Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recently approveda legal assistance program for small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the2021-2025 period.

The programme aims to promote awareness and sense of legal compliance andreduce legal risks and obstacles of SMEs that account for majority of thecountry’s total businesses, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP News) reported.

Under the programme, ministries, agencies and localities shall have to updatepolicies and legal assistance programs for SMEs, collect all feedbacksregarding legal obstacles from SMEs and report to competent authorities forrefining legal regulations.

Legal assistance shall be conduct in a diverse manner, including direct andindirect forms such as forums and dialogues as well as via various platforms.

Earlier on June 2019, the Government issued Decree No 55/2019/ND-CP on legalassistance to SMEs.

The Decree outlines supporting policies for household businesses which changetheir business model into SMEs, innovative SMEs, SMEs joining industrial links.

Up to 98 percent of Vietnamese businesses are SMEs (about 88,000 enterprises),making up 40 percent of GDP and 50 percent of employment (or 1.2 million job).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, over 90 percent of them have been negativelyaffected./.