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| NA Vice President Nguyen Thi Hong speaks at the meeting__Photo: VNA |
The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee discussed the draft revised Bidding Law and a draft law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law at its sixth session's second phase on September 30.
Presenting the draft revised Bidding Law, Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan said the draft, comprising eight chapters and 60 articles, aims to simplify procedures, shorten project implementation time, strengthen decentralisation and delegation of authority, improve the effectiveness of State management, and handle violations and resolve petitions in bidding activities.
Presenting the preliminary appraisal report, Chairman of the NA Economic and Financial Committee Phan Van Mai said most opinions supported amending the law through a shortened process to remove difficulties and obstacles, simplify procedures, strengthen decentralisation and mobilise resources for development investment.
Given that the 2023 Bidding Law has been amended five times since taking effect on January 1, 2024, the NA Economic and Financial Committee’s standing body called for thorough impact assessments, broader consultation and amendments only to issues sufficiently clear in practice. It also urged a review of the legal system to ensure consistency and synchronised implementation.
Regarding competition, incentives and domestic bidding, the NA Standing Committee proposed retaining essential principles and conditions to ensure the independence and competitiveness of contractors and investors. Preferential mechanisms, reserved bidding packages and requirements on domestic goods, contractors and subcontractors should be reviewed to avoid unnecessarily restricting competition.
Regarding competition, preferences and domestic bidding, a majority of opinions said the law should continue to maintain essential principles and conditions to ensure the independence and competitiveness of contractors and investors. Mechanisms providing preferences, reserving bidding packages, and requiring the use of domestic goods, contractors and subcontractors should be reviewed to avoid unnecessarily restricting competition.
The committee stressed that prioritising domestic capacity must be linked to supply capacity, genuine market competition and compatibility with Vietnam’s international commitments. It also asked for clearer regulations on collusion, fraud and acts undermining fairness and transparency, as well as measures to prevent conflicts of interest.
On the law’s scope and autonomy in procurement and bidding, Mai said most opinions called for clearer delineation between the Bidding Law and sectoral legislation, along with clear principles for cases subject to different regulations; they also stressed the need to clearly define the scope and limits of decision-making autonomy, authority and ultimate responsibility, while linking them to transparency, accountability and post-inspection.
NA Vice President Nguyen Thi Hong stressed that the revised law has a broad scope, directly affecting the management and use of State capital and assets and the operations of State agencies, enterprises, contractors and investors.
She asked for substantive simplification, greater autonomy tied to responsibility, and a shift from procedural management to managing quality, efficiency and outcomes, noting that regulations on decentralisation and delegation of authority should clearly define powers, limits and accountability while avoiding overlaps, legal gaps and differing interpretations.
For the draft law amending and supplementing several articles of the Investment Law, Hong asked the drafting agency to facilitate investors while ensuring risk management, effective resource use and national interests.
She also underlined the need to review and refine regulations on investment incentives and special investment support, investor approval, and cases exempt from auction and bidding procedures.
During the session, the NA Standing Committee gave opinions on the 2025 State budget final settlement report.- (VNA/VLLF)
