The new policy will take effect from June 2024.

Protecting and promoting the value of intangible cultural heritage.

The Government issued Decree No. 39/2024/ND-CP dated April 16, 2024, stipulating measures for the management, protection, and promotion of intangible cultural heritage values ​​in UNESCO Lists and the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Decree takes effect from June 1, 2024.

According to the Decree, the principles in managing, protecting, and promoting the value of intangible cultural heritage are to ensure that intangible cultural heritage is practiced in a way that guides people and communities towards positive cultural values; preserves identity; aims for comprehensive social development; ensures community and social safety; protects the environment; and ensures respect for cultural diversity, the role of the community as the subject, and the unique characteristics of ethnic groups and regions.

New regulations on procedures for issuing and revoking certificates for driving instructors.

The Government issued Decree No. 41/2024/ND-CP dated April 16, 2024, amending and supplementing a number of articles of decrees related to the management of road transport activities, driver training services, and driver testing services.

Specifically, Decree No. 41/2024/ND-CP amends and supplements Article 9 of Decree 65/2016/ND-CP dated July 1, 2016 (amended by Clause 6, Article 1, Article 2 of Decree No. 138/2018/ND-CP dated October 8, 2018 and Point a, Clause 1, Article 2 of Decree No. 70/2022/ND-CP dated September 27, 2022) on procedures for granting and revoking Certificates for driving instructors.

Decree No. 41/2024/ND-CP takes effect from June 1, 2024.

Detailed regulations on awarding the titles of "People's Artisan" and "Outstanding Artisan" in the field of fine arts and crafts.

The Government issued Decree No. 43/2024/ND-CP dated April 19, 2024, detailing the awarding of the titles "People's Artisan" and "Outstanding Artisan" in the field of handicraft arts.

The decree specifies the subjects, standards, processes, procedures, and activities for awarding the titles of "People's Artisan" and "Outstanding Artisan" in the field of handicraft arts.

Decree No. 43/2024/ND-CP takes effect from June 6, 2024.

The right to collect fees for the use of road infrastructure assets can be transferred for a maximum of 10 years.

The Government issued Decree No. 44/2024/ND-CP dated April 24, 2024, regulating the management, use, and exploitation of road transport infrastructure assets.

Specifically, Decree 44/2024/ND-CP stipulates that the term for transferring the right to collect fees for the use of road infrastructure assets is determined in each transfer contract, but the maximum term is 10 years.

Decree No. 44/2024/ND-CP takes effect from June 10, 2024.

Amend the loan conditions of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Development Fund.

The Government issued Decree 45/2024/ND-CP dated April 26, 2024, amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree 39/2019/ND-CP dated May 10, 2019, on the organization and operation of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Development Fund.

Regarding the principles of direct lending by the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Development Fund (the Fund), Article 15 of Decree No. 39/2019/ND-CP stipulates: The Fund's lending activities shall be carried out according to agreements between the Fund and small and medium-sized enterprises, in accordance with the provisions of this Decree; Small and medium-sized enterprises borrowing capital from the Fund must ensure that the borrowed capital is used for the intended purpose, and that the principal and interest are repaid in full and on time as agreed with the Fund; The currency for lending and repayment is Vietnamese Dong.

In addition to the three principles above, Decree 45/2024/ND-CP adds another principle: Enterprises that have already borrowed capital from the Fund may be considered for loans for new production and business projects or plans from the Fund's capital if the enterprise has fully repaid the principal and interest on the loan on time.

Decree 45/2024/ND-CP takes effect from June 10, 2024.

Amend the regulations on policy impact assessment when preparing proposals for drafting legal documents.

The Government issued Decree 59/2024/ND-CP dated May 25, 2024, amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree 34/2016/ND-CP detailing a number of articles and measures for implementing the Law on Promulgation of Legal Normative Documents, which had been amended and supplemented by Decree 154/2020/ND-CP..

Accordingly, Decree 59/2024/ND-CP amends and supplements Article 6 of Decree 34/2016/ND-CP, which was amended and supplemented in Clause 3, Article 1 of Decree 154/2020/ND-CP on policy impact assessment.

Specifically, the policy impact assessment when drafting proposals for legal documents requires the following contents: Impact on the legal system is assessed based on an analysis of the constitutionality, legality, and consistency of the policy with the legal system; compatibility with relevant international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory…

Decree 59/2024/ND-CP takes effect from June 1, 2024.

Six cases of driver's license revocation effective from June 1, 2024.

The content is addressed in Circular 05/2024/TT-BGTVT dated March 31, 2024, amending the Circulars related to road transport, road transport support services, vehicles and drivers, issued by the Minister of Transport.

Specifically, the cases for revoking driver's licenses from June 1, 2024 include:

(1) The driver committed fraud to obtain a driver's license;

(2) Drivers who erase, alter, or falsify information on their driver's license;

(3) Allowing others to use your driver's license;

(4) The competent authority issued the certificate to an ineligible person;

(5) There is an error in one of the following information: full name, date of birth, nationality, place of residence, driver's license class, validity period, date of passing the exam, signatory;

(6) Through health examination, the competent authority determines that the driver has drugs in his body (except for acts handled according to the provisions of points c and d of clause 10, Article 5; points h and i of clause 8, Article 6 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP).

