Affirming that land belongs to the entire people.

On the morning of December 12th, the Office of the President held a press conference to announce the President's Orders promulgating the Land Law; the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Emulation and Commendation; the Law on Citizen Reception; the Employment Law; the Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine; the Law on Practicing Thrift and Combating Waste; the Bidding Law; the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Fire Prevention and Fighting; and the Ordinance amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Ordinance on the Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Support Tools.

Affirming that land belongs to the entire people.

The 2013 Land Law has 14 chapters with 212 articles, an increase of 7 chapters and 66 articles compared to the 2003 Land Law; it came into effect on July 1, 2014. The law has addressed and resolved the shortcomings and limitations that arose during the implementation of the 2003 Land Law.

Illustrative photo: VNA

Building upon the continued affirmation that land belongs to the entire people, with the State acting as the representative owner and managing it uniformly, the 2013 Land Law added many provisions to regulate the rights of the State.

Specific regulations on the State's obligations to land users include provisions on State guarantees for land users; the State's responsibility regarding residential and production land for ethnic minorities and those directly engaged in agricultural production; and the State's responsibility in providing land information to the people.

The 2013 Land Law reformed the basic contents of land surveys, land use planning and plans; land allocation, land leasing, land use conversion; land acquisition, compensation, support, and resettlement; land registration, issuance of land use right certificates, ownership certificates for houses and other assets attached to land…

Titles awarded for outstanding achievements should not be used as a basis for considering commendations.

The amended Law on Emulation and Commendation provides more specific regulations on standards to suit the requirements of reforming emulation and commendation work in the current period.

Of the 103 articles in the current Law on Emulation and Commendation, the amended and supplemented Law covers Chapters I to VI, comprising 47 articles, and adds Article 91a. It also amends the titles of Chapters IV and V, focusing on revising and supplementing the system of standards for emulation titles and forms of commendation. The aim is to raise standards, ensure greater rigor, and avoid using emulation titles as the sole basis for awarding commendations, thereby preventing the accumulation of achievements in the awarding process.

Specifically, the Law establishes specific standards for the forms of awards such as medals, certificates of merit, and commendations for farmers, workers, and direct laborers. The Law amends and supplements several provisions related to general regulations, principles of awarding, the authority to issue emulation titles and awards, and the procedures and documentation for considering the awarding of emulation titles and forms of commendation.

The law came into effect on June 1, 2014.

Enhancing the accountability of officials and civil servants in receiving citizens' complaints.

The Law on Citizen Reception consists of 9 chapters with a total of 36 articles, effective from July 1, 2014. To meet the requirements of citizen reception work in the current period, the Law stipulates the responsibilities of receiving citizens; the rights and obligations of those who come to file complaints, denunciations, petitions, and feedback; the organization of citizen reception activities at the Citizen Reception Office, citizen reception locations of agencies, organizations, and units; and the conditions ensuring the operation of citizen reception activities.

Furthermore, the Law also stipulates that receiving representatives of agencies and organizations who come to file complaints, petitions, or feedback, as well as receiving foreigners who come to file complaints, denunciations, petitions, or feedback, shall be conducted in the same manner as receiving citizens.

The law includes provisions to enhance the accountability of officials and civil servants in receiving citizens' complaints, while also ensuring order and discipline at these locations and preventing the abuse of the right to complain and denounce to disrupt public order.

For the first time, there is a law specifically addressing employment.

The Employment Law comprises 7 chapters and 62 articles, regulating 5 major areas: policies supporting job creation; labor market information; assessment and certification of national vocational skills; organization and operation of employment services; and unemployment insurance. The law came into effect on January 1, 2015.

This is the first time Vietnam has had a law on employment that regulates all Vietnamese citizens aged 15 and above who are capable of working and have a need for work.

This also marks the first time that labor market information has been regulated in a legal document, contributing to the development of a dynamic, competitive, transparent, and unified labor market.

Regarding the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Employment Law retains the current regulations but incorporates and amends the provisions on the level of state support, stipulating that the state will provide a maximum of 1% of the monthly wage fund used for unemployment insurance contributions of participating workers, based on the fund's surplus at each period.

