Authorities enhance e-commerce legal supports for SMEs, household businesses

Authorities enhance e-commerce legal supports for SMEs, household businesses

SMEs and household businesses are increasingly engaging in online commerce, reaching a wider customer base and integrating more deeply into the digital economy's value chain.

A view of the e-commerce workshop held by the Ministry of Justice on Thursday. — Photo dientuungdung.vn

E-commerce has imposed new requirements regarding legal compliance and risk management for businesses, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and household businesses, experts said at a workshop on Thursday.

Held by the Ministry of Justice, the workshop aimed to support companies and household businesses in accessing legal information and managing risks in e-commerce activities.

Experts said that Việt Nam has seen the recent rapid growth of e-commerce platforms, social media, multi-channel retail and digital platform-based business models, opening up opportunities for market expansion, reducing transaction costs and boosting innovation and competitiveness.

SMEs and household businesses are increasingly engaging in online commerce, reaching a wider customer base and integrating more deeply into the digital economy's value chain.

However, these opportunities are accompanied by various emerging legal risks regarding the formation and execution of electronic contracts, consumer rights protection, personal data protection, online advertising and information provision, intellectual property, tax obligations in e-commerce and legal liability in cross-border transactions.

Dr Lê Thị Hoàng Thanh, deputy director of the Department of Civil and Economic Law under the Ministry of Justice, said that in practice, many companies and household businesses still face difficulties in accessing, updating and applying legal regulations governing e-commerce.

She said that a lack of information, failure to fully identify legal risks or the absence of appropriate risk management mechanisms can cause legal violations and disputes, increase compliance costs and directly impact businesses' reputations and operational efficiency.

“As the legal framework for the digital economy continues to evolve, the requirement is not merely to comply with regulations, but also to prevent and control risks from the very outset of organising and operating business activities in the digital environment," Thanh said.

“Raising legal awareness and building risk management capabilities in e-commerce not only ensures lawful operations for companies and household businesses, but also helps minimise disputes, protect the legitimate rights and interests of market participants, enhance competitiveness and build consumer trust. 

"This also serves as a crucial foundation for building a digital business environment that is open, transparent, secure and sustainable, aligning with the requirements of digital economic development and international integration."

At the workshop, participants focused on clarifying various practical issues, such as legal regulations directly impacting e-commerce activities and the rights and obligations of enterprises and business households operating on digital platforms.

They also discussed matters concerning the conclusion and performance of electronic contracts, personal data protection, intellectual property rights, advertising, consumer rights protection, tax obligations and cross-border transactions.

Experts at the event also analysed common legal risks and proposed solutions to enhance capabilities for risk prevention and control during business organisation and operations.

The workshop was held to carry out an inter-agency legal support programme for SMEs and household businesses for the 2026-30 period, with an aim of building legal compliance capabilities, enhancing governance and mitigating legal risks for businesses amid the rapid growth of the digital economy. 

Bizhub