Merging provinces, what will be the separate policies of each locality?

In recent days, the policy of merging provincial administrative units has received attention from all walks of life.

Among the concerns about administrative boundaries, new organizational apparatus, how to deal with the large number of redundant cadres, civil servants, public employees, and headquarters... there is a big concern that if the provincial level is merged, what will happen to the specific policies being implemented in the old localities?

Since the beginning of the 2021-2026 term, the 17th Hai Duong Provincial People's Council has passed 42 resolutions, which are legal documents regulating the province's own policies.

Many typical social security policies such as support for workers who have been trained at vocational training institutions in the province; support for members of poor households and households escaping poverty in the province; policies to support training, attract and treat medical human resources at public agencies and units...

Most recently, to implement the policy of restructuring and streamlining the organizational apparatus, on February 20, the People's Council of Hai Duong province issued Resolution No. 01/2025/NQ-HDND on support policies for cadres, civil servants, public employees, and workers who quit their jobs during the restructuring of the organizational apparatus in Hai Duong province.

Along with Hai Duong, neighboring localities also have their own policies. If Hai Duong merges with other localities, how will the additional support policies, in addition to the Central policy for early retirees, be implemented?

Article 54 of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents (amended) was recently passed by the 15th National Assembly in February, effective from April 1, 2025, stipulating the spatial validity of legal documents of the People's Council and People's Committee in an administrative unit, which are effective within the scope of that administrative unit and must be specifically stipulated in that document.

If there is a change in administrative boundaries, the spatial validity and subject of application of legal documents are determined according to 3 cases.

In which, in case many administrative units are merged into a new administrative unit of the same level, the People's Council and People's Committee of the new administrative unit shall decide on the application of legal documents of the People's Council and People's Committee of the merged administrative unit or issue new legal documents.

Thus, if two provincial administrative units merge, whether or not to continue implementing the regulatory documents containing policies of the old locality and how to implement them will be decided by the People's Council and People's Committee of the new administrative unit.

Previously, the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents 2015 stipulated that in the case of multiple administrative units being merged into a new administrative unit of the same level, the legal documents of the People's Council and People's Committee of the merged administrative unit would still be effective for that administrative unit until the People's Council and People's Committee of the new administrative unit issued replacement legal documents.

It can be seen that this provision in the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents (amended) has a more open mechanism, empowering the newly established local government after the merger to decide on the application of new and old policies in the new administrative unit.

This regulation is expected to be clearly effective when provinces and cities are reorganized and merged, with an expected reduction of 50% of the number of provinces and cities.

The merger is to create momentum and strength, promoting units and localities to develop together. Many people hope that in the new administrative unit, the effective policies that have been and are being implemented will continue to be implemented. At the same time, there will be new policies for the new locality to develop in the spirit of mutual support, integration and development.