrative procedure reform in 2018.

Remarkable progress was seen in access to electricity, business start-up, business conditions and taxation procedures.

Head of the VCCI’s Legal Department Dau Anh Tuan said many localities had surpassed the targets set in their commitments on administrative procedure simplification.

Localities with effective reforms are Dong Thap, Da Nang, Quang Ninh and Long An. Other localities have also made progress.

All localities have applied the one-stop-shop model in handling administrative procedures and built public administrative centres at provincial level and even at district level, while promoting the use of information technology in handling many procedures related to land, construction, tax, insurance, and utilities, thus remarkably saving time for businesses.  

Tuan particularly noted that most localities have switched to receiving and handling tax declarations online, with the rate of businesses using the services reaching 96-100 percent. Many localities hold regular dialogues in various forms between local officials and the business community, thus facilitating smooth communications between the two sides.

The cause of reform requires stronger actions in 2019, as a better future will not be realised if there is no action, VCCI Chairman Loc affirmed.-VNA