In recent years, several associations have significantly contributed to the formation of institutions and policies through seminars and dialogues hosted by these associations, representative organisations and State competent bodies. However, the participation of associations still has little effects. Voices of associations are sometimes discounted. What are the reasons and which measures should be introduced to promote the roles of associations? This is also the main topic of the colloquy “Improving roles of business associations in their contributions to building legal documents and policy dialogues” held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) recently.
Advantages of associations in taking part in building the law
According to Hoang Van Dung, standing vice chairman of VCCI, the process of building law documents and policies will not be objective if there is no involvement of enterprises and business associations because these are objects that the law wants to be subject to. Although Vietnam has some 250 business associations, these associations still do not play a strong role in building institutions and laws.
Associations are organisations with the closest connections with actual situations. Members of associations have direct contact with the market so that they are very clear about advantages, difficulties and shortcomings of current policies imposed on enterprises, and of course, they know what should change in those polices. Furthermore, those policies will directly affect members of associations, therefore, they will pay attention to all details of each clause in a legal document. This is also the same as the speech made by Mr. Nguyen Ky at the colloquy.
In fact, associations are independent of administrative relations. As a result, associations don’t stand for interests of any decision-making bodies.
Difficulties and solutions
Dr Pham Duy Nghia, lecturer of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, asked if associations lease State offices and financially rely on State, are associations independent of the State? He affirmed that associations don’t pursue political interests but economic interests and law-making processes must still be in the hands of administrative organisations. Nonetheless, associations should have their own voice in debates with administrative bodies.
Mr. Vu Quoc Tuan, a member of the Prime Minister’s Research Committee, said if associations want their voices to be more influential in taking part in any issue, they should raise ideas based on practical grounds, using convincinglargumentsand analytical bases. More importantly, proposals must be innovative and feasible. In addition, the proposals of associations must serve both interests of enterprises and the nation for a long period of time.
As a matter of fact, associations need to methodologically organize regular idea collections. Associations must always keep an open eye on business and production activities of their members and must respond to difficulties and expectations of members in a timely manner so that when policy-making organisations ask for ideas, they are ready. The ideas of associations must be generalised from proposals of its members.
Those are the solutions. However, at the moment, not many associations have strong enough financial sources and expert line-ups to meet the above requirements. The biggest difficulty most associations are encountering is that they lack experts with deep socio-economic knowledge.
Huyen Nhi
Vietnamese
