Prime Minister Le Minh Hung chaired the Government's August law-building session on August 18 to discuss 12 draft laws and resolutions scheduled for consideration and approval at the second session of the 16th National Assembly.
Participants looked into 11 draft laws and one draft resolution, including laws amending and supplementing several articles of laws on non-agricultural land use tax and corporate income tax; natural resources tax; securities; accounting and independent auditing; the Labour Code; and laws on archives, gender equality, Red Cross activities and employment.
They also gave opinions on the Law on Occupational Safety and Hygiene (amended); the law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Social Insurance; the law on protection of key facilities related to national security; the law amending and supplementing several articles of laws on management and use of weapons, explosive materials and support instruments, and fire prevention, firefighting and rescue; the law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Electricity; the law amending and supplementing several articles of the laws on children, persons with disabilities, medical examination and treatment, pharmaceuticals, and prevention of alcohol-related harm.
It also considered a draft NA resolution on special mechanisms and policies for handling legal violations related to foreign-invested economic activities.
PM Hung said many of the bills amend a number of laws simultaneously, requiring particular attention to the consistency, coherence and feasibility of the legal system. As they directly affect the investment and business environment and people's and enterprises' rights and interests, the drafts must also meet requirements for management reform, stronger decentralisation, digital transformation and more effective law enforcement, he stated.
The Government leader asked ministers and sector leaders to directly oversee the incorporation of Government members' comments, the Ministry of Justice's appraisal and the session's conclusions.
They were told to conduct comprehensive reviews to ensure constitutionality, legality, consistency and feasibility, and urgently complete high-quality dossiers for submission to the NA. The Government basically agreed on the need to amend the documents discussed at the session.
At the session, the PM gave directions on the development of specific bills.
For the law amending and supplementing several articles of laws on non-agricultural land use tax and corporate income tax, the PM said that tax policies must be consistent with land and education laws, while financial obligations imposed on organisations and individuals must be assessed for their full impact and regulated transparently and feasibly. He also called for appropriate tax incentives for school meal providers and simple, easy-to-apply tax policies.
Looking ahead, he asked ministers and sector leaders with bills scheduled for consideration at the second phase of the first extraordinary session of the NA, to begin on August 19, to focus on incorporating and explaining feedback, closely follow the session agenda and work with the NA Standing Committee and NA agencies to promptly resolve contentious contents and fully respond to deputies' opinions. The aim is to secure broad approval for the draft laws and resolutions.
Ministries and sectors must also urgently complete dossiers for bills to be submitted at the second session of the 16th NA, ensuring quality and progress.
In preparation for the Government's second specialised law-building session in August, the PM asked ministers and sector leaders to prioritise resources to complete dossiers for important bills, including the Law on Legal Documents, which will replace the existing law; the amended Law on Bidding; the Law on Cultural Industry Development; and the law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Intellectual Property.
Regarding a comprehensive review of the legal system, ministries and sectors were asked to urgently identify and address contradictory, overlapping and inadequate provisions, with particular attention to regulations related to the Land Law, which is due to be amended.
