National Assembly approves four draft laws

Continuing the National Assembly (NA)’s ongoing 11th session, NA deputies passed four important draft Laws on the morning of April 6.

The NA adopted four draft laws on April 6. (Credit: NDO)
The NA adopted four draft laws on April 6. (Credit: NDO)

The drafts included Laws on Access to Information, Pharmaceutical Law (revised); Law on amendments and supplements to some articles of the Laws on Value-Added Tax; Laws on Excise Tax and Tax Adminsitration; and Law on Export-Import Tariffs (revised).

With 88.46% of votes, the Law on Access to Information, consisting of five-chapters and 37 articles, will take effect from July 1, 2018.

It stipulates the citizens’ right to access information; principles, order and procedures for accessing information; and responsibilities and obligations of State agencies in ensuring the citizens’ right to access information.

The right of access to information is limited in cases for national defence and security, social order and safety, social ethics and community health. The implementation of this right must not infringe upon national interests as well as the rights and legitimate interests of other people.

With a majority of yes votes - 88.06% of the total deputies - the NA adopted the Pharmaceutical Law (revised), including 14 chapters and 116 articles. It will take effect from January 1, 2017, applying to both domestic and foreign agencies, organisations and individuals related to pharmaceutical activities in Vietnam.

The Law regulates the State’s policies on pharmacy and development of the pharmaceutical industry; pharmaceutical practice and business; registration, circulation and withdrawal of drugs and drug raw materials; traditional herbs and medicines; prescription and use of drugs; drug information, pharmacovigilance and advertising drugs; and clinical pharmacy.

The adopted Law also stipulates drug management in health check-ups and treatment facilities; clinical trials bioequivalence testing of the drugs; management of drug quality, drug materials and drug prices. Notably, under the Law, each individual is only granted one pharmaceutical practice certificate.

On the same day, 86.64% of NA deputies agreed to pass the Law on amendments and supplements to some articles of the Laws on Value-Added Tax. The four-chapter law will take effect from July 1, 2016; however the Paragraph 4 of Article 3 will become effective as from September 1, 2016.

In addition, the draft Law on Export-Import Tariffs (revised), consisting of five chapters and 22 articles, was adopted with 91.30% of votes. This law will take effect from September 1, 2016; meanwhile the Law No. 45/2005/QH11 will expire as the revised law become effective.