Comprehensive progress in digital export management and support
Draft Law on E-Commerce expected to be submitted to the National Assembly and take effect from 2026, is being assessed as a major turning point in building a complete and modern legal framework for online business activities in Vietnam. In particular, one of the important focuses is to promote the export of goods and services through platforms. e-commerce domestic and cross-border
According to the draft content, the Law is designed to apply to both domestic and foreign organizations and individuals when participating in e-commerce activities in the Vietnamese market. The draft legalizes the types of e-commerce platforms , from direct business platforms, intermediaries, social networks to multi-service integration and clearly stipulate operating conditions, legal responsibilities, data storage obligations, information censorship, consumer protection as well as tax obligations.
At the Conference to collect opinions on the Draft Law on E-commerce organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on June 30, 2025, many opinions from the business community, international organizations and specialized associations said that the current digital export support ecosystem still has many gaps and does not meet actual needs.
A representative of the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) commented: “The draft has not clarified policies to encourage participants in the ecosystem to export Vietnamese goods and services via e-commerce.”
According to the USABC representative, it is necessary to develop a clear incentive mechanism for international e-commerce platforms if they actively support the export of Vietnamese goods. “It is possible to consider tax exemptions and reductions for revenue from promotional and marketing activities or support for Vietnamese sellers; create a policy to directly connect sellers with foreign trading platforms and simplify administrative procedures if these platforms make positive contributions,” the USABC representative proposed.
Regarding the promotion of exports through e-commerce, in addition to general legal principles, the draft Law focuses on the transparency of electronic transactions. The fact that electronic contracts have the same legal value as original documents helps businesses and consumers feel more secure when conducting digital transactions. Detailed regulations on the contract conclusion process, from the invitation and confirmation stages to contract cancellation and information storage, are necessary legal tools to limit risks in international transactions.
For platforms with foreign elements, which are the place where most of the digital export traffic is concentrated, the Law clearly stipulates the conditions for legal operation in Vietnam, such as having a “.vn” domain name, Vietnamese display language or the number of transactions from Vietnam exceeding 100,000/year. Foreign entities in this case are required to have a representative or authorized legal entity in Vietnam, ensure financial and technical capacity, and take joint legal responsibility if violations occur.
The Vietnam E-commerce Association (VECOM) also affirmed that this is a priority pillar. Since the beginning of the year, the Association has accompanied the Drafting Committee to provide comments on the Draft Law with the expectation of shaping a legal corridor that is both effective in management and creates favorable conditions for e-commerce to become a strategic export channel for Vietnamese enterprises.
Regarding e-commerce businesses, Shopee representatives emphasized the fairness factor: "If domestic businesses must meet a series of legal conditions when operating e-commerce, cross-border businesses also need to take corresponding responsibility when participating in exports in Vietnam."
Shopee representatives proposed adding to Article 31 of the Draft a provision requiring cross-border platforms, when reaching a large scale, to undergo cybersecurity assessment and approval from the Ministry of Public Security , similar to domestic platforms with foreign investment.
At the same time, domestic enterprises also proposed to only allow each cross-border platform to designate a single authorized legal entity in Vietnam, to ensure joint liability and avoid the situation of switching representatives to avoid legal obligations.
Creating export leverage through support policies
In addition to completing the legal framework, the Draft Law on E-commerce devotes a separate chapter to promoting market development, in which export via e-commerce is identified as a strategic pillar. Specifically, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is assigned to preside over the development of the National E-commerce Development Strategy, submit it to the Prime Minister for approval, with target programs, priority projects and accompanying financial mechanisms. In particular, the construction of a cross-border e-commerce pilot zone is a breakthrough content.
These pilot zones will enjoy special policies on customs clearance, bonded warehouses, logistics and corporate income tax incentives, especially for micro, small and medium enterprises, which often face many barriers when accessing traditional export markets.
In addition, the E-commerce Development Fund, an extra-budgetary financial fund under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will be the main resource to support businesses in digital transformation, developing online business models, and improving their ability to access international markets. This fund can support testing new business models (sandboxes), developing human resources, upgrading digital platforms, and financing export activities through e-commerce.
Regarding supporting infrastructure, the Law mentions the establishment of a platform for managing e-commerce activities, connecting with national data systems, helping to monitor and analyze the market, manage fraud and support businesses in accessing information in a timely manner. This platform will also act as a “public information portal” integrating many functions such as reflecting violations, handling complaints and market statistics.
The e-commerce payment guarantee mechanism is also designed to protect consumer interests and create trust in export transactions, especially in cross-border platforms. Platform providers will be encouraged to establish a mechanism to ensure the quality of goods and services, and even directly compensate buyers if disputes arise.
Regarding this issue, the Ministry of Finance affirmed that it will closely coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to build transparent and effective financial mechanisms. Notably, the Ministry is studying the possibility of deploying a cross-border e-commerce payment gateway to support cash flow tracing, prevent tax losses and ensure transparency in transactions involving foreign elements.
Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/thuc-day-xuat-khau-hang-viet-qua-thuong-mai-dien-tu-xuyen-bien-gioi-3365781.html
Comment (0)