The unemployment insurance fund is managed centrally, uniformly, openly, transparently, securely, and is protected by the State.

Adding some principles on pest control.

The fundamental new content in the Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine includes the addition of several principles on pest control, following the principle of prevention being paramount; applying integrated pest management measures in a sustainable manner, prioritizing biological control, using pest-resistant plant varieties, technical cultivation methods, and good agricultural practices; and using pesticides according to the "four correct principles" to ensure effectiveness, safety for people, food safety, minimize environmental pollution, and protect ecosystems.

The law also specifically stipulates a number of state policies such as policies on investment in research and application of modern biotechnology to create biological pesticides, less toxic pesticides, pest-resistant plant varieties, and sustainable pest management measures…

The law has 5 chapters and 77 articles; it came into effect on January 1, 2015.

Clarifying the scope of application of the Law on Practicing Thrift and Combating Waste

With 5 chapters and 80 articles, the Law on Practicing Thrift and Combating Waste (amended) has restructured and clarified the scope of regulation regarding: practicing thrift and combating waste in the management and use of state budget, state capital, state assets, labor, and working time in the state sector; practicing thrift and combating waste in the management, exploitation, and use of resources; and practicing thrift and combating waste in the production, business, and consumption activities of organizations, households, and individuals.

Corresponding to its scope of regulation, the Law stipulates that the subjects of regulation include three groups: Agencies, organizations, and individuals managing and using state budget, state capital, state assets, labor, and working time in the state sector; agencies, organizations, households, and individuals managing, exploiting, and using resources; and other organizations, households, and individuals. The Law came into effect on July 1, 2014.

Helping Vietnamese contractors acquire advanced technology and management experience.

The 2013 Law on Bidding consists of 13 chapters and 96 articles, built on the basis of a comprehensive revision of the 2005 Law on Bidding; it came into effect on July 1, 2014.

The law prioritizes the development of human resources, creating opportunities for domestic contractors to win bids and create jobs for domestic workers. It provides incentives for domestic contractors and goods to implement the Politburo's policy of "Encouraging Vietnamese people to prioritize using Vietnamese goods," while gradually helping Vietnamese contractors acquire advanced technology and management experience, become self-reliant, and enhance their capacity and competitiveness to eventually become independent contractors undertaking large, high-tech, and complex projects not only in the Vietnamese market but also in the international market.

The law includes several new provisions regarding the simplification of contractor and investor selection procedures; appropriate methods for evaluating bid documents; contractor selection in centralized procurement; and selection of contractors for supplying medicines and medical supplies, etc.

Enhancing citizens' responsibility in fire prevention and firefighting.

The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Fire Prevention and Fighting has amended and supplemented 33 articles out of a total of 65 articles of the Law on Fire Prevention and Fighting; effective from July 1, 2014.

The law has added more specific and clearer regulations on the responsibilities of heads of agencies, organizations, household heads, and individuals in directing, disseminating information, organizing implementation, inspecting, and supervising compliance with the law on fire prevention and fighting.

The supplementary law strictly prohibits the illegal bringing of flammable and explosive goods and substances into crowded places, and the failure to report a fire when conditions permit; and the delay in reporting a fire.

This regulation aims to prevent the risk of fire and explosions, ensuring the safety and health of people and the property of agencies, organizations, and individuals in crowded places; and at the same time, to raise the awareness and responsibility of citizens in fire prevention and firefighting.

Expanding the scope of entities permitted to manufacture and trade industrial explosives.

The Ordinance amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Ordinance on the management and use of weapons, explosives and supporting tools, effective from March 1, 2014, has expanded the scope of entities permitted to produce and trade industrial explosives to include state-owned enterprises assigned by the Prime Minister at the request of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of National Defense (previously, it required 100% state-owned enterprises assigned by the Prime Minister at the request of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of National Defense).

The ordinance has added weapons to the Fisheries Surveillance Force under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to Vietnam+