Information disclosure by State OwnedEnterprises (SOEs) is part of a broader agenda to promotegreater public sector transparency in Vietnam. Recentstudies by the World Bank and others have shown that despiteprogress, compliance with legal requirements fortransparency remains a challenge across a wide range ofpublic sector governance areas in Vietnam. However, themarginal benefit to increased transparency is verysignificant. Timely availability of credible economic data,and better communication of policy changes, can help reducemarket uncertainty and perceptions of risk. Transparency ofSOEs is particularly important given their large presence inVietnam s economy. In a survey conducted in 2011 for theVietnam Development Report (2012) entitledMarket Economyfor a Middle Income Vietnam , improving transparency wascited by respondents as the top reform solution for SOEs inVietnam together with accelerating equalization. PrimeMinister s Decision 929 (2012), which sets out an overallplan to restructure General Corporations and State EconomicGroups, sets out several commitments to help improve thetransparency of SOEs. The SOE transparency agenda is animportant part of the program supported under the EconomicManagement and Competitiveness Credit (EMCC) budget supportoperation. It is with this background that this Policy Notewas prepared to help promote a dialogue between theGovernment of Vietnam and Development Partners on ways toenhance disclosure of information by SOEs.