Vietnam National Trade Repository Launched

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam (MOIT), in partnership with the UK Government, recently launched the Vietnam National Trade Repository (VNTR).

Developed by the MOIT and funded by the UK Government, VNTR is a free-to-access online information portal that will provide all the latest information in both English and Vietnamese on major contents such as tariff commitment schedules under the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to which Vietnam is a party under the ASEAN framework; MFN tariffs and preferential tariffs under the FTAs; rules of origins; non-tariff measures (which are presented with the assistance of UNCTAD and following the international procedures and standardization); trade and customs related legal documents; customs procedures; administrative rulings in trade-related issues relevant to ASEAN economic cooperation; best practices on trade facilitation adopted by ASEAN member states; and the list of authorized economic operators, which are prioritized when implementing import-export procedures and customs clearance, of ATIGA member countries and other countries which are signatories to the FTAs between ASEAN and its partners.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Do Thang Hai emphasized that the establishment of the VNTR fulfils Vietnam’s commitment within ASEAN to improve the transparency of trade policies, facilitate regional trade, and support the business community with easier access to information about trade policies of countries within the region, so that enterprises can be more proactive in business strategy development and enhance their competitiveness.

VNTR will be officially operated at the website https://vntr.moit.gov.vn and will be linked to and become an integral part of the ASEAN Trade Repository (ATR), ensuring the transparency of trade related policies, trade facilitation and support to business
community in the ASEAN region.

By Giang Tu, Vietnam Business Forum