Tax, customs reforms seen as key to business development

Hanoi (VNA) – Reforming tax and customs procedures is the best measure to help enterprises step up business and production and prevent the threat of economic slowdown, said Deputy Minister of Finance Do Hoang Anh Tuan.

Tuan delivered this message at a dialogue with businesses on issues regarding administrative reform in the tax and customs sectors in Hanoi on Jan. 5. The Finance Ministry would gather reasonable suggestions recommended by the business circle to make amendments to the existing tax and customs procedures in a bid to support the development of enterprises, said Tuan.

The government has already worked out a project to simplify administrative procedures from now until 2010, said Nguyen Minh Man, director of the State Administration and Civil Service Department.

The project would make the most of information technology to improve the efficiency and increase openness and transparency of the related procedures, Man said.

Representatives from the General Tax Department put forth major tasks that need to be implemented this year, focusing on online customs declaration, shortening customs clearance time for businesses and boosting coordination between the State Bank and Treasury to monitor tax payment of enterprises.-

Greetings to Belgian, New Zealand leaders

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has on January 2 sent a message of congratulations to Hecman Van Rompuy, who has been appointed Prime Minister of Belgium.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong also extended greetings to Lockwood Smith on his election as Speaker of New Zealand Parliament.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem sent congratulations to his newly-appointed Belgian counterpart, Karel De Gucht.-