What are regulations on technology assistance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam?

What are regulations on technology assistance for SMEs in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 7 of the Circular 06/2022/TT-BKHĐT stipulating technology assistance for SMEs in Vietnam as follows:

SMEs shall receive technology assistance in accordance with Clauses 1, 2, 3, and 4 Article 11 of Decree No. 80/2021/ND-CP. Agencies and organizations providing assistance for SMEs shall provide assistance in accordance Article 4, Article 5 hereof and the following regulations:

1. SMEs shall receive financing for renting or purchasing digital transformation solutions publicized on the Web portal or website of Ministry of Information and Communication or website of suppliers.

2. SMEs shall assess level of digital transformation readiness to make appropriate assistance propositions. SMEs shall utilize digital readiness assessment tools uploaded on https://digital.business.gov.vn or https://dbi.gov.vn or issued by agencies and organizations providing assistance for SMEs.

3. Agencies and organizations providing assistance for SMEs shall use digital readiness assessment results of SMEs to consider and provide assistance depending on accessibility of SMEs.

What are regulations on counselors of SMEs in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 8 of the Circular 06/2022/TT-BKHĐT stipulating counselors of SMEs in Vietnam as follows:

1. Counselors mentioned under Point a Clause 1 Article 13 of Decree No. 80/2021/ND-CP include:

a) Individual counselors who are Vietnamese nationals (not including officials and public officials under Law on Officials and Public Officials) and foreigners working in Vietnam.

b) Organization counselors which are juridical persons, established, and operating in accordance with Vietnamese laws, specialized in counseling enterprises.

2. Apply for participation in counselor network:

a) Organization, individual counselors shall submit application to respective ministries, ministerial agencies. Documents in foreign languages will require certified Vietnamese translation.

b) Counselors shall access the Web portal, register, and be issued login accounts by Ministry of Planning and Investment in order to update information on counselor network. Counselors are legally responsible for accuracy of information disclosed on the Web portal.

3. Update counselor’s information:

a) When new information and/or documents relating to capacity and experience of a counselor arise, the counselor shall update on their profile on the Web portal while requesting ministries, ministerial authorities to update the profile of accredited counselor.

b) In case provided information is found to be incorrect but capacity of counselors in terms of training level, professional, and counseling experience is not altered, counselors shall adjust on the Web portal while requesting ministries, ministerial agencies where the counselors are accredited to adjust.

4. Counselors are allowed to participate in training courses for counseling skills, procedures, and knowledge organized by ministries, ministerial agencies free of charge in accordance with Clause 3 Article 9 hereof.

What are regulations on counselor network of SMEs in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 9 of the Circular 06/2022/TT-BKHĐT stipulating counselor network of SMEs in Vietnam as follows:

1. Establish counselor network

a) Ministries, ministerial agencies shall promulgate a decision or decisions (using form under Appendix 2 hereof) regulating field of counseling, criteria for accrediting counselors, cases in which counselors are removed from counselor network upon violating the law or cases in which counselors are removed from counselor network according to regulations of ministries, ministerial agencies.

Criteria for accrediting counselors must specify training level, professional level, counseling experience, and conditions according to the laws and rules of presiding authorities.

b) Ministries, ministerial agencies shall accredit or authorize affiliated entities to accredit counselors participating in the counselor network (hereinafter referred to as “counselor accrediting bodies”) and review cases in which counselors are removed from counselor network.

- Accreditation of counselors participating in counselor network includes: reviewing application for participation in counselor network; contacting and guiding counselors to complete their profile; accrediting counselors in counselor network; guiding counselors to register accounts and update information on database on counselors on the Web portal; verifying and allowing counselors to appear public on the Web portal.

- Removal of counselors from counselor network includes: reviewing profile of counselors in the network; contacting and notifying counselors about being removed from the network; producing lists of counselors removed from the network; withdrawing counselor profile from the Web portal.

c) Counselor accrediting bodies shall publicize field of counseling, criteria for accrediting counselors, list of counselors in the network, list of counselors removed from the network on websites of ministries, ministerial agencies, or websites of counselor accrediting bodies.

d) Counselor accrediting bodies shall register and be issued accounts of the Web portal by Ministry of Planning and Investment in order to carry out activities under Point b Clause 1 of this Article.

2. Management, operation, and maintenance of counselor network

a) Procurement, software development for managing counselor network; procurement, upgrade, and maintenance of hardware, services, servers, and other services on a regular basis to archive and operate counselor network; develop, maintain, and update counselor network data.

b) Organization of conferences, seminars, conclusion, and assessment of establishment, management, operation, and maintenance of counselor network.

c) Accreditation and removal of counselors from counselor network under Point b Clause 1 of this Article. Expenditure on accrediting counselors or removing counselors from counselor network shall not exceed 300 thousand VND/counselor and paid to counselor accrediting bodies.

3. Improvement and training for development of counselor network

a) Counselor accrediting bodies shall organize or cooperate with suppliers in organizing training courses for skills, procedures, and knowledge of counselors in their network.

b) Details of training courses for counselors:

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