National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man described postal services as essential infrastructure for the digital economy and the movement of goods. He made the remarks on October 17 during a group discussion of the draft revised Law on Postal Services at the second session of the 16th legislature.
Man said the proposed shift from preliminary inspection and licensing to registration followed by data-based post-inspection could be a major reform. The draft law reduces 14 administrative procedures to one electronic registration procedure. Management agencies would check whether applications are complete rather than assess their content, while businesses would be responsible for compliance and subsequent inspections.
The approach would reduce barriers to market entry and bring regulation closer to the digital economy, he said. Post-inspection will work only with reliable data and effective monitoring tools. Man proposed clear requirements for sharing minimum data, including postal item identification codes, a mandatory digital transformation roadmap for large enterprises, and technical assistance for smaller companies.
Man called for a clear distinction between postal services, transport, and independent logistics and warehousing activities. Services should be defined by their actual nature rather than their names. More specific quantitative criteria are needed to prevent loopholes and overlapping management responsibilities in the postal sector.
A unique code for each postal item throughout its journey would help shift management from detecting violations to preventing risks, the National Assembly President said. Regulations must balance security requirements with privacy and compliance costs. Risk criteria based on goods' value and type, sender history, and destination should be transparent, while personal data must be protected under the Law on Personal Data Protection.
He stressed the need for financial sustainability and affordable postal access for people in remote, mountainous, border, and island areas. Man proposed identifying services that the market cannot adequately provide and establishing compensation based on actual costs and independent audits. He also supported multi-purpose service points combining public-interest and digital services.
The draft law recognises that postal services are no longer limited to letters and have become infrastructure supporting the digital economy and the movement of goods. Man urged lawmakers to clarify the legal boundaries of postal activities, establish an effective data and post-inspection system, and ensure transparent and sustainable public-service financing while considering business facilitation, consumer protection, and network security.
Deputies also discussed a draft law amending several articles of the Law on Measurement on the morning of October 17. They broadly agreed on the need for the amendments and praised the drafting agency's work.
Deputy Vo Thanh Tung of Hue proposed adding provisions on professional standards, training requirements, conditions for certificate revocation, and the legal responsibilities of individual inspectors. These inspectors directly sign inspection results with significant legal implications.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
