Resolving problems so businesses can grow The Prime Minister will meet with businesses on April 29 in Ho Chi Minh city to discuss ways to build a favorable environment for businesses to grow and become the driving force in national economic development. The conference will have two sessions: one to identify policy and mechanism barriers and possible remedies and one to answer petitions and complaints from businesses.  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will witness the signing by leaders of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) of a plan to ensure optimal conditions for businesses in each locality. A historic conference for business development The conference, which will be accessible online, is expected to draw thousands of businesses.  Attending the conference at Thong Nhat Hall in HCM city will be 300 businesspeople from the private sector, foreign-invested companies, and business associations like the American Chamber of Commerce and the European Chamber of Commerce.  The forum will be connected with 62 provinces through the internet. VCCI President Vu Tien Loc has said the business community highly appreciates this conference with the Prime Minister and hopes it will become an annual event.  “Businesses hope the government will deliver an action plan to boost the private economic sector. They expect the government to stabilize the macro-economy, hold inflation to 4% as set in the National Assembly resolution, and effectively carry out programs to improve the investment and trade environment to make Vietnam’s business environment one of the 4 most favorable in ASEAN," he noted.  "We ask the government to speed up implementation of the Law on Enterprises and the Law on Investment, and quickly submit to the National Assembly a Law on Support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises,” Loc added.   Mr. Loc says accelerating administrative reform is the task which will most reduce official and unofficial expenses for businesses.  Nguyen Thi Nguyet Huong, CEO of TNG Holdings Corp, said, “The government should focus on administrative reform to build an effective apparatus which will support businesses in administrative procedures, reduce official expenses, and lower production costs. The government should create a plan to develop the business community and incentive policies for start-up businesses.” Resolving businesses’ complaints Attending the conference will be Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung, leaders of the Party Central Committee’s Commission on Economic Affairs, the National Assembly’s Economic Committee, the Steering Committee on business reform and development, and representatives from sectors and localities.  They will create a comprehensive picture of the economy and business obstacles in order to create appropriate remedies. Deputy Head of the Government Office Le Manh Ha said businesspeople can explain to the Prime Minister the problems they have with the Law on Enterprises, tax, customs, land, construction, bank interest rates, access to bank loans, transportation, the environment, market management, and unofficial expenses.  Following the conference, the Prime Minister will meet with leaders of sectors and localities to resolve all the complaints. The government is scheduled to issue in May a resolution on support for Vietnamese businesses to create momentum for the national economy. VOV5