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| People shop at a Co.op Mart in HCM City. The Government has confirmed that price control on commodities are a top priority__Photo: VNA |
The 15th National Assembly passed 16 new laws during this year, with one adopted at its second extraordinary session, eight during its fifth session, and the other seven at the sixth session. Below are some notable points of those laws.
Law on Price
Compared to its 2012 version, the new Law widens the scope of its application. Accordingly, it provides rights and obligations of agencies, organizations, individuals and consumers in the field of price and price appraisal; price management and regulation by the State; market price summarization, analysis and forecasting; price database; price appraisal; and specialized inspection of prices and examination of the observance of the laws on price and price appraisal.
Law on Cooperatives
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| The lychee garden of a cooperative meeting export standards to Japan__Photo: VNA |
With 115 articles arranged in 12 chapters, the new Law is designated to suit new practical requirements. Worthy of note, it empowers cooperatives and unions of cooperatives to decide on sale of their own products and services to the market after fulfilling their obligations and ensuring benefits of their members, and diversifies forms of capital mobilization from their members.
Law on Civil Defense
As defined in the new Law, civil defense constitutes part of the country’s defense, including measures to prevent and combat, and remedy consequences of, wars, incidents, calamities, natural disasters and epidemics, and to protect the people, agencies, organizations and the national economy.
Comprising 71 articles arranged in seven chapters, it stipulates the principles and operation of civil defense; rights, obligations and responsibilities of agencies, organizations and individuals in civil defense activities; and the state management of, and resources for, civil defense.
Law on Protection of Consumer Rights
Compared to its previous version, the new Law adds a number of new consumer rights and obligations in order to enhance the role and position of consumers in new consumption trends, and at the same time, ensure a balance between consumer rights and obligations.
Bidding Law
Coming into force next year, the new Law contains many amendments and supplementations to its 2013 version, adding subjects of application; revising the form and method of contractor selection, method of evaluation of bid dossiers; adding prohibited acts in bidding activities; adding new cases of bid cancellation; adding a number of bidding packages eligible for contractor appointment; adding new provisions on selection of contractors to supply medicines, chemicals, testing supplies and medical equipment, among others.
Law on E-transactions
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| Payment using QR Code__Photo: tapchitaichinh.vn |
The new Law provides clear definitions of e-signature, digital signature, timestamp, e-contract, e-environment, e-certificate, digital signature authentication service, intermediary, etc.
It also stipulates more specifically prohibited contents and acts, thereby creating more favorable conditions for law observation by citizens when conducting transactions in the e-environment.
Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on the People’s Public Security Forces
Taking effect on August 15, the new Law provides for the ahead-of-schedule promotion of the rank of general for public security officers with particularly outstanding achievements; the highest rank for a number of positions and titles of public security officers; and the maximum active-duty ages of public security officers, non-commissioned officers and workers.
Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens and the Law on Foreigners’ Entry in, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in, Vietnam
Under the new Law, which takes effect on August 15, the validity of e-visas for foreigners will be increased to 90 days from the current 30 days for their multiple entries.
Besides, citizens of the countries that are granted unilateral visa exemption by Vietnam will be permitted for temporary residence for up to 45 days from current 15 days and may be considered for visa issuance and temporary residence duration extension under regulations.
Law on Identity
The new Law expands subjects of application as compared to its 2014 version, targeting Vietnamese citizens, related agencies, organizations and individuals as well as people of Vietnamese origin residing in the country with their citizenships remaining unknown.
It also adds new provisions on the management and grant of identity cards for persons aged under 14 years in order to guarantee their lawful rights and interests and facilitate the building of the digital government and digital society.
Law on Telecommunications
The new Law widens the scope of regulation to a number of new services including data center services, cloud computing services, and basic telecommunications services on the Internet to follow the trends of digital transformation and convergence between telecommunications and information technology.
It applies to Vietnamese organizations and individuals and foreign organizations and individuals directly participating in or related to telecommunications activities in Vietnam.
Law on Management and Protection of National Defense Works and Military Zones
With 34 articles arranged six chapters, the new Law provides for the management and protection of defense works and military zones; rights, obligations and responsibilities of agencies, units, organizations, households and individuals; and regimes and policies applicable to the management and protection of defense works and military zones.
Housing Law
Projected to take effect on January 1, 2025, the new Law contains a notable provision on incentives for investors in social housing projects. Accordingly, those investors will be exempt from land use levies and land rentals for the entire land area of their projects and are not required to carry out procedures for determination of land prices, calculation of land use levies, exempted land rentals and for requesting land use levy and land rental exemption.
Law on Water Resources
Comprising 86 articles arranged in 10 chapters, the new Law regulates the management, protection, regulation, distribution, recovery, development, exploitation and use of water resources; and prevention, control and remediation of water-caused harms within the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Law on Forces Participating in the Protection of Security and Order at the Grassroots Level
The first-ever Law on Forces Participating in the Protection of Security and Order at the Grassroots Level provides positions, functions, tasks, organization and operation principles, working relationships and force building of, and assurance of operating conditions and responsibilities of agencies and organizations toward, forces participating in the protection of security and order at the grassroots level.
Law on Real Estate Business
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| A resort in Duong To commune, Phu Quoc City, Kien Giang Province__Photo: VNA |
Scheduled to take effect on July 1 next year, the Law supplements regulations on principles of real estate service business; principles of organization and operation of real estate exchanges; real estate transactions through real estate exchanges; and conditions for managers and operators of real estate exchanges.
It adds the provisions on real estate market regulation so as to regulate and stabilize the real estate market in case the market grows too fast or becomes stagnant.
In addition, the Law revises the provisions on the state management of real estate business; handling of violations; and responsibilities of central and local agencies toward the real estate market.
Law on Medical Examination and Treatment
With a view to increasing patients’ access to medical examination and treatment services, the 121-article Law changes the current four-tier organizational system of medical examination and treatment establishments to three professional and technical levels, namely primary medical examination and treatment, basic medical examination and treatment and intensive medical examination and treatment.
The three-tier system will be organized in a way that ensures continuousness and transferability in provision of medical examination and treatment services based on disease status and severity.- (VLLF)
