VST recommends additional incentives for science and technology enterprises

In preparation for the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation (2025) taking effect from October 1, 2025, the Ministry of Science and Technology has drafted a Decree detailing and guiding a number of articles of the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation on innovation; encouraging scientific, technological and innovation activities in enterprises; recognizing innovation centers, supporting creative startups; recognizing creative individuals and startups; infrastructure, networks and creative startup ecosystems.

This Decree is expected to create a clear legal corridor, encourage innovation activities in enterprises and will replace Decree No. 13/2019/ND-CP on science and technology (S&T) enterprises.

Currently, the drafting agency, the Department of Innovation ( Ministry of Science and Technology ), is in the process of widely collecting opinions from relevant organizations and individuals to complete the draft.

After receiving document No. 4864/BKHCN dated September 19, 2025 of the Department of Innovation (Ministry of Science and Technology), based on synthesizing opinions from member enterprises, the Vietnam Association of Science and Technology Enterprises (VST) has issued an official document with many specific and practical proposals.

Clarifying intellectual property rights

Illustration photo (source: QCM)

One of the issues that businesses are most concerned about is intellectual property rights (IPR) for products created from S&T tasks using the state budget. VST requests the Drafting Committee to clarify: When a private S&T enterprise implements a project using state capital, will the IPR for the product (if any) belong to the State, or to the enterprise and individual author?

Clarifying this issue is expected to create transparency and encourage the private sector to be more bold in participating in national science and technology tasks.

Propose a series of offers

In order to attract and retain talent, as well as reduce the cost burden for businesses, VST has made a series of recommendations on tax and land incentives.

VST proposes to add subjects eligible for personal income tax (PIT) exemption for authors and associates of science and technology enterprises implementing S&T topics and tasks and innovation that have been granted Certificates and Award Certificates for prestigious S&T works such as VIFOTEC Award, S&T certification awards at the ministerial, industry level and equivalent; State Award; Ho Chi Minh Award for S&T.

Regarding the provisions in Clause 3, Article 56, VST proposes to add: Income from salaries, wages, author's fees, technology transfer fees from performing scientific, technological and innovation tasks of researchers at science and technology enterprises are income not subject to personal income tax.

At Point b, Clause 4, Article 56, VST proposed to add that land for headquarters of science and technology enterprises is exempted from land rent during the entire lease term.

Improve regulations on certification and standards

At Point d, Clause 6, Article 56, the association proposes to add the standard phrase as follows: priority is given to developing national technical regulations and standards.

Regarding Article 64 on granting Certificates of results of implementation of scientific, technological and innovative tasks without using the state budget, VST proposes to expand the scope of definition of Certificates of scientific, technological and innovative tasks. Applying to technologies and products that have been granted Certificates and Award Certificates for scientific and technological works that have won scientific and technological awards, chaired and coordinated by competent state agencies to organize the awarding or agree to organize the awarding.

For example: Ho Chi Minh Prize for Science and Technology, Certificate of Appropriate Technology of the Ministry of Construction, Certificate of New Technological Progress of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam Science and Technology Innovation Award (Vifotec)...

VST expressed its hope that the comments of the member business community will be considered and accepted by the drafting agency to build a truly effective legal corridor, creating leverage for the development of the science, technology and innovation business ecosystem in Vietnam.

Minh Thu

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/vst-kien-nghi-bo-sung-uu-dai-cho-doanh-nghiep-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe/20250925082408241