The Da Nang City Department of Industry and Trade (SCT) recently issued Official Letter No. 1632/SCT-QLTM, implementing a plan to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the commercial sector for 2026. Under this plan, SMEs within the city will have access to two main groups of support policies.

First, based on Government Decree 80/2021, SMEs categorized as innovative startups or those participating in industry clusters and value chains, meeting the criteria outlined in Article 20 of the decree, will be considered for support in various trade activities and market expansion efforts.

Specifically, businesses will receive support for up to 50% of the consultation contract value for registering accounts on international e-commerce platforms, capped at 100 million VND per contract annually. They will also receive 50% of account maintenance costs, with a maximum of 50 million VND per year. This support can be maintained for up to two years from the successful account registration date.

For trade promotion activities, businesses will receive assistance for costs related to: venue rental, booth design and setup, transportation of display products, and travel and accommodation for representatives attending fairs and exhibitions. The maximum annual support for innovative startup SMEs is 30 million VND for domestic events and 50 million VND for international events. For SMEs participating in industry clusters and value chains, the maximum annual support is 50 million VND for domestic events and 70 million VND for international events.

Officials at Da Nang City Administrative Center assist citizens with administrative procedures. *Nguyen Dong*

Second, under the provisions of City People's Council Decree 29/2025, businesses participating with individual booths at overseas fairs and exhibitions will receive support for 50% of the costs for space rental, booth, and transportation of materials and display goods.

The maximum support per participating entity is: 70 million VND for events in Asia; 150 million VND for fairs and exhibitions in Europe, Africa, Australia, North America, and West Asia; and 200 million VND for Central America and Latin America. Each entity is eligible for support once annually.

Additionally, entities participating in international e-commerce platforms will receive 50% support for costs including: consulting fees, seller account fees, referral fees, order fulfillment fees, warehousing fees, barcode registration, design, photography, and product advertising on the platform.

Specifically, the cost for registering accounts on international e-commerce platforms is supported up to 100 million VND per contract annually, and account maintenance costs are capped at 50 million VND per year. Each entity can receive support two times within a five-year period.

A view of Da Nang City's central urban area. *Nguyen Dong*

To receive this support, businesses must prepare a complete application package including: an enterprise size declaration form, a business registration certificate, the latest annual financial report, and documents proving eligibility for priority status (innovative startup or value chain participant).

Applications for support must be submitted before 20/1 for the first round and before 20/5 for the second round annually. For payment requests, businesses must submit documents within 10 days of completing the event. If an application is incomplete or invalid, the Da Nang City Department of Industry and Trade (SCT) will issue a written notification to the organization or individual within five working days.

Minh Ngoc