Vietnam steps up inspection of live stream sales and e-commerce activities

A livestream sale in Hanoi. Photo: Dong Hung

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked ministries, agencies, and local authorities to further strengthen inspections and audits of livestream sales activities. In cases where organizations or individuals involved in livestream sales or receiving commissions from advertising and sales are found to be in breach of the law, the relevant authorities will deal with them in accordance with the provisions of the law.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been asked to amend Decree 98/2020 on administrative sanctions for offenses relating to commercial activities, the manufacture and trade of counterfeit goods, and prohibited products, with more severe penalties.

Vietnam climbs two places in the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Index

Vietnam has jumped two places to 56th in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index for 2024, according to StartupBlink. Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Danang rank 111th, 157th, and 896th out of 1,000 cities in the world with the best startup ecosystem index, respectively.

Vietnam's first privacy compliance platform launched

DataTrust, Vietnam's first personal data protection compliance platform, was launched at the "Building Personal Data Protection Policies" workshop on June 5 in Hanoi. The platform is designed to offer businesses comprehensive tools to ensure maximum compliance concerning data subjects' rights.

Finance Ministry proposes tax deferral for domestic carmakers

The Ministry of Finance has proposed the government issue a decree to extend the payment of the special consumption tax for domestically produced and assembled cars.

If issued soon, this would defer VND10.7 trillion (US$421 million) in taxes for domestic automakers until November 2024. This is expected to help stabilize production and sales amid ongoing challenges in the Vietnamese auto market, contributing to its recovery.

Census of rural areas and agriculture to be launched on July 1, 2025

A census of rural areas and agriculture will be conducted nationwide starting July 1, 2025, to collect information on the status of agro-forestry-fishery, rural areas and rural population, according to a decision signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai on June 7. The census will last until July 30. Preliminary and official results will be released in December 2025 and March 2026, respectively.

20 art troupes to participate in National Drama Festival 2024

The National Drama Festival 2024 will be held from June 11 to 26 in the northern province of Thai Nguyen, with the participation of 20 professional art troupes. This is an opportunity to celebrate talents, explore fresh creative discoveries, and come up with workable solutions that will help the growth of Vietnamese drama theater.