Ha Noi (VNA) - Environmental service is one out of 30 major issues Viet Nam has committed to implement after it officially becomes a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The service chiefly covers treatment of rubbish and waste water, cleaning exhaust fumes, tackling noise issues, and assessing environmental damages.
After Viet Nam joined the world largest trade body (WTO), foreign investors are allowed to set up four-year-long joint ventures with Vietnamese partners and hold 51 percent of capital in condition they supply those environmental services. At the end of the fourth year, they become free to choose their own forms of legal entity for operating in Viet Nam.
Foreign investors must, however, abide by a number of regulations put forward in the commitment table when supplying environmental services in Viet Nam. They are not allowed to supply several kinds of services that Vietnamese private businesses monopolise, such as directly collecting rubbish from local households and getting access to sensitive areas in Viet Nam.
For more confidence when dealing with challenges arising during the country's integration process, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has reviewed all commitments on environmental services, current regulations on management of environmental services, environmental standards, and environment-related trade activities.
The ministry has also adjusted existing regulations and developed new ones in conformity with the country's commitments to the WTO as well as with WTO's principles.
On the other hand, Viet Nam has conducted surveys on the environmental service sector and defined capacities and operation forms of businesses operating in this field, including private, state-owned and foreign-invested enterprises.
According to environmental experts, it is necessary for Viet Nam to finalise legal system and management mechanism for environmental service, map out a strategy to develop the environmental industry and expand environment-related services and goods.
Encouraging the involvement of the whole society in environmental protection is also a must in order to increase the efficiency of environmental services suppliers, said experts.-Enditem
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