Hanoi (VNA) – In a decree taking effect upon its signing on June 26, the Government has detailed the support available to enterprises, cooperatives, and business households operating in the ecosystem designed to leverage free trade agreements (FTAs).
Decree No. 240/2026/ND-CP elaborates on the enforcement of mechanisms and policies to pool resources for building and running that ecosystem and a sectoral export promotion fund, following the National Assembly's Resolution No. 250/2025/QH15, dated December 10, 2025 that targets sharper global economic integration.
Its Article 8 lists seven categories of assistance, including administrative procedure processing, innovation and capacity building, workforce upskilling, production and trade linkages, market access and expansion; pilot production, testing, inspection, assessment and quality certification; and interest rate subsidies.
Consulting and technology grants
The decree covers as much as half of the value of consulting contracts for solutions to revamp business processes, corporate governance, production and technology, business model shifts, and compliance with FTA market standards under the ecosystem’s plans and activities. The subsidy is capped at 200 million VND (7,600 USD) per contract per year for enterprises, and 100 million VND for cooperatives and business households.
It also funds up to half the cost of leasing or buying solutions that improve business operations, spanning management, production and technology processes, business model transformation and FTA standards compliance, with the same 200 million VND ceiling for enterprises and 100 million VND for cooperatives and business households.
Support extends to half of the value of consulting contracts for building traceability systems and value chains tied to FTA utilisation and sustainability standards in FTA markets. Caps remain 200 million VND per contract per year for enterprises and 100 million VND for cooperatives and business households.
The decree likewise subsidises as much as half the cost of leasing or purchasing traceability system solutions and value chain tools linked to FTA utilisation and sustainability rules, again limited to 200 million VND for enterprises and 100 million VND for cooperatives and business households per contract per year.
For intellectual property (IP), the decree pays up to half of consulting contract values for the establishment of IP rights, and the management and development of products and services protected by those rights under ecosystem activities, capped at 100 million VND per contract per year for each beneficiary.
Technology transfer consulting contracts tailored to ecosystem members get a subsidy of as much as half their value, with the same 100 million VND annual limit per beneficiary.
A shrimp processing line at the Coastal Fisheries Development Corporation (Cofidec) (Photo: VNA)
Training subsidies
The decree fully covers participation costs for domestic and overseas training in corporate governance, production and trade, technology processes and business model transformation under ecosystem plans, capped at 50 million VND per year per beneficiary.
It also provides 100% funding for training in rules of origin, value chain development tied to FTA utilisation, and traceability system setup, with the same 50 million VND cap.
Another fully funded track covers training on FTA utilisation, advanced science – technology, and compliance with technical and sustainability standards required by FTA markets, with a higher ceiling of 70 million VND per year per beneficiary.
Cheaper loans
In each period, enterprises, cooperatives and business households in the ecosystem can secure interest rate support on medium- and long-term loans from credit organisations for production and trade projects, provided they meet certain conditions.
Borrowers cannot simultaneously tap other state interest rate incentives in a same period. Budget support is delivered through a post-investment reimbursement mechanism. Each beneficiary may obtain rate support for only one production or business plan per period. Loan applications must be appraised and approved by credit organisations in line with lending rules.
The state budget directly subsidises an interest rate differential of 2% per year for each enterprise, cooperative or business household in the ecosystem. Total aid is capped at 1 billion VND per year per beneficiary.
Recipients are legally responsible for the accuracy of information about their eligible projects and must repay any subsidies if they breach rate support or lending regulations./.
