National Assembly hears the Submission and Verification Report on the draft Law on Countering the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Colonel General Nguyen Doan Anh chairs the sitting

Institutionalising the Party's guidelines and policies on safeguarding the Fatherland early and from afar

Authorised by the Prime Minister to present the summary Submission on the draft Law on Countering the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, stated that the research, development and promulgation of the Law is an urgent requirement in order to institutionalise the Party's guidelines and policies on safeguarding the Fatherland early and from afar, before the country is in danger; ensure national defence and security and develop science and technology and innovation; proactively and actively integrate internationally; perfect the Vietnamese socialist rule-of-law State; and build a synchronous and consistent legal system in response to the need to prevent and control traditional and non-traditional security threats in the new situation; while ensuring that Vietnam fulfils its national commitments and obligations on countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in implementing the international treaties to which Vietnam is a party.

General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, authorised by the Prime Minister, presents the summary Submission on the draft Law

On the scope of regulation and subjects of application, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence stated that the draft Law sets out the principles, measures, policies, resources and responsibilities of agencies, organisations and individuals in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The draft Law applies to Vietnamese agencies, organisations and individuals, and to foreign agencies, organisations and individuals operating or residing in the territory of Vietnam.

General Secretary and State President To Lam and delegates attend the sitting

On the structure and basic content of the draft Law. The draft Law consists of 4 chapters and 37 articles. Its basic content has been developed by institutionalising the 3 policies approved by the Government; carrying over the still-appropriate provisions of current legislation; remedying shortcomings in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and adding new provisions to meet the requirements of implementing international treaties, United Nations Security Council resolutions and relevant international standards. The content of the draft Law has also been reviewed and designed to ensure consistency and coherence with legislation on national defence, security, counter-terrorism, anti-money laundering, chemicals, atomic energy, foreign trade management, customs, science and technology, as well as other relevant specialised areas of law.

Delegates attending the sitting

No duplicate administrative procedures for lawful research, investment, production, business, export, import and transactions

General Phan Van Giang stated that the draft Law has been designed as a framework law, regulating only fundamental, long-term and stable matters within the competence of the National Assembly; it does not codify in-depth technical and professional content that changes frequently, but assigns the Government and competent authorities to provide detailed regulations, so as to ensure flexibility, feasibility and conformity with practice and the relevant international commitments.

General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, authorised by the Prime Minister, presents the summary Submission on the draft Law

The draft Law clearly sets out a mechanism to protect the lawful rights and interests of agencies, organisations and individuals in the application of measures to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; it does not impose duplicate administrative procedures on lawful research, investment, production, business, export, import and transactions, nor does it establish parallel mechanisms for licensing, declaration, reporting, inspection, examination or supervision under this Law.

The draft Law aims to simplify procedures by integrating the provision, use and sharing of information with the existing databases and information systems of ministries, sectors and localities; making greater use of electronic means; applying a priority mechanism and simplifying inspection and supervision methods for organisations and enterprises with sound internal compliance programmes.

Delegates attending the sitting

The draft Law has been reviewed and revised in terms of content, legislative drafting technique and the consistency of the legal system, ensuring that its provisions are rigorous and feasible and do not give rise to new administrative procedures or compliance costs for individuals, organisations and enterprises, while meeting the requirements of state management and fully implementing Vietnam's international obligations on countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

On resources and conditions for ensuring the implementation of the Law, implementation of the Law will not generate a demand for major financial resources; it will basically be organised by drawing on the existing organisational apparatus, personnel, facilities, information systems, databases, equipment, means and resources of the National Focal Point and the ministries, sectors and localities currently performing the tasks of countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction under the Government's Decree No. 81, the Law on Anti-Money Laundering, the Law on Counter-Terrorism and other relevant laws, combined with annual recurrent budget allocations and the mobilisation of other lawful resources.

Delegates attending the sitting

Further review to clearly define the boundary between the scope of this Law and that of specialised laws

According to the summary Verification Report on the draft Law, the Committee for National Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs agreed on the necessity of promulgating the Law on Countering the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in order to promptly institutionalise the Party's policy on safeguarding the Fatherland early and from afar; perfect the legal basis for countering the proliferation and proliferation financing of WMD; meet practical requirements; and implement the international treaties to which Vietnam is a party and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

Colonel General Le Tan Toi, Chairman of the Committee for National Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs, presents the summary Verification Report on the draft Law

The verifying agency requested the Government to direct a continued review of the issues raised in the full Verification Report in order to study, revise and finalise the draft Law, ensuring a more thorough application of the approach of reforming legislative thinking and the consistency and coherence of the 02 draft laws with the legal system; and further review of the national risk assessment mechanism; of the measures for countering the proliferation and proliferation financing of WMD, so as to meet national defence and security requirements while facilitating socio-economic development; and of state management and the designation of the National Focal Point and the forces participating in countering the proliferation of WMD.