FTA - promoting multi-dimensional trade

 

Strawberry products are introduced before serving on Vietnam Airlines flights.

Create a solid legal foundation

Promoting international trade activities, Son La province has built a solid and transparent legal foundation. The Provincial People's Committee has implemented many synchronous solutions, creating favorable conditions for trade and attracting investment. Legal documents are reviewed and updated regularly, in accordance with international commitments, avoiding overlap and contradiction, creating peace of mind for businesses and partners. In addition, the province improves the effectiveness of state management by developing specific plans to implement free trade agreements (FTAs). The Department of Industry and Trade is assigned to play the role of focal point, responsible for coordinating and supervising the entire implementation process under the direct direction of the Provincial People's Committee.

Administrative reform and digital transformation are considered the “key” to promoting commercial activities. Every year, the province develops an administrative reform plan, focusing on key tasks: Applying information technology to administrative procedure settlement; promoting the deployment of online public services; building an information system for handling provincial-level administrative procedures, synchronously connecting with the National Public Service Portal.

Picking tea on Moc Chau plateau.
Photo: PV

With efforts, in 2024, the province's administrative reform index reached 90.02%, an increase of 1.36%, up 1 rank compared to 2023, ranking 12th out of 63 provinces and cities. The provincial public administration and governance efficiency index ranked 25th out of 63, up 5 ranks, in the medium - high group. The satisfaction index on administrative services reached 84.05%, up 7 ranks compared to 2023, an increase of 1.82% in score. The above results create a foundation to promote trade and develop the local economy .

Helping agricultural products reach international level

To help businesses and cooperatives effectively take advantage of opportunities from FTAs, Son La province has implemented many comprehensive support programs, mainly focusing on supporting small and medium enterprises to easily access preferential capital sources, with loan interest rates flexibly adjusted according to regulations of the State Bank and credit institutions. To date, the total outstanding loans for businesses in the area have reached VND 15,252 billion, 539 businesses have outstanding loans, accounting for 33.77% of the total outstanding loans of the whole province.

At the same time, guide the procedures for businesses to enjoy tax exemption and reduction policies, land rent, fees, support registration, declaration, and electronic tax payment through specialized software, helping to save time and costs. Organize businesses and cooperatives to participate in 24 programs, events, conferences, connecting consumption, and promoting agricultural exports.

To improve business competitiveness, in 2024, the province will build the Son La E-commerce Platform (sonla.sanviet.vn) with 40 participating enterprises, cooperatives and 60 products, train digital skills for 240 agricultural production households, deploy agricultural digital data, and train 174 people on growing area code management.

Bich Thao Coffee Cooperative, Hua La Commune, City, is supported with machinery for export processing.

The province has 27 accounts on the buudien.vn platform, putting 197 products on the e-commerce platform, of which 94 are OCOP products. Exploiting the strengths of local agricultural products, the province supports businesses, cooperatives and people in applying good agricultural production processes, managing origins, implementing digital transformation in agriculture, towards "Agricultural Economy" and high-tech agriculture.

Mr. Vu Tien Dinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, informed: The whole province has 2,714 hectares of crops applying good production processes, 8,217 hectares of organic production, 18,429 hectares of coffee with 4C, UTZ, RA certifications; 4,028 hectares of water-saving irrigation; 56 hectares of net houses, greenhouses and 8 agricultural areas applying high technology. Building brands, protecting intellectual property rights for 29 products with geographical names, building 188 OCOP products, 11 packaging facility codes, 205 growing area codes for export to China, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the EU and other markets with nearly 3,000 hectares.

Yen Chau round mango is a typical agricultural product protected in the European market under the EVFTA Agreement, which took effect from July 2020. Mr. Lu Van Cuong, Chairman of Yen Chau District People's Committee, said: The district has nearly 300 hectares of round mango, of which 177 hectares in Chieng Pan and Sap Vat communes have been granted geographical indication certificates. Thanks to brand protection, Yen Chau mango affirms its position and expands the export market. In 2024, the district will export 4,000 tons of mango, earning about 1.3 million USD, equivalent to 33.04 billion VND, enhancing its value and competitiveness in the international market.

Towards sustainable development

Creating conditions for stable and fair development of trade activities, Son La province always pays attention to market inspection and control. In 2024, the authorities inspected 1,308 cases, thereby detecting and handling 971 violations related to the production, trading, and transportation of prohibited goods, smuggled goods, counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, infringement of intellectual property rights, and violations of food safety. The total amount of fines and arrears paid to the state budget is over 3 billion VND, contributing to stabilizing the market, improving the business environment, and attracting investment to the locality.

Song Ma Mango Agricultural Service Cooperative, Na Nghiu commune, Song Ma district, packs mangoes for export.

Along with maintaining the domestic market, the province proactively supports businesses in responding to challenges from the international market, especially trade defense measures. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, said: The province has directed departments, branches and localities to disseminate relevant policies and legal documents such as Decree No. 10/2018/ND-CP and Circular No. 37/2019/TT-BCT. Directing specialized agencies to review and adjust support policies in accordance with FTA commitments and integration requirements. The Department of Industry and Trade provides information and coordinates in handling trade defense cases affecting local products and businesses. At the same time, actively contribute comments on new regulations from abroad and proactively respond to arising cases.

At the same time, the province coordinates with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to organize knowledge training activities, raise awareness of trade defense for officials, civil servants, enterprises, associations in the province. Develop documents, encourage enterprises and cooperatives to participate in conferences to disseminate legal knowledge on trade defense, to increase awareness of the early warning system, improve the capacity to use warning information to serve production and business.

In 2024, Son La's commercial activities will grow strongly, with total retail sales estimated at VND35,800 billion, up 14.3%, exceeding the plan by 5.9%, basically meeting domestic demand. Exports will reach 198 million USD, up 6.1%, of which agricultural products will account for 190 million USD, up 6.9%, with coffee, tea, and fruits being the main products, processed agricultural products accounting for 95.96% of the total value.

With continuous efforts and synchronous solutions, Son La province has gradually effectively exploited the opportunities brought by FTAs, promoting strong and sustainable trade development, bringing practical benefits to the business community and local people.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/fta-thuc-day-thuong-mai-da-chieu-9JxHtVaHg.html