Legislative reforms expected to lay foundations for Vietnam’s next growth phase

The session is of particular significance as Vietnam enters a new phase of development marked by growing demands for institutional reform, resource mobilisation and sustainable economic growth. Lawmakers are expected to consider 33 agenda items, including a series of draft laws and resolutions directly affecting the business environment, investment climate and governance framework.

It is also the first extraordinary session of the 16th National Assembly, taking place shortly after the 14th National Party Congress and the third plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee, both of which identified institutional reform as one of Vietnam’s foremost strategic priorities.

Institutions as engines of growth

As Vietnam pursues higher-quality development, institutions are expected to play a broader role than simply regulating society. A transparent, stable and coherent legal framework can strengthen investor confidence, mobilise private-sector resources, foster innovation and digital transformation, and enhance national competitiveness.

Conversely, overlapping regulations, inconsistent legal provisions and cumbersome administrative procedures continue to constrain economic activity and discourage investment. Addressing these bottlenecks has therefore become increasingly urgent as Vietnam seeks to sustain rapid growth and achieve its long-term development ambitions.

This also places new demands on lawmaking. Legislation is expected not only to regulate existing social and economic relations but also to provide space for emerging industries, new technologies and future growth models.

Legislating for development

That approach is reflected throughout the agenda of the extraordinary session.

The National Assembly is scheduled to adopt 15 draft laws and four legally binding resolutions, provide first readings for seven additional bills and decide on a range of major national issues.

Many of the proposed measures focus directly on improving the investment and business environment. They include reforms to conditional business sectors, streamlined administrative procedures in agriculture and environmental management, special mechanisms to promote innovation, digital transformation, science and technology, and solutions to long-standing obstacles affecting major development projects.

These are among the issues most closely watched by businesses and the public.

Companies are looking for a more transparent and predictable investment environment, simpler administrative procedures, lower compliance costs and quicker resolution of overlapping regulations that have limited production, investment and innovation.

The decision to convene an extraordinary session reflects the National Assembly's determination to respond promptly to urgent practical needs while working alongside the Government to remove institutional constraints on development.

Behind each draft law lies months of preparation involving field surveys, expert consultations, policy workshops and feedback from businesses and affected stakeholders, underscoring a growing emphasis on legislative quality and practical implementation.

Laws must deliver results

Passing legislation, however, is only the beginning. In remarks ahead of the session, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed that its success should not be measured simply by the number of laws and resolutions adopted, but by whether those decisions effectively remove bottlenecks, unlock resources, promote development and improve people’s livelihoods.

His message reinforces a broader principle that legislation must be closely linked to implementation.

Experience has shown that even well-crafted laws can lose effectiveness if implementing regulations are delayed or enforcement remains inconsistent. Such gaps not only weaken public policy but also reduce opportunities for businesses and citizens.

For that reason, alongside refining draft legislation, authorities need to prepare implementing regulations in parallel, strengthen policy impact assessments and ensure meaningful consultation with businesses, experts and affected communities.

Greater discipline in law enforcement is equally important. Implementing decrees and circulars should be ready as soon as new laws take effect, while the National Assembly should continue strengthening oversight to ensure that legislation delivers tangible results in practice.

Ultimately, legislation is not merely about drafting legal provisions, it is about creating the conditions for development. The true value of a law lies not in the number of articles it contains or the margin by which it is approved, but in its ability to improve governance, facilitate business activity and raise people’s quality of life.

The first extraordinary session of Vietnam’s 16th National Assembly therefore represents more than a response to immediate policy needs. It also signals a legislative approach centred on development, people and businesses, with implementation serving as the ultimate measure of success.

16th National Assembly opens first extraordinary session in Hanoi

VOV.VN - The 16th National Assembly of Vietnam opened its first extraordinary session in Hanoi on August 3 to deliberate a broad legislative agenda, special policy mechanisms and key personnel matters aimed at implementing the Party’s major decisions and supporting the country’s next stage of development.