Notable documents of Vietnam in the previous week (from December 4 to December 10, 2023)

National Assembly of Vietnam agrees to reduce VAT by 2% from January 1, 2024 until June 30, 2024 

On November 29, 2023, the 15th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam promulgated Resolution No. 110/2023/QH15 in the 6th meeting session.

According to the Resolution, the National Assembly of Vietnam agrees to reduce VAT by 2% for goods and services prescribed in Point a Section 1.1 Clause 1 Article 3 of Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 of the National Assembly of Vietnam on fiscal and monetary policies supporting the socio-economic development and recovery program from January 1, 2024 until June 30, 2024. 

Additionally, in the 6th meeting session, the National Assembly of Vietnam also approved the following 7 laws: Law on Identity; Law on Real Estate Business; Law on Base Security and Order Protection Units; Law on Housing; Law on Management and Protection of National Defense Works and Military Zones; Law on Water Resources; Law on Telecommunications. 

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam is assigned to disseminate and implement the mentioned laws. 

See more details in Resolution No. 110/2023/QH15, effective as of November 29, 2023. 

New regulation of Vietnam on health standards for military services from January 1, 2024 

On December 6, 2023, the Minister of National Defense of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 105/2023/TT-BQP on health standards and health checkups for subjects under the management of the Ministry. 

Specifically, from January 1, 2024, regulations on health standards for military services are as follows: 

- General standards

+ Health levels 1, 2, and 3 according to Article 5 and Article 6 of Circular No. 105/2023/TT-BQP;

+ Citizens addicted to drugs or drug precursors prescribed in Decree No. 57/2022/ND-CP on the list of drugs and drug precursors shall not be enlisted.

- Private standards: decided by the Minister of National Defense of Vietnam. 

Previously, regulations on health standards for military services prescribed in Clause 3 Article 4 of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP were as follows: 

- + Citizens with health levels 1, 2, and 3 shall be selected according to Joint Circular No. 16/2016/TTLT-BYT-BQP.

- Regarding authorities, agencies, and positions prescribed in Point b Clause 2 Article 4 of Circular No. 148/2018/TT-BQP, the selection shall comply with the private standards according to the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam.

- Citizens with health level 3 regarding eye refractive errors (myopia of 1,5 diopters or more, farsightedness of all levels) or addicted to drugs, infected with HIV or AIDS shall not be enlisted.

See more details in Circular No. 105/2023/TT-BQP, which comes into force as of January 1, 2024 and replaces Joint Circular No. 16/2016/TTLT-BYT-BQP.

3 cases of deduction of scores of entrance exams of officials in Vietnam 

On November 29, 2023, the Minister of Home Affairs of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BNV on the Internal Provisions and Regulations on Organization of Entrance Exams for Officials. 

An entrance exam for officials is organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam to assess and recognize the necessary base knowledge of candidates before they participate in the recruitment of officials by competent authorities.

Candidates that fall into the following cases shall be subject to a deduction of the score of their entrance exams: 

 (i) A candidate who is reprimanded while taking the exam shall receive a 25% deduction of the total score for correct answers to his/her exam paper. 

Reprimanded acts include: 

+ Deliberately sitting in a seat contrary to the one allotted by the candidate number;

+ Repeatedly exchanging with another candidate after being warned. 

+ Bringing mobile phones, audio recorders, cameras, computers, information receivers and transmitters, data backup devices, other information storage and transmission equipment, and papers and documents related to the exam contents to the exam room. 

 (ii) A candidate subject to a warning while taking the exam shall receive a 50% deduction of the total score for correct answers to his/her exam paper.

Acts subject to warning include: 

+ Exchanging exam papers or draft papers with other candidates. 

+ Using documents, mobile phones, audio recorders, cameras, computers, information receivers and transmitters, data backup devices, and other information storage and transmission equipment in the exam room (unless otherwise prescribed by regulations). 

 (iii) When summarizing the results, the Secretary of the Inspection Council shall, based on the violation handling records prepared by invigilators and reports from heads of invigilation committees, submit reports to the President of the Inspection Council for assessment and decision on the deduction of scores for correct answers regarding cases prescribed in (i) and (ii). 

See more details in Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BNV, effective as of January 15, 2024. 

Time of provision of credit information for CIC from 2025 in Vietnam 

This is a content of Circular No. 15/2023/TT-NHNN on credit information operations of the State Bank of Vietnam promulgated by the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam. 

According to the Circular, the time of the provision of target groups for CIC as prescribed in Clause 1 Article 9 of Circular No. 15/2023/TT-NHNN is as follows: 

 (1) Credit institutions shall carry out the provision following the frequency prescribed in the system of credit information targets enclosed with the Decision of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, except for (2) and (3). 

 (2) The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies shall carry out the provision twice a month.

 (3) The People’s Credit Fund and microfinance institutions shall carry out the provision once a month. 

Previously, according to Article 8 of Circular No. 03/2013/TT-NHNN, regulations on the time of credit information provision for CIC were as follows:  

- Provision of arising data shall be carried out within 3 working days from the date such data arises is applicable to the following information target groups: 

+ Information target groups prescribed in Points a, b, and g Clause 1 Article 7 of Circular No. 03/2013/TT-NHNN when there are new borrowers; 

+ Information target groups prescribed in Points a and b Clause 1 Article 7 of Circular No. 03/2013/TT-NHNN when at least one target in the group is changed. 

- Information target groups prescribed in Points c, d, e, and h Clause 1 Article 7 of Circular No. 03/2013/TT-NHNN shall be provided within 5 working days from the last day of the preceding month. 

- Information target groups prescribed in Point g Clause 1 Article 7 of Circular No. 03/2013/TT-NHNN shall be provided before April 30 of the following year. 

- The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, People’s Credit Fund, and microfinance institutions shall provide arising data in a month within 5 working days from the last day of the preceding month.

See more details in Circular No. 15/2023/TT-NHNN, effective as of January 1, 2025. 

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