Ministry of Construction to streamline permit procedures for approved projects

In a directive issued to member units recently, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh called for urgent reforms aimed at simplifying the permit process, especially for investment projects that already meet detailed planning or urban design criteria.

The Ministry of Construction plans to ease permit procedures for projects with approved 1/500 detailed planning, aiming to cut red tape and speed up approvals. (Photo: VNA)
The Ministry of Construction plans to ease permit procedures for projects with approved 1/500 detailed planning, aiming to cut red tape and speed up approvals. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Ministry of Construction is moving to reduce administrative procedures for projects with approved 1/500 detailed planning, as part of a push to cut red tape and boost efficiency in the construction sector.

In a directive issued to member units recently, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh called for urgent reforms aimed at simplifying the permit process, especially for investment projects that already meet detailed planning or urban design criteria.

Agencies under the ministry have been instructed to take a hands-on approach to reviewing and cutting administrative procedures within their respective areas. The goal is to reduce processing times, compliance costs, and business conditions by at least 30 per cent within 2025.

Among the proposed reforms is a shift from a licensing model to a self-declaration mechanism for construction firms. Under this approach, businesses would confirm their own compliance with regulatory conditions, with authorities carrying out post-inspections instead of pre-approvals. This move is expected to reduce costs and paperwork for enterprises while maintaining oversight.

The Ministry of Construction is also working to narrow the scope of projects that require appraisals by specialised construction agencies, and to amend regulations governing unit prices and cost norms, especially in transport infrastructure projects, aiming to ease bottlenecks in project execution.

In parallel, a review of construction-related technical standards and regulations is underway. The ministry is seeking to identify additional standards needed to support planning and investment, as well as to scrap outdated rules that may cause inefficiencies or unnecessary expenses.

Digital transformation is also high on the agenda. The ministry’s Information Technology Centre is developing a plan to promote digitalisation and automation in administrative processes, including the creation of a centralised database to speed up application processing and reduce paperwork. This plan is expected to be finalised by the end of July.

In addition, the ministry is preparing a proposal to further simplify procedures related to business and investment activities in the construction sector. Once finalised, the proposal will be submitted to the Prime Minister after consultation with other ministries and localities.

Progress on the reforms will be tracked and reported monthly to the Government and the Prime Minister./.

VNA

See more

The fruit and vegetable sector is also set to hit a record, with exports projected at around 8.5 billion USD in 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Agro-forestry-fishery exports poised to hit record high in 2025

Agro-forestry-aquatic exports totalled 64.01 billion USD in the first 11 months of 2025. If performance in the final month matches that of recent months, the figure could approach 70 billion USD, far exceeding the 65-billion-USD target set for the year.

A view of Dinh Vu port in Hai Phong city. (Photo: VNA)

Circular on domestic maritime transport permits for foreign vessels issued

Under the circular, which will take effect from February 1 next year, the Minister of Construction will grant the permits for cases such as transporting oversized or overweight cargo or other types of goods using specialised vessels; clearing congested cargo, passengers, and luggage at ports when Vietnamese ships are unable to handle them; and conducting disaster relief, disease control, or emergency humanitarian aid.

At a tax office in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Decree regulates corporate income tax incentives

A CIT rate of 15% applies to enterprises with a total revenue in the preceding year of not more than 3 billion VND (114,000 USD), while a CIT rate of 17% applies to enterprises with a total revenue in the preceding year of over 3 billion VND but not more than 50 billion VND.

Ho Chi Minh City’s downtown area and the Thu Thiem peninsula, where the International Financial Centre is being developed. (Photo: VNA)

GOE Alliance commits to partnering with HCM City IFC

The GOE Alliance was officially launched at the Autumn Economic Forum in November 2025, bringing together technology firms, financial institutions, policy experts and international partners, including Viettel Digital Services, Dragon Capital, Tether, Ava Labs, Sky Mavis, Republic and Onchain Academy. The alliance aims to pilot on-chain economic models within a policy-oriented legal framework.

Vietnam's foreign trade is projected to hit a record of over 900 billion USD in 2025, positioning the country among the top 15 global trade powers. - Illustrative image (Photo: dantri.vn)

Vietnam joins elite group of 15 largest trading countries

The country recorded its first trade surplus in 2012 and has maintained a continuous streak of surplus for 10 years since 2016. The surplus grew steadily, hitting 19.9 billion USD in 2020, a record of 28.3 billion USD in 2023, and 24.9 billion USD in 2024.

Officials visit a booth at the festival. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam OCOP Festival 2025 opens in Hanoi

The festival functions as a space to bring together regional OCOP excellence, a forum connecting OCOP stakeholders with distributors, investors, experts and consumers, and a platform to spread pride in indigenous culture, local knowledge, and the aspiration for legitimate prosperity.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (third from right) and officials launch the Ministry of Construction’s new information technology systems at the conference on December 21. (Photo: VNA)

Modern, comprehensive infrastructure – a need for fast, sustainable development: PM

The Party and State continue to define infrastructure development as one of the three strategic breakthroughs, with priority given to building comprehensive and modern infrastructure, particularly transport facilities, technological infrastructure, and green – digital transition infrastructure, to help realise the national target of double-digit growth, the PM said.