Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has signed the Decision No. 950/QD-TTg promulgating the action program in implementation of the goods import and export strategy for the 2011-2020 period, with orientations toward 2030 on 25th July, 2012. This strategy was approved by the Prime Minister at the Decision No. 2471/QD-TTg of 28th December, 2011.
The action program in implementation of the goods import and export strategy for the 2011-2020 period, with orientations toward 2030 (hereinafter referred to as “The Action Program”) is aimed at: reaching an average goods export rate growth of 11-12% per year in the 2011-2020 period; gaining an average goods import growth rate of 10-11% during 2011-2020; gradually reducing trade deficit, keeping it around 10% of the export turnover by 2015 and achieving trade balance by 2020; and striving trade balance surplus in the 2012-2030 period.
The Action Program undertakes main tasks as follows:
1. To develop manufacture and transfer economic structure
To deploy implementation of the National Technological Renewal Program up to 2020; to specify the potential export goods. To formulate and promulgate mechanisms, policies aiming to develop manufacture of export goods items that are potential, have competitive edge at national level, possess high growth rate and added value in group of construction materials, petrochemical, rubber, plastic, electronic products, mobile phones, etc. To regularly keep the track of application of trade protection measures and technical barriers of the importers with Vietnam’s export goods, especially agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products.
2. To develop market and promote trade
To set up program quickly and submit to competent authorities for approving negotiating strategies for free trade agreement (FTA) to the year of 2020, concentrate on resources to negotiate FTA in targeted and potential markets; to build up development plan and boost exporting for specific market region so as to diversify goods items and import – export markets, well exploit the potential and distinct of each market region; to boost up bilateral and multi-lateral negotiation activities; to review the international agreements and commitments signed with each country or region in order to work out feasible measures to strengthen the export to these markets, and ensure the synchronization during the commitments; to boost up export promotion activities focusing on developing new export products that have competitive advantages without any restrictions in terms of the market, export to potential markets; to review, assess trade infrastructure at the border gates, especially in the areas where there are great amount of import – export goods so as to propose mechanisms and policies to perfect and develop trade infrastructure in these areas; to boost cooperation and exchange information with the bordering countries to ensure export stability, forecast and proactively prevent uncertain arises; to amend, supplement mechanisms and policies on border trade in the orientation of flexibility, encourage export to maximum, ensure exporting essential goods items; to give out specific solutions to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of diplomatic activities serving economy to expand export market for Vietnam’s goods, etc.
3. To complete policies on trade, finance, credit and invest in developing manufacture of export goods items
To review and complete law system, mechanism, policies associated with the State management in the areas of export and import; to enhance the role of Vietnam Development Bank in providing credit, guaranteeing export credits as well as investing in small and medium sized enterprises; to review, set up the export and import tax levels in conformity with international and regional integration roadmaps so as to facilitate the export and develop domestic manufacture; to assess comprehensively foreign investment of Vietnam over the past years and orientations up to 2020. To propose appropriate measures to draw qualified foreign direct investment; to flexibly run monetary, exchange rate and foreign exchange management policies to ensure export encouragement, etc.
4. To invest in infrastructure and service development to support goods import-export and accelerate socialization of logistics service
To make investment, upgrade transport infrastructure, storehouses at the major ports and places of customs clearance for import and export goods to meet the demand for goods export and import up to 2020, with orientations toward 2030; to formulate and perfect the legal framework, logistics development policies, and standardize service process, upgrade infrastructures and human resource quality; to set up mechanisms, capacity up-gradation policies effectively, provide and develop export support services of Vietnam.
5. To train and grow human resources
To formulate encouragement mechanisms and policies to support enterprises and investment industry associations, take part in human resources training area in support to the export and import industries; to strengthen training, disseminating knowledge and policies, trade law of the countries worldwide for the localities, enterprises to help them make use of preference in the international commitments as well as work out positive and independent measures to deal with commercial barriers aiming to develop and export key and new goods items of Vietnam, etc.
6. To control the import
To plan manufacture of essential materials and equipments to serve production and export processing, focus on products failed to manufacture domestically or unable to meet the demand; to establish negotiation roadmap and agreements on trade exchange at government level in order to improve trade balance with trade counterparts in a appropriate manner to meet the domestic production level and demand as well as international commitments, particularly for the countries which Vietnam has a high trade deficit; to strengthen utilizing domestically manufactured products to curb the trade deficit; to boost domestic trade promotion activities so as to create opportunities to link the enterprises manufacturing machineries, equipments, supplies and materials with those consuming them; to set up mechanisms that encourage to use domestically - made materials and products for bidding projects using the State budget; to boost measures to manage the export in compliance with the international commitments and control quality as well as export goods safety hygiene; to review and promulgate the criteria, regulations guiding quality, food hygiene and safety as well as environment protection for the export commodities in accordance with the international regulations and commitments, etc.
7. To enhance the enterprises’ competitiveness and the role of industry associations
To bring into the fullest play the role of industry association in linking members, representatives to safeguard the rights and legal interests of all members in the international trade, perform its role as a bridge between management agencies and enterprises; to hold quality oriented trading models, ensure the food safety and hygiene as well as criteria and regulations to ensure the credibility of the export products and businesses; to coordinate closely with the state management agencies, reflect timely hard issues to propose independently suitable measures to facilitate the export and improve its efficiency as well as gradually reduce trade deficit; to actively seek and develop new markets to diversify the import and export markets, etc.