Knowledge base

Decree 147/2026/ND-CP, issued by the Government on May 7, 2026, provides detailed guidance for implementing National Assembly Resolution 29/2026/QH16, which sets out special mechanisms to resolve stalled and prolonged land projects tied to land-law violations that occurred before the 2024 Land Law took effect. The decree covers three main areas: correcting land-use certificates that were issued improperly, allowing continued land allocation or leasing for projects with investor-selection or land-management violations, and handling investment projects on land the State had wrongly recovered. For businesses, the most practically important provisions concern how additional land-use fees and land-rent payments are calculated when land-use purpose is adjusted, based on the difference between the new and old land prices at the time of adjustment, plus the procedures, required documents, and timelines for coordination among the Department of Construction, Department of Finance, Department of Agriculture and Environment, and the Land Registration Office. Investors whose projects face land-related legal issues from before the 2024 Land Law, such as incorrectly issued certificates, improper land recovery, or investor-selection violations, should review their project files to determine whether they qualify for this special mechanism. The decree took effect May 7, 2026 and remains in force until the special mechanisms under Resolution 29/2026/QH16 expire. Real estate developers and foreign investors with stalled projects should proactively contact the provincial Department of Finance or Department of Agriculture and Environment for specific procedural guidance.

On 6 May 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung (on behalf of the Prime Minister) signed Decision No. 808/QD-TTg assigning 20 strategic technology development tasks, each tied to a major national problem, to 10 ministries and central agencies for 2026-2030: the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment, Industry and Trade, Health, Construction, Education and Training, National Defense, Public Security, Science and Technology, the State Bank of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. The task list follows the Strategic Technology List issued under Decision No. 21/2026/QD-TTg, spanning gene-edited crop and livestock breeds, next-generation veterinary and human vaccines, cell therapy, 3D-printed medical devices, energy security and smart grids, industrial self-reliance, high-speed rail construction, an AI-powered national education platform, a drone traffic management (UTM) system, sovereign domestic cloud computing, cybersecurity, sovereign AI capability, 5G/5G-Advanced networks, AI-based banking supervision, and earth-observation satellites. Each lead ministry must work with enterprises, research institutes, universities, and localities to finalize task scope and output targets by 30 June 2026, then organize implementation and remain accountable for progress and deliverables. Funding comes from the state budget (through the National Science and Technology Development Fund, the National Technology Innovation Fund, and ministries' annual budget estimates), combined with capital contributed by participating businesses, organizations, and the private sector. The Decision takes effect from its signing date (6 May 2026). This is an internal administrative decision assigning research-and-development tasks to state agencies, not a legal instrument on tax, e-invoicing, customs, or labor, so it creates no direct compliance obligation for most SMEs. It may be of interest mainly to technology enterprises, research institutes, or investors looking to participate as co-funders or research partners in these national strategic technology programs.

Circular 22/2026/TT-BCT, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) on April 29, 2026 and effective the same day, sets out the internal process for planning, drafting, appraising, and publishing or issuing Vietnamese national standards (TCVN) and national technical regulations (QCVN) in sectors under MOIT's management. It is based on the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations (as amended in 2018 and 2025) and Decree No. 22/2026/ND-CP, which implements that law. In essence, this is an internal division-of-responsibility document among MOIT units - chiefly the Department of Innovation, Green Transition and Industrial Promotion (the focal point managing the TCVN/QCVN system) and the Legal Affairs Department (which leads appraisal of draft Circulars issuing QCVN) - rather than a rule that creates new compliance obligations directly for businesses. It fixes deadlines for five-year and annual TCVN/QCVN development plans, an appraisal-council procedure, mandatory consultation with the Ministry of Science and Technology, and steps for amending, repealing, or correcting existing standards and regulations. Manufacturers and importers of goods in MOIT-regulated sectors (electricity, chemicals, industrial materials, etc.) do not need to take any action under this Circular itself, but may want to watch the annual QCVN development plan - published on the National Database on Standards, Metrology and Quality and MOIT's web portal - to anticipate new technical regulations that could later require conformity certification (hop quy). The Circular replaces Circular No. 46/2014/TT-BCT dated December 3, 2014.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular 21/2026/TT-BCT on 28 April 2026, effective 29 April 2026, revoking the term "kerosene" (dầu hỏa) from Article 1.2 of Circular 18/2025/TT-BCT on petroleum retail business regulations. This revocation implements Conclusion 14-KL/TW of the Politburo dated 20 March 2026 on ensuring fuel supply and price stability. The effect is that kerosene is no longer within the scope of the amendments introduced by Circular 18/2025. This is a technical legal document affecting petroleum distribution businesses and is not directly related to general enterprise tax or accounting obligations.

