Guidelines on applications and procedures for issuance of environmental license in Vietnam

According to Article 43 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 of Vietnam, applications and procedures for issuance of environmental license are specified as follows:

An application for issuance of an environmental license includes:

- An application form;

- A report on proposal for issuance of the environmental license;

- Legal and technical documentation of the investment project, business, dedicated area for production, business operation and service provision or industrial cluster.

Procedures for issuance of the environmental license are as follows:

- An investment project/business owner shall send an application for issuance of the environmental license to the competent authority specified in Article 41 hereof. The application may be submitted in person or by post or through the online public service system;

- The licensing authority shall receive the application and inspect its adequacy and validity; make publicly available contents of the report on proposal for issuance of the environmental license, except for information classified as state secrets or enterprise's secrets as prescribed by law; consult relevant organizations and individuals; carry out a site inspection of the investment project, business, dedicated area for production, business operation and service provision or industrial cluster; carry out appraisal and issue the environmental license. The sequence of receiving and handling administrative procedures shall be followed in person, by post or through the online public service system at the request of the investment project/business owner;

- If the investment project, business, dedicated area for production, business operation and service provision or industrial cluster discharges wastewater into a hydraulic structure, the licensing authority shall collect written comments and reach an agreement with the regulatory body managing such hydraulic structure before issuing the environmental license;

- If the investment project or business is located within a dedicated area for production, business operation and service provision or industrial cluster, the licensing authority shall collect written comments of the investor in construction and commercial operation of such dedicated area for production, business operation and service provision or industrial cluster before issuing the environmental license.

View more details at the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 of Vietnam, effective from January 01, 2022.

Ty Na

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