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| The 5th session of the 15th National Assembly closes in Hanoi on June 24__Photo: Tri Dung/VNA |
The 5th session of the 15th National Assembly (NA) wrapped up in Hanoi on June 24 after 23 days of sitting in two phases, with phase one from May 22 to June 10 and phase two from June 19-24.
During the session, legislators passed eight laws, namely the Law on Protection of Consumer Rights, Bidding Law, Law on Price, Law on E-Transactions, Law on Cooperatives, Law on Civil Defense, Law Amending a Number of Articles of the Law on Public Security Forces, and Law Amending a Number of Articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens and the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in, Vietnam.
Lawmakers also adopted 17 resolutions, including three legal normative resolutions. One of these three resolutions regulates the taking and casting of votes of confidence for persons holding positions elected or ratified by the NA or People’s Councils; another one is on the 2024 law- and ordinance-making program of the NA and adjustments to the 2023 program of this kind; and the last one provides for pilot application of specific mechanisms and policies for development of Ho Chi Minh City.
The Legislature had, for the second time, given its opinions on the draft revised Land Law. In addition, it had for the first time debated eight other draft laws, including six draft revisions of the Law on Credit Institutions, Law on Citizen Identification, Law on Real Estate Business, Housing Law, Law on Water Resources, and Law on Telecommunications. The other two draft laws are on management and protection of national defense works and military zones, and forces participating in the protection of grassroots security and order.
Delivering his closing speech at the session, top legislator Vuong Dinh Hue asked the cabinet, the NA’s agencies and related authorities to provide directions for completion of the law- and ordinance-making program as well as other legislative tasks included in the plans of the NA’s 15th tenure, and propose other necessary legislative tasks in order to finalize development institutions, thereby guaranteeing human rights and citizens’ rights and meeting the requirements of socio-economic recovery and development, national defense and security maintenance and international integration.
As revealed by the NA Chairman, in order for the laws and resolutions passed at the session to be early implemented, the NA Standing Committee will collaborate with the Government and related authorities to hold in the third quarter a conference to disseminate such laws and resolutions and, at the same time, review, and urge the implementation of, the laws and resolutions adopted from the beginning of the 15th legislature. This will be carried out as a regular activity after each NA session.
VAT rate to be reduced by 2 percent through the year end
With the adoption of the Resolution of the 5th session, the NA agreed to continue cutting the VAT rate by 2 percent from July 1 through the end of this year, with a view to stimulating the demand and promoting the domestic market.
The tax reduction policy is the same as that specified in the NA’s Resolution 43 of 2022 on fiscal and monetary policies to support the Program on socio-economic recovery and development. Accordingly, the 8-percent VAT rate will be applied to the groups of goods and services currently subject to the tax rate of 10 percent, except those in the fields of telecommunications and information technology, finance, banking, securities, insurance, real estate business, and mining (excluding coal exploitation), metal products, coke, refined petroleum products, chemical products, and goods and services liable to excise tax, etc.
The Government is assigned to organize the prompt and effective implementation of this tax policy, ensuring it will neither affect revenues nor cause deficit to the state budget in 2023.
At the session, lawmakers also approved other important decisions and policies. They decided on personnel work with five resolutions adopted. These documents are those on relief from duty of Nguyen Phu Cuong, member of the Standing Committee, Chairperson of the Finance and Budget Committee and deputy of the 15th NA; ratification of the request for relief from duty of Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the 2021-26 tenure Tran Hong Ha; election of Le Quang Manh as member of the Standing Committee, Chairperson of the Finance and Budget Committee of the 15th NA; ratification of the request for appointment of Dang Quoc Khanh as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the 2021-26 tenure; and ratification of the request for appointment of judges of the Supreme People’s Court.
The legislative body also approved the Resolution on allocation of funds under the Program on socio-economic recovery and development; allocation and adjustment of medium-term investment plans using central budget funds for the 2021-25 period and allocation of the central budget-funded investment plans for 2023 under national target programs.
Other issues resolved at the session include approval of final accounts of the 2021 state budget; policy on investment in the project on the road section from national highway 27C to provincial road 656 in Khanh Hoa province connecting with Lam Dong and Ninh Thuan provinces.
Spending two and a half days on question-and-answer activities, the Legislature questioned three Ministers of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs; Science and Technology; and Transport, and the Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs. The top legislator said NA deputies raised clear and practical questions showing the people’s aspirations and these queries involve open and constructive dialogues and arguments among lawmakers. In response, the questioned officials gave straight answers without shirking complicated issues, thus helping clarify matters of voters’ concern.
E-visas for foreigners to be extended to 90 days
Under the Law Amending a Number of Articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens and the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in, Vietnam passed at the session, the NA agreed to extend the validity period of e-visas from the current 30 days to 90 days, which will be applied from August 15.
As per the Law, upon being granted an e-visa, a foreigner may enter and exit from Vietnam for an unlimited number of times within 90 days, without having to go through procedures for obtaining a new visa.
Citizens of countries that are unilaterally exempted from visas by Vietnam may sojourn at border gates for 45 days (from the current 15 days) and be considered for visa issuance and temporary residence extension according to regulations.
The Government will decide on the list of countries and territories with citizens eligible for visa extension, as well as international border gates through which foreigners will be allowed to enter and exit the country with e-visas.
As evaluated by the NA Standing Committee, visa extension aims to meet the needs of international tourists and create favorable conditions for foreigners who wish to enter Vietnam for market survey and investment purposes, particularly those who want to come to various countries in the region then return to Vietnam for making evaluations and comparisons before they decide whether to expand investment and business activities in the country.
Regarding exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens, the Parliament approved the proposal to add information on “place of birth” to ordinary passports of Vietnamese citizens.
Chairman of the NA’s Committee on National Defense and Security Le Tan Toi said the inscription of information on place of birth on Vietnamese citizens’ passports is conformable with recommendations and international practices.
The Law also permits addition of “other information as decided by the Government” to ensure flexibility in the law application upon occurrence of circumstances.
Particularly, exit and entry papers already issued to citizens before August 15 remain valid until their expiration. In case citizens apply for exit/entry papers but have not obtained them by the above date, authorities will apply the 2019 Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens to settle the case.-
