During the session, Deputy Prime Minister Vu DucDam carefully noted down difficulties faced by firms, local newspapers reported. — Photo baodatviet

HAI PHONG (Biz Hub) — Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on Thursday joined a working group from the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Government Office to hear of problems from businesses in Hai Phong Province.

During the session, Dam carefully noted down difficulties faced by firms, local newspapers reported.

Despite improvements made recently, administrative procedures remain a heavy burden, especially tax and customs procedures, business representatives said.

Vu Thu Trang, director of a foreign-invested company in Hai Phong, said administrative procedures, such as issuing invoices, were complicated, which caused her company to spend considerable amounts of time and money.

In addition, complicated invoice requirements also caused risks of losing opportunities to cooperate, as many foreign partners said they did not want to work with companies which required too many "unnecessary" documents, she said.

At the working session, Le Ngoc Ha, director of a company which exported tapioca, said that several of the company's clients complained that many administrative requirements required by authorities were not consistent with international practices.

Also, many existing customs procedures were unreasonable and needed to be changed, according to the business people at the meeting.

After listening to difficulties faced by firms, Dam said that such complicated procedures would limit business opportunities for firms.

He said the Government would direct officials to seek solutions and remove difficulties for firms, in a bid to make it easier to conduct business.

Dam urged firms to report their difficulties and provide ideas for improvements through e-portals. — VNS