Hanoi (VNA) – The 16th National Assembly (NA) on October 20 heard reports and verification reports on two draft laws aimed at amending several provisions of the laws on commerce, competition, foreign trade management and consumer protection, and the Law on Electricity, as part of its second session.
Promoting a healthy business environment
Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung said the draft law amending the four laws seeks to institutionalise the Party’s policies, address legal obstacles, simplify administrative procedures, strengthen decentralisation and delegation of authority, and improve the business environment.
The six-article bill proposes amendments and supplements to existing regulations, while abolishing unnecessary administrative procedures and business conditions. It also expands decentralisation across the four laws and streamlines procedures in foreign trade management and competition.
Presenting the verification report, Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the NA Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs, said the committee agreed to amend the four laws to remove institutional bottlenecks, promote administrative reform and meet the requirements of digital economy development.
The committee called for further reviews to ensure consistency with the Civil Code and laws on investment, enterprises, e-commerce, data and customs, as well as international treaties to which Vietnam is a party. Decentralisation should be accompanied by accountability, supervision and adequate implementation resources, while administrative procedures should be further digitised and shared databases developed.
Regarding commercial promotion limits and maximum discount rates, the committee recommended clear, transparent and predictable rules, particularly for transactions on digital platforms where multiple promotional schemes may apply simultaneously. It also called for clear distinctions between such practices and violations involving abuse of market dominance or unfair competition.
On consumer protection, the committee supported giving consumers greater control over personal information collection and use. It stressed the need to align the draft with personal data protection regulations, particularly those governing consent, withdrawal of consent and the handling of data belonging to minors and vulnerable consumers.
Institutionalising energy security policies
The draft Law on amendments and supplements to certain articles of the Law on Electricity aims to implement new policies on energy security and address bottlenecks in power planning, investment, investor selection, electricity pricing and market operations. It also seeks to ensure reasonable, transparent electricity prices, simplify administrative procedures, and improve legal consistency.
The three-article draft proposes revising 27 existing articles and repealing three others, alongside related amendments to ensure consistency.
Presenting the verification report, Nguyen Thanh Hai, Chairwoman of the NA Committee on Science, Technology and Environment, broadly supported the amendments, saying they will help resolve practical difficulties, strengthen decentralisation and reduce administrative procedures and business conditions in the power sector.
However, she noted that the Law on Electricity had only been revised in 2024 and taken effect on February 1, 2025. Further amendments within a short period could undermine legal stability and predictability, particularly in a sector requiring substantial investment and long project implementation periods.
The committee urged the Government to focus on genuinely urgent issues supported by clear political, legal and practical grounds. Policies with major impacts should undergo comprehensive assessment before being incorporated into law, while the legislative process must strictly guard against corruption, abuse of power and group interests./.