President To Lam signed Presidential Order No. 01/2026/L-CTN on 26 April 2026 to formally promulgate the Law on Access to Information No. 01/2026/QH16, passed by the 16th National Assembly at its first session on 23 April 2026. This is the promulgation order accompanying the substantive Law. This is a purely formal promulgation order with no substantive content on taxation or business finance.

President To Lam issued Order No. 02/2026/L-CTN promulgating the Law on Hanoi Capital, which was passed by the 16th National Assembly at its First Session on 23 April 2026. This is an administrative order confirming the law's enactment and does not directly contain tax, financial, or commercial provisions. The order was signed on 26 April 2026 and published in Official Gazette No. 284 on 26 May 2026.

Circular 17/2026/TT-BKHCN from the Ministry of Science and Technology (effective April 16, 2026) issues a Model Charter for Science, Technology and Innovation Development Funds set up by ministries, central agencies, and provincial People's Committees. It is essentially an internal governance document, setting out how these state funds operate: their structure (Management Council, Executive Agency, Control Board), funding sources, procedures for funding or commissioning science and technology tasks, and risk-management mechanisms. For businesses, particularly those doing R&D, technology application, or technology transfer, the notable point is that these funds can provide grant funding and interest-rate subsidies for technology innovation, and operate a co-financing mechanism - businesses participating in tasks with commercialization potential must contribute part of the funding, with the co-financing share rising as the technology matures. This can be a potential funding channel to support a company's R&D activities. That said, the Circular does not create any new tax, invoicing, labor, or customs obligation for businesses - it is purely a rule governing the internal organization and management of state science funds. Businesses interested in applying for science and technology funding should watch for the specific Charter issued by the relevant ministry or provincial fund to learn the application procedures.

Resolution 109/NQ-CP, dated April 16, 2026, updates, supplements and replaces Resolution 41/NQ-CP (March 11, 2026), issuing the Government's Action Program to implement the 14th Party Congress Resolution and Central Conclusion 18-KL/TW (April 2, 2026) on the 2026-2030 five-year plan for socio-economic development, national finance, public debt borrowing and repayment, and medium-term public investment, tied to the 'double-digit' growth target. The Resolution takes effect from its signing date. For businesses and investors, three points stand out. First, on institutional reform: the Government commits to shifting decisively from 'pre-inspection' to 'post-inspection' oversight, cutting administrative procedures and business conditions to a minimum, and digitizing processes end to end, with a target of placing Vietnam's investment environment among ASEAN's top 3 and the world's top 30 by 2028. Second, on tax and budget policy: the Government sets out to build a modern, transparent, tax-neutral system that does not use tax policy to deliver social welfare goals; it also bars localities from granting tax exemptions, reductions or incentives beyond what current tax law allows, while giving the Government authority to proactively adjust taxes and fees in emergencies. FDI attraction policy will shift from tax-incentive-led approaches toward results-based incentives. Third, on capital markets: the plan pushes to grow the stock and corporate bond markets to reduce reliance on bank lending, and to expand foreign ownership limits in sectors that do not affect national security. This is a strategic policy document that serves as the basis for ministries, localities, and state corporations to draft their own detailed action programs (due by April 20, 2026); it is not itself a law or regulation with direct binding effect on businesses. Specific changes to taxes, fees, and administrative procedures will be implemented through separate legal instruments going forward.

On April 2, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung signed Decision No. 604/QD-TTg approving amendments to Vietnam's Science, Technology and Innovation Development Strategy to 2030, replacing the 2022 Decision No. 569/QD-TTg. The revised Strategy places enterprises at the center of the national innovation system, targeting by 2030 total social investment in R&D of at least 2% of GDP, high-tech products accounting for at least 50% of export value, and the formation of 5-10 regionally competitive technology enterprises in strategic fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor chips, and big data. For businesses, especially technology companies and foreign-invested enterprises, the Strategy signals several notable policy directions: a controlled testing (sandbox) mechanism for new technologies and business models (AI, blockchain, digital assets, drones); outstanding tax and credit incentives for leading technology enterprises; a new Strategic Industry Development Investment Fund; and public procurement preference for «Make in Vietnam» products. The government also encourages enterprises to co-fund at least 30% of the budget for technology application tasks. This is a high-level strategic planning document - it does not yet set specific tax rates, procedures, or binding compliance deadlines for individual businesses. The tax, credit, and sandbox mechanisms it references will be detailed in separate legal instruments going forward. Technology and R&D businesses should monitor upcoming implementing guidance from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance to access preferential funding and participate in strategic technology commissioning programs.

Decree No. 101/2026/ND-CP, issued on March 31, 2026, provides detailed guidance for implementing the Law on Technology Transfer No. 07/2017/QH14 as amended by Law No. 115/2025/QH15 and the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation No. 93/2025/QH15. The decree sets out the authority, dossier requirements and procedures for appraising or commenting on technology used in investment projects that involve technology on the Restricted Technology Transfer List, or projects posing environmental risk, at the stages of investment policy approval, investment registration certification, and investment decision. For businesses, particularly foreign investors and large enterprises undertaking projects with sensitive technology components, the investment dossier must now include a detailed explanation of the technology used, covering its origin, process flow diagram, risk factors, and mitigation measures. Appraisal outcomes are classified as one of three levels, "Satisfactory", "Not Yet Satisfactory", or "Unsatisfactory", and directly determine whether a project can proceed. The decree also governs technology transfer pricing and payment methods (including how net sale price is calculated after excluding value added tax, and the requirement for a technology valuation review when transfers occur between related parties under tax law), technology transfer registration, and the obligation to fully repay any state budget support or incentives received if the technology transfer registration certificate is later revoked. Organizations and individuals that develop or invest in their own technology may also proactively apply for a special-case technology appraisal at the provincial science and technology authority. The decree further establishes periodic and ad hoc inspection mechanisms over technology licensing and registration approvals, and over compliance with technology commitments throughout a project's lifecycle. Businesses running investment projects that use restricted technology, or engaging in intra-group technology transfers, should review their internal processes now to meet the new documentation requirements and statutory timelines.

The National Assembly Office issued Consolidated Document No. 41/VBHN-VPQH, which consolidates the Accounting Law No. 88/2015/QH13 (effective 1 January 2017) incorporating three rounds of amendments: Tax Administration Law 38/2019/QH14 (effective 1 July 2020), Law 56/2024/QH15 amending multiple financial laws (effective 1 January 2025), and Tax Administration Law 108/2025/QH15 (effective 1 July 2026). The consolidated document was published in Official Gazette No. 172 on 31 March 2026. The law governs accounting work, accounting apparatus, accountants, accounting service businesses, and state management of accounting (Article 1). Its scope of application is broad, covering state agencies, public service units, enterprises, cooperatives, household businesses, and individual accountants (Article 2). Core provisions include initial recognition at historical cost or fair value, consistency of accounting methods, and obligations to prepare and disclose financial statements. Note: the extracted PDF text is truncated at Article 10 - the remaining chapters covering accounting documents, ledgers, financial statements, accounting inspections, accounting organisation, and accounting service businesses are not available in the extracted text.

The Prime Minister issued a Decision approving the expansion of the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone in Nghe An Province. The Decision adjusts the boundary and area of the economic zone in accordance with the Nghe An provincial master plan for 2021-2030. The expansion is grounded in the Planning Law, the Investment Law, and Decree 35/2022/ND-CP on industrial zone and economic zone management. This is an administrative decision on regional economic planning, not directly relevant to routine SME tax obligations, though enterprises investing in the economic zone may qualify for specific tax incentives.