More incentives are introduced to attract and facilitate investment in the agricultural sector by Decree 57 and Decree 98 introduces the concept of linkage and provides for incentives related to linkage projects. These incentives are expected to turn Vietnam into an agriculturally intensive processing centre of the world and a logistics centre for global agricultural trading.

Circular 17 will ensure that companies are taking an active approach towards their compliance with labour laws and correlatively, employer obligations and employee rights. It provides guidelines on the scope, timing and reporting. Employers are required to implement solutions to improve if the self-inspection shows this.

Under the Law on Social Insurance of end 2014 it would also apply to foreign employees as of 1 January 2018. Decree 143 gives the long-awaited guidance about the scope of the Law on Social Insurance. The application will be implemented in two steps. The first part enters into force in 2018 and the second per 2022.

Decree 140 addresses issues related to work permits and work permit exemption for foreigners working in Vietnam. It eases the requirements for foreign employees as more persons are exempted, fewer documents need to be submitted and the necessity to submit a labour usage plan for certain foreign employees is removed.

Decree 148 provides a much needed simplification of the current employment framework. It contains provisions on the period that counts for the severance allowance, the disciplinary hearing, settlement time in case of mutual termination; and what needs to be in the labour contract.

Vietnam has an encouraging opportunity to move away from its reliance on foreign coal and develop its own modern renewable energy system free from pollution of its air, waterways, and agricultural land. Decision No. 39/2018/QD-TTg is expected to have a positive impact as a more commercially viable feed-in tariff was introduced.

A draft law amending several articles of the Law on Investment and the Law on Enterprises has been published for public comments. The amendments are expected to be adopted and come into effect in 2019. It is predicted that the scope of changes will not detrimentally affect an investment project. Notable is also that the time to fulfil the capital contribution requirements will be lengthened considerably.

Decree 71 provides detailed guidelines on corporate Governance for public companies, regarding shareholders; the General Meeting of Shareholders, Board of Directors, Board of Controllers, prevention of conflict of interests, information disclosure and reporting.

On 1 November 2017 Decree 105 on alcoholic beverage trading took effect. The New Decree gives clear guidance on how the activity to sell and serve alcoholic beverages in restaurants and bars should be registered and licensed.

The amended Law on Technology Transfer No. 07/2017/QH14 will come into effect on 1 July 2018. The main aim is to improve the technology transfer framework and develop a strong science and technology market in Vietnam while eliminating technologies that may adversely influence development.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to eliminate 675 existing investment requirements and conditions. The Decision took effect on 20 September 2017. However, note that not all changes will enter into force immediately. In this update more on franchising, food production and trading, website domain name and commercial assessment services.

The Draft Law on Special Administrative Economic Units intends to attract more foreign investments into Vietnam offering tax and other incentives in special economic zones in Quang Ninh, Khanh Hoa and Phu Quoc. The focus will be on the development of R&D activities, creative start-ups, new sciences and technologies, high-quality health and education, high-class resorts and tourism services