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The Government office has announced Prime Minister Phan Van Khai’s concluding report released at a conference with businesses in 2004.
The report deals with major tasks set for 2005. Next year, GDP must increase to 8.5 percent with a focus on improving the quality of development as 2005 is the last year for Vietnam to fully implement Asia Free Trade Area (AFTA) commitment and step up co-operation with northeast Asia. Vietnam is also required to implement its commitments in the Vietnam-US Bilateral Agreement (BTA) when joining the Word Trade Organisation (WTO).
In light of the situation, the PM asked ministries, sectors and localities to accelerate the amendments and supplements to legal documents to make them appropriate in the new situation, thus creating a better investment and business environment. They were also urged to publicise legal documents to ensure democratic rights in building mechanisms, policies and supervising State agencies’ activities.
The PM will set up a working group including representatives from ministries and localities to check administrative procedures to remove barriers which are causing difficulties and affecting businesses’ competitive capacity.
Unreasonable tax and customs procedures must be tackled before June next year. In December, the Ministry of Home Affairs will submit to the PM a plan to modernise business registration systems to ensure smooth business registration and prevent illegal business activities. Vietnam should have at least 500,000 profitable businesses and by 2010, ministries, sectors and localities should organise regular dialogues with businesses to remove difficulties. By the end of 2005, State owned businesses must finalise enterprise reforms.
Mr Khai also demanded businesses further develop to create more jobs for workers and work out development strategies to sharpen their competitiveness.
ND - (19/11/2004)
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