A recent amendment to Vietnam's regulations governing employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) has significantly simplified the process for foreign entities to offer these benefits to Vietnamese employees. The State Bank of Vietnam's Circular No. 23/2024/TT-NHNN, effective from August 12, 2024, has removed several hurdles, making it easier for companies to implement offshore-issued ESOPs.

Decree 52 on non-cash payments significantly overhauls Vietnam's non-cash payment landscape. With a sharper focus on e-money and international payments, it aims to boost efficiency, transparency, and security. Key changes include a clear definition of e-money, stricter regulations for payment intermediaries, and new rules for public postal service providers.

Social Enterprises Vietnam article explores the legal framework for social enterprises in Vietnam, businesses that prioritize social and environmental goals alongside profit. It outlines the rights and obligations of these enterprises, the process for obtaining social enterprise status, and the challenges they face in the current landscape. Despite regulatory hurdles and limited public awareness, social enterprises in Vietnam are making a tangible impact, as exemplified by Mai Handicraft, Tò He, and The Zó Project. The article concludes with recommendations to strengthen the social enterprise sector, including clearer guidelines, enhanced public support, and increased awareness campaigns.

With the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement taking effect last year, the government recently circulated a draft decree on personal data protection, drafted by the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam. Proposed to be adopted in December, it will become the first unified regulation on personal data protection in Vietnam. Minh Nguyen, senior associate of ACSV Legal, gives a heads-up on certain points worth noting in the draft.

Vietnam's 2023 Law on Bidding (LOB) has introduced significant changes to the country's bidding landscape. The upcoming article will delve into the key modifications, including the expansion of the law's application to include state-owned enterprises and specific investment projects and the introduction of international bidding. Additionally, the article will explore the new types of agreements introduced with contractors. These changes are set to enhance transparency, fairness, and efficiency in Vietnam's bidding processes.

In the latest edition of our newsletter, read about the new Law on Housing (effective from January 1, 2025) which is expected to create many favorable conditions for apartment owners and mini apartments. Among other things, this new law introduces stricter conditions for investors of commercial housing projects, as well as regulations on removing residency conditions for social housing buyers to move and attract labor between regions and localities and to suit the practical situation in each period.

Law on Real Estate Business No. 29/2023/QH15 has been issued and will take effect in 2025. Law on Real Estate Business provides stricter regulations on brokerage activities, receiving remunerations, and commissions and requires public disclosure of real estate information before putting it into business. With important amendments linked to practice, Law on Real Estate Business will contribute to market transparency and best protect the interests of real estate buyers, renters, and lease-purchasers.

Decree No. 75/2023/ND-CP (Decree 75) has just been issued and took effect from December 2023. Decree 75 is said to have groundbreaking regulations, creating many favorable conditions for insurance participants such as the expansion of eligible subjects for health insurance support as well as increasing the level of health insurance benefits from 80% to 100% for medical examination and treatment costs covered by health insurance for some target groups to enhance the benefits of participants.

In this new edition, you can read an update on the draft decrees to implement the recently approved Laws on Investment and Enterprises. These are expected to enter into foce on 1 January 2021. We also provide you with some other news and regulations which we thought might be of interest.

Vietnam is expected to speed up equitisation of state-owned enterprises and divestment of state capital to create a level playing field for business entities and generate funds for infrastructure. Law firm ACSV Legal's associates Phuong Huynh and Duc Tran find out how these actions may offer ample opportunity for private financiers to invest in some of Vietnam's leading market players in 2020.

Investment is a key driving force for economic growth and competitiveness as it spurs innovation, creates jobs, and connect investors to global value chains. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) provides a strong, rule-based framework through which to grow investment relations with key Asia-Pacific economies. ACSV Legal Vietnam outlines how the CPTPP benefits investors, and the terms and conditions to ensure that investment procedures will be easier and more transparent for foreign funders.

The global coronavirus epidemic has caused massive disruption to businesses and may impact certain contractual relationships, either with clients or employees, Minh Nguyen, senior associate and head of dispute resolution practice at ACSV Legal, discusses notable changes in regulation which could directly affect daily business operations in Vietnam, and pores over certain legal issues that Vietnamese-based companies might encounter due to the pandemic.