The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee held its 31 st session on September 22, with a focus on the draft Civil Code, one of the most important laws in Vietnam’s legal framework.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, since it came into force eight years ago, the Code has positively impacted on the country’s socio-economic development as well as the protection of the legal system.

However, some shortcomings have emerged that must be addressed in order to meet the prerequisites of a law-governed state.

The current draft comprises 672 articles, shorter than the 2009 Civil Code at 777, with some articles carried over directly and others being adjusted, as well as some completely new ones, he said.

Feedback on the bill from government agencies, legal experts, organisations and members will be collected and discussed in three NA meetings, he said.

The adjustments and additions to the Civil Code aim to recognise and observe the rights of individuals and organisations in the civil realm, contributing to completing the socialist-oriented market economy regulations, and stabilising the legal framework for the country’s socio-economic development after the constitutional reform, he said.

Addressing the opening event, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung urged members of the committee to carefully consider the content of the document, so that it could be discussed in detail during the upcoming 8 th NA meeting.

He emphasised the need to update the Civil Code in accordance with the new Constitution, focussing on increasing citizens’ rights.

The revised law must be of the same high standard as the current Civil Code and include practical and realistic implementation measures, he stated.

Members of the committee also agreed to launch a public consultation process as a contribution to the final draft.-VNA