The first phase ended with a five-day break from August 14-18, during which relevant agencies will urgently review, explain, and revise draft laws and resolutions. The NA is scheduled to resume the second phase from August 19-24 to vote on the legislation, with the aim of removing bottlenecks, unlocking resources and creating fresh momentum for national development.
Regarding administrative reform, amendments to the Law on Radio Frequencies will remove licensing requirements deemed unnecessary or already regulated under other laws.
According to Government proposals submitted to the legislature, Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh cities will be formed based on the respective natural areas, populations and numbers of commune-level administrative units of the two provinces. Both proposals meet all five conditions stipulated in the Law on Organisation of Local Administration No. 72/2025/QH15 and all seven criteria for establishing centrally-run cities under Resolution No. 112/2025/UBTVQH15.
Under the proposal, the future cities will retain the existing natural areas, population and numbers of commune-level administrative units of their respective provinces.
The draft Law on Urban Development aims to establish a stable, synchronised and long-term institutional framework for Ho Chi Minh City, other cities and special economic zones, thereby enhancing their role and position as growth poles, nuclei and development hubs of the country, regions and localities.
Most deputies agreed on the need for the law, saying it will help complete the legal framework for implementing Vietnam’s international commitments and proactively prevent, detect and stop the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and related delivery systems.
Lawmakers called on the drafting body to clearly lay out the scope, eligible parties, and implementation guidelines, and to share the list or criteria for determining which projects and works qualify for the special policies.
Presenting the draft law on amending and supplementing several articles of 10 laws concerning administrative procedures and business conditions in the agriculture and environment sector, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung said it is designed to institutionalise the Party's policy of reducing and simplifying administrative procedures and business conditions, while promoting decentralisation, innovation, and more effective state governance.
The draft laws include the Law on Urban Development; the Law on amending and supplementing several articles of 10 laws concerning administrative procedures and business conditions in the agriculture and environment sectors; and the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Radio Frequencies, the Law on Telecommunications, the Law on E-Transactions, and the Law on Technology Transfer.
Presenting the Government’s proposals on the two projects, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh said the proposed Ring Road 5 project aims to develop a modern expressway belt linking Hanoi with surrounding provinces, urban centres, industrial parks and logistics hubs. The project is expected to meet growing transport demand, expand development space, stimulate socio-economic growth, strengthen national defence and security, and ease traffic congestion and environmental pressure.
The draft resolution is designed to provide a legal foundation for implementing the nationally important project, which is expected to play a strategic role in strengthening regional connectivity, easing traffic pressure on downtown Hanoi, expanding space for socio-economic development, and completing the regional expressway network.
The draft amendments to the Law on Vietnamese Guest Workers under Contract aim to strengthen the legal framework and promote decentralisation, science and technology application, digital transformation and the shift from a pre-approval to a post-approval inspection approach while addressing shortcomings in the current law.
During group discussions at the first extraordinary session of the 16th National Assembly (NA), lawmakers said the proposed resolution would institutionalise the Party’s policies on encouraging innovation and protecting officials who dare to think, act and take responsibility for the common good.
The revision of the Petroleum Law should go beyond addressing existing bottlenecks and instead deliver a breakthrough by shifting petroleum policy from offering investment incentives to an approach centred on global competitiveness.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang, presenting the WMD non-proliferation bill, said the draft aims to swiftly and fully translate the Party and State’s policies and guidelines on safeguarding the Fatherland early and from afar, as well as on deeper international integration, into legislation, including the policy of joining multilateral nonproliferation mechanisms.
The NA held a secret ballot on the appointment and later adopted a resolution approving Nguyen Tien Hai as Minister of Home Affairs. The resolution was passed with 483 votes in favour out of 484 deputies participating in the electronic vote, accounting for 96.60% of those present.
The first extraordinary session of the 16th National Assembly (NA) kicked off in Hanoi on August 3, with lawmakers set to consider and decide on a series of items, including 15 draft laws, four draft normative resolutions and a range of major issues concerning national development.
The first extraordinary session of the 16th National Assembly (NA) will deliberate 31 items, including the adoption of 15 draft laws, four draft resolutions, five major issues and first readings of seven additional bills, along with other matters within the NA's authority.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man acknowledged the tight timetable but stressed that meeting deadlines must not come at the expense of legislative quality.
According to the NA Chairman, the legislature will consider and decide on 27 items, including 20 laws and normative resolutions, three major national issues, and first-time discussions on four draft laws.