At a group discussion on October 23, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra spoke about the draft Law on the Promulgation of Legal Documents and the implementation of Resolution No. 206 on a special mechanism for resolving difficulties caused by legal regulations.
Adding an emergency response mechanism
The new Law on Legal Documents was adopted in 2025 after Vietnam reorganized its state apparatus. It was intended to address emerging issues and remove bottlenecks in the legal system, including those linked to restructuring the entire political system.
The deputy prime minister said the law adopted at that time provided a flexible and proactive way to deal with institutional issues.
On one hand, the law supported the operation of the political system after the reorganization. On the other, it helped remove legal bottlenecks and support development, she said.
Referring to Politburo Conclusion No. 09 on completing Vietnam's legal system structure, Pham Thi Thanh Tra said the current draft follows the direction of competent authorities and practical requirements.
She identified three main changes in the draft: the format of legal documents, simpler procedures and dossiers for preparing laws and ordinances, and an emergency response mechanism for issues that arise.
A notable change is that resolutions of the National Assembly and the government would no longer be classified as legal normative documents, she said.
The draft should define more clearly when a law is needed to address urgent practical requirements instead of relying on current National Assembly or government resolutions, she added.
Clearer divisions of responsibility would make implementation easier at all levels, she said.
Proposal to continue legislative delegation
Discussing the implementation of Resolution No. 206, the deputy prime minister called it a historic resolution intended to address major issues after the state apparatus reform.
She said the government had carried out an important task and helped advance the principle that local authorities decide, implement and take responsibility.
Since March 2025, 6,916 administrative procedures have been cut, simplified or delegated to another level, including more than 3,000 business conditions. Pham Thi Thanh Tra said these measures had removed major difficulties for people and businesses.
The government is again proposing a legislative delegation mechanism, which the deputy prime minister described as a common trend, particularly in developed countries.
She cited the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and China as examples. In the United Kingdom, legislative authority may be delegated each year to address up to 1,000 legislative matters, she said.
Pham Thi Thanh Tra said rapid, complex and unpredictable global developments can affect Vietnam's open economy. Without legislative delegation, new issues could therefore create immediate difficulties for the authorities.
If the mechanism is not continued, resolving practical issues will become difficult because the country is in a transition period after the state apparatus reorganization and is operating a two-tier local administration system, she said.
The deputy prime minister said the entire system was still being refined and supplemented to improve the quality and effectiveness of the political system and support sustainable development.
She stressed that legislative delegation was necessary for the National Assembly, the government and two-tier local authorities.
The government is working to complete the legal system after the delegation of powers, decentralization, division of responsibilities and simplification of administrative procedures. Because of the volume of work, the original target of March 2027 cannot be met. The government has therefore proposed extending the deadline to the end of December 2027.
Pham Thi Thanh Tra stressed that quality, stability and effective enforcement must be maintained. She said the government would work to issue detailed implementing documents promptly after the National Assembly passes the law.
Sources: Dân Trí
