Announcing a set of indicators to evaluate the implementation results of free trade agreements in 2024 - Lang Son Newspaper and Radio and Television Station

- On the afternoon of April 8, at the Government headquarters, the Ministry of Industry and Trade coordinated with the Government Office to organize a ceremony to announce the Index for assessing the results of implementing free trade agreements (FTA Index) in 2024. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended.

Also attending the ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son; leaders of several central ministries and branches; and representatives of foreign embassies in Vietnam. The announcement ceremony was held online from the Government headquarters to the People's Committees of 63 provinces and cities nationwide.

Delegates attending the announcement ceremony at Lang Son province bridge

Attending the announcement ceremony at Lang Son bridge were leaders of a number of departments, branches and units of the province.

According to the report of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam has negotiated, signed and implemented 17 free trade agreements at the bilateral and multilateral levels. The implementation of these agreements has achieved many positive results in recent times, helping Vietnam's trade to increasingly flourish and play an increasingly important role in the regional and global value chain.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien speaks at the ceremony (screenshot)

However, the exploitation of opportunities from the agreements is not uniform among localities and enterprises, especially in the small and medium-sized enterprise sector. On the other hand, the coordination between central agencies, local authorities and the business community in implementation is not really synchronous and effective, reducing the spillover effects of the agreements.

Faced with that reality, the Government has assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to research, develop and complete the FTA Index in 2024. The Index is a new, quantitative and systematic tool, built based on a survey of enterprises in 63 provinces and cities across the country.

The survey focuses on four main aspects: the level of access to information about FTAs ​​by enterprises; compliance with domestic legal regulations from FTA commitments; effectiveness of programs and policies to support enterprises in taking advantage of FTAs; implementation of sustainable development commitments in FTAs ​​in localities, and at the same time recording the difficulties and obstacles that enterprises are facing.

At the ceremony, the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced the FTA Index 2024 of provinces and cities nationwide. Accordingly, Ca Mau province ranked first with the FTA Index 2024 reaching 34.9 points. Lang Son province ranked 37/63 provinces and cities nationwide with 22.95 points.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the announcement ceremony (screenshot)

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the efforts of provinces and cities across the country in implementing the assessment of the results of implementing free trade agreements in 2024.

The Prime Minister pointed out: This is the first time Vietnam has introduced a mechanism to provide a comprehensive and systematic assessment of the implementation of FTAs ​​with the aim of providing valuable information not only for state management agencies but also as an important reference channel for businesses, foreign investors, and industry associations in researching and planning business investment in Vietnam.

Regarding the tasks in the coming time, the Prime Minister requested central ministries, branches and localities to continue to closely coordinate in implementing the agreed and committed FTAs; continue to further strengthen relations with key and important partners and continue to expand relations with potential partners; resolutely implement the agreements and commitments reached in the spirit of "what is said is done", "what is committed must be done"; continue to plan policies and development strategies suitable to the conditions and potential of each locality, thereby helping to improve the investment and business environment.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized: In the coming time, ministries, branches and localities will continue to implement international integration according to a new ideology, shifting from receiving to contributing, from deep integration to full integration; from the position of a country following behind to the status of a country rising up, pioneering in new fields; continue to mobilize external resources, combine internal resources for rapid and sustainable development, thereby enhancing the role and position of Vietnam in the international arena to bring Vietnam into a new era, an era of prosperity and strength.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh awarded certificates of merit to five provinces and cities that have made achievements in evaluating the implementation results of free trade agreements in 2024 (screenshot)

At the announcement ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh awarded certificates of merit to five provinces and cities for their achievements in evaluating the implementation results of free trade agreements in 2024.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/cong-bo-bo-chi-so-danh-gia-ket-qua-thuc-hien-cac-hiep-dinh-thuong-mai-tu-do-nam-2024-5043464.html