National Assembly to consider and adopt new laws

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan told the legislature’s members at the opening ceremony that the 26-day session will adopt four bills and one resolution, and a review of 13 bills and one resolution.

During the session, the National Assembly will also review, debate, and give opinion on a number of socioeconomic reports from 2016 and decide on a development direction for 2017. Additionally, as an equally daunting task, the legislature is running up to dealing with budgetary issues for 2016 and 2017.

Other items on the agenda include the financial plan for the next five years; mid-term public investment in 2016-2020 ; objectives and directions of mobilisation and using of loans and management of public debts in 2016-2020; crime prevention, enforcement of judicial decisions, and combating corruption; as well as preventing and tackling environmental incidents. Notably, the legislature will review a report on the East Sea issue.

“The second session of the 14th National Assembly will be very important for Vietnam to begin the implementation of the Socioeconomic Development Plan for the 2016-2020 period,” Ngan said.

The government reported to the National Assembly that the economy is expected to grow 6.3-6.5 per cent this year.

The economy continues producing steady quarter-on-quarter growth, from 5.48 per cent in the first quarter to 5.78 per cent in the second quarter, and 6.4 per cent in the third quarter.

“The economy is recovering and enterprises’ confidence is rising,” said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who read the report.

Notably, Vietnam’s total import turnover reached $125 million in this year’s first nine months, up 1.3 per cent year-on-year, despite a slight 0.5 per cent fall during the first half of the year.

Meanwhile, the total nine-month export turnover hit $128 billion, up 6.7 per cent as compared with a 5.7 per cent rise in this year’s first half.

In addition to over 20,500 enterprises resuming operations, this year’s first nine months also saw nearly 81,500 newly-established enterprises, registered at an aggregate VND629.1 trillion ($28.6 billion), up 19.2 and 49.5 per cent respectively, year-on-year.

Codes, bills, and resolutions to be adopted:
- Law on Associations
- Law on Faith and Religion
- Law on Property Auctions
- Criminal Code (amended)
- Resolution on Elimination and Reduction of Tax on Using of Agricultural Land (amended)

Bills and resolution to be reviewed:
- Law on Railways (amended)
- Law on External Trade Management
- Law on Management and Using of Firearms, Explosive Equipment and Supporting Tools
- Law on Supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
- Law on Management and Usage of State Property (amended)
- Law on Irrigation
- Law on Technology Transfer (amended)
- Law on Compensation Responsibility of the State (amended)
- Law on Guardianship
- Law on Tourism (amended)
- Law on Legal Aid (amended)
- Law on Planning
- Law on Amending and Supplementing Some Laws on Investment and Business
- Resolution on Issuance of Electronic Visa for Foreigners Travelling to Vietnam