Circular 05/2024/TT-BGTVT takes effect from June 1, 2024.

Principles for determining the fixed annual price of electricity purchase and sale contracts.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular 07/2024/TT-BCT dated April 12, 2024, regulating the method for determining electricity generation prices and power purchase agreements. The determination of the fixed annual price in power purchase agreements is based on the following principles:

(i) The Seller and the Buyer have the right to apply the agreed average fixed price for the years within the contract term. If the Seller and the Buyer agree to convert the agreed average fixed price into an annual fixed price, the determination of these fixed prices must comply with the principles stipulated in (ii).

(ii) Based on the actual loan conditions and the project's financial capacity, the Seller and the Buyer agree on the average fixed price of the power plant as an annual fixed price (FCj Fixed price in year j) provided that the average fixed price remains unchanged from the price agreed upon by the Seller and the Buyer and adheres to the following principles:

- The financial discount rate when calculating the fixed annual price is agreed upon by the Seller and the Buyer, equal to the internal rate of return (IRR) of the power plant.

- The investor is obligated to repay the loans for the construction of the power plant according to the loan repayment schedule.

The above circular takes effect from June 1, 2024.

Conditions for promotion to senior lecturer professional title from June 1, 2024

This is the content mentioned in Circular 05/2024/TT-BGDĐT, which stipulates the standards and conditions for promotion to higher professional ranks for teaching staff in public higher education institutions and teacher training colleges, issued by the Minister of Education and Training.

Specifically, teaching staff in public higher education institutions are eligible to register for promotion to the senior lecturer professional title (Grade I), code V.07.01.01, when they meet the following standards and conditions:

- Public higher education institutions that have a need for and have vacant positions corresponding to the professional title rank for civil servants being considered for promotion, and are authorized to nominate candidates to participate in the promotion examination.

- Currently holds the professional title of Senior Lecturer (Grade II), code V.07.01.02.

- Having achieved a performance rating of "good" or higher in the year immediately preceding the year of application for promotion to the senior lecturer professional title (Grade I), code V.07.01.01; possessing good political qualities and professional ethics; not currently under disciplinary action; and not currently subject to any disciplinary regulations as prescribed by the Party and the law.

- Meeting the minimum length of service required for the professional title of Senior Lecturer (Grade II), code V.07.01.02; meeting the standards for training, professional development, and professional competence for the professional title of High-Level Lecturer (Grade I), code V.07.01.01, as stipulated in Clauses 2 and 3 of Article 7 of Circular 40/2020/TT-BGDĐT and amended and supplemented by Circular 04/2022/TT-BGDĐT.

This circular takes effect from June 1, 2024.

Even cars exempt from the initial inspection still have to pay a processing fee.

Circular 11/2024/TT-BGTVT of the Ministry of Transport stipulates the service fees for preparing vehicle documents for motor vehicles exempted from initial inspection and the service fees for reprinting inspection certificates and inspection stickers for motor vehicles, effective from June 15, 2024.

Article 4 of the Circular stipulates that the fee for preparing vehicle documents for motor vehicles exempt from initial inspection is 46,000 VND/vehicle; the fee for reprinting the Inspection Certificate and Inspection Sticker for motor vehicles is 23,000 VND/time/vehicle.

The service fee includes the cost of collecting the fee for issuing the Certificate of Technical Safety and Environmental Protection Inspection for motor vehicles, but excludes value-added tax as stipulated by law.

Vehicle inspection units are obligated to publicly disclose information and post service prices in accordance with the law on pricing, implement tax policies, pay taxes in accordance with current tax laws, and manage taxes.

Consumers can trace the origin of products and goods.

Circular No. 02/2024/TT-BKHCN of the Minister of Science and Technology, regulating the management of product and goods traceability, takes effect from June 1, 2024.

Accordingly, consumers can look up the following information on the National Product and Goods Traceability Portal:

Product name and image; Name and address of the unit producing or selling the product; Production or business period; Brand, trademark, character code and serial number (if any); Product expiration date (if any).

Sample request forms, evaluation reports, appraisal reports, inspection reports, and progress reports on bidding activities.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment issued Circular 07/2024/TT-BKHĐT on sample application forms, evaluation reports, appraisal reports, inspection reports, and reports on the implementation of bidding activities, effective from June 15, 2024.

Specifically, this Circular outlines the sample report on the implementation of bidding activities, which includes the following:

- Sample request form applicable to the standard direct procurement process:

Form 1A: Preparation of tender documents for construction packages; Form 1B: Preparation of tender documents for goods procurement packages; Form 1C: Preparation of tender documents for non-consulting services packages; Form 1D: Preparation of tender documents for consulting services packages.

Specifically, for mixed tenders using the direct contracting method, tenders using international direct contracting or direct procurement, the above templates for preparing the tender documents must be in accordance with the law.

- The bidding process inspection template includes the following forms:

Form 4.1A: Preparing a plan for periodic inspection of bidding activities; Form 4.1B: Preparing a detailed inspection plan; Form 4.2: Preparing a report outline on the status of contractor and investor selection; Form 4.3: Preparing a report on the inspection of contractor and investor selection; Form 4.4: Preparing the conclusion of the inspection of contractor and investor selection; Form 4.5: Preparing a feedback report on the implementation of the inspection conclusion…