New policies take effect from February

Administrative violations in the field of hydrometeorology are fined up to 100 million VND

The Government issued Decree No. 155/2024/ND-CP dated December 10, 2024, regulating administrative sanctions for violations in the field of hydrometeorology.

According to the decree, for each administrative violation in the field of hydrometeorology, the violating organization or individual must be subject to a fine. The maximum fine for an administrative violation in the field of hydrometeorology is 50 million VND for an individual and 100 million VND for an organization.

The Decree takes effect from February 1, 2025.

Amending regulations on forest rangers and specialized forest protection forces

Effective from February 2, Decree No. 159/2024/ND-CP dated December 18, 2024 of the Government amends and supplements a number of articles of Decree No. 01/2019/ND-CP dated January 1, 2019 of the Government on forest rangers and specialized forest protection forces.

Accordingly, when performing official duties, forest rangers must properly perform their assigned duties, tasks, and powers and be responsible for performing their duties and powers as prescribed in Decree 159 and in accordance with the provisions of law; wear uniforms, rank insignia, forest ranger badge, and name tags as prescribed.

Request relevant agencies, organizations and individuals to provide information, documents, evidence, inspect the scene, apply measures to prevent administrative violations according to the provisions of law; handle violations of forestry laws according to the provisions of law on handling administrative violations, handling violations of criminal law...

Technical process of collection, transportation and treatment of domestic solid waste

On December 19, 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued Circular 35/2024/TT-BTNMT on technical procedures for collection, transportation and treatment of domestic solid waste.

Accordingly, the technical processes for collecting, transporting and treating domestic solid waste are regulated, including:

+ Technical processes for collecting and transporting domestic solid waste: technical process for manually collecting domestic solid waste from households and individuals to the collection point; technical process for mechanically collecting domestic solid waste from households and individuals to the receiving facility; technical process for transporting domestic solid waste from the collection point to the receiving facility, from the transfer station to the treatment facility; technical process for transporting bulky waste from the collection point to the treatment facility;

Technical process for transporting hazardous waste generated from households, individuals, collection points to treatment facilities or hazardous waste storage points; technical process for transporting wastewater generated during the collection, transportation, and treatment of domestic solid waste to treatment facilities; technical process for cleaning domestic solid waste collection points;

+ Technical procedures for operating stations for classifying waste that can be reused, recycled and transferring domestic solid waste: technical procedures for operating stations for classifying waste that can be reused, recycled; technical procedures for operating stations for transferring domestic solid waste using compacting equipment; technical procedures for operating stations for transferring domestic solid waste without using compacting equipment;

+ Technical processes for treating domestic solid waste: technical process for operating a facility that processes food waste into humus; technical process for operating a sanitary domestic solid waste landfill; technical process for operating a facility that incinerates domestic solid waste to recover energy for power generation; technical process for operating a facility that incinerates domestic solid waste without recovering energy; technical process for operating a facility that treats bulky waste; technical process for operating a facility that treats wastewater generated during the collection, transportation, and treatment of domestic solid waste.

The Circular takes effect from February 3, 2025.

Instructions for implementing regulations on procedures for conducting an inspection

On December 18, 2024, the Government Inspectorate issued Circular No. 08/2024/TT-TTCP guiding the implementation of regulations on procedures for conducting an inspection.

The Circular consists of 4 chapters, 27 articles, and 51 document templates, replacing Circular No. 06/2021/TT-TTCP dated October 1, 2021 of the Government Inspectorate regulating the organization and operation of inspection teams and the order and procedures for conducting an inspection.

One of the highlights of Circular No. 08/2024 is the specific regulation of document templates in inspection activities. The Circular also clearly states each step in the inspection process, from collecting information to prepare for inspection, issuing inspection decisions, developing inspection plans, to announcing decisions and implementing them...

The Circular takes effect from February 3, 2025.

Tax registration subject

The Ministry of Finance issued Circular 86/2024/TT-BTC dated December 23, 2024 regulating tax registration, which stipulates the subjects of tax registration including:

+ Taxpayers are subject to tax registration through the one-stop mechanism as prescribed in Point a, Clause 1, Article 30 of the Law on Tax Administration.

+ Taxpayers are subject to direct tax registration with tax authorities as prescribed in Point b, Clause 1, Article 30 of the Law on Tax Administration.

- Taxpayers subject to direct tax registration with tax authorities, including:

+ Enterprises operating in specialized fields do not have to register their business through a business registration agency according to the provisions of specialized laws (hereinafter referred to as economic organizations).

+ Public service units, economic organizations of the armed forces, economic organizations of political, socio-political, social, socio-professional organizations conducting business activities according to the provisions of law but not having to register their businesses through the business registration agency...

The Circular takes effect from February 6, 2025.

New regulations on the functions of the People's Public Security Inspectorate

The Government issued Decree 164/2024/ND-CP dated December 25, 2024 regulating the organization and operation of the People's Public Security Inspectorate.

Decree 164/2024/ND-CP clearly states that, within the scope of its duties and powers, the People's Public Security Inspectorate assists the police chief at the same level in performing state management of inspection work, receiving citizens, resolving complaints and denunciations, and preventing and combating corruption and negativity; conducting inspections, receiving citizens, resolving complaints and denunciations, and preventing and combating corruption and negativity in accordance with the provisions of law.

The Decree takes effect from February 10, 2025.

Administrative violations in insurance business are fined up to 200 million VND

The Government issued Decree No. 174/2024/ND-CP dated December 30, 2024, regulating administrative sanctions for violations in the field of insurance business, effective from February 15, 2025.

This Decree stipulates administrative violations, completed administrative violations and ongoing administrative violations; forms of sanctions, levels of sanctions, and remedial measures for each administrative violation; subjects subject to sanctions; sanctioning authority, specific fine levels for each position, and authority to draw up records of administrative violations in the field of insurance business.

For each administrative violation in the field of insurance business, the organization or individual subject to the main form of punishment is a fine.

The fine for an organization is twice the fine for an individual for the same violation. The maximum fine for an individual committing an administrative violation in the insurance business field is 100 million VND, and for an organization is 200 million VND.

Support agricultural production damaged by natural disasters and plant pests

The Government issued Decree No. 9/2025/ND-CP dated January 10, 2025, stipulating policies to support agricultural production to restore production in areas damaged by natural disasters and plant pests.

This Decree provides for policies to support plant varieties, livestock, aquaculture, forestry, salt production or part of the initial production costs to restore agricultural production in areas damaged by natural disasters and plant pests.

According to regulations, the support level for aquatic products damaged by natural disasters (including aquaculture, production, and aquaculture breeding) is as follows:

Semi-intensive and intensive aquaculture in ponds (lagoons/tunnels): support 60 million VND/ha of damaged farming area.

Aquaculture in tanks, cages, rafts: support 30 million VND/100 m³damaged farming volume.

Other forms of aquaculture: support 15 million VND/ha of damaged farming area.

The Decree takes effect from February 25, 2025.