On September 17, 2021, the President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) signed a decision to establish the Business Cooperation Council in Response to COVID-19.

The Council is a special mechanism that connects businesses and business associations with central, local and international agencies and organizations to work together to respond to COVID-19, to mitigate damage, maintain business operations, protect businesses, workers and economic activities, and at the same time help the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Council will provide a reliable address for enterprises to promptly report their difficulties, problems and issues in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and business operations while getting guidance and support in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Pham Tan Cong, Secretary of the Party Union and VCCI President, Vice Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform, chairs the Council. Vice chairs include Mr. Nguyen Duc Hien, Deputy Director of the Central Economic Commission; Mr. Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of VCCI; and Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vice Chairman of Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA). Standing members are leaders of businesses and business associations, and representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the State Bank of Vietnam, VTV, VOV and other agencies. Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, General Secretary of VCCI, serves as Head of the Secretariat of the Council.

The Council’s key tasks are:

First, capturing contextual developments, promptly reporting emerging problems and difficulties in the business community; researching and integrating recommendations from enterprises, and proposing policies and solutions in response to COVID-19 to the Government and relevant central and local agencies.

Second, creating a cooperation bridge for businesses to jointly share information, experience, and measures to cope with COVID-19 pandemic impacts, maintain business operations and sustain the market.

Third, informing, disseminating, and supporting businesses to grasp new governmental regulations and policies in support of businesses and workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; at the same time surveying and grasping the actual implementation of policies in localities and sectors.

Fourth, carrying out inspirational communications across businesses and society in the fight against COVID-19; proposing commending honor of outstanding enterprises in the fight against COVID-19 and maintain business operations.

Fifth, mobilizing domestic and international resources to support the country and the community in preventing and controlling COVID-19.

VCCI President Pham Tan Cong, Chairman of the Business Cooperation Council in Response to COVID-19, said that Vietnam has moved towards living with COVID-19. Thus, besides the pandemic prevention and control, sustaining and developing business operations in the new normal is hugely challenging and businesses need to get adapted and assisted. Therefore, the Council will immediately launch activities in support of businesses.

Accordingly, the Council will promptly debut an online interactive platform called the Workplace that works around the clock to enable businesses to quickly report their emerging hardships and send suggestions and recommendations to the Government, central and local bodies. Also, through this platform, the Council advises and guides businesses to actively work together and share information, experiences and solutions to cope with COVID-19 impacts and acts as a bridge for businesses to boost business support and assist each other during the pandemic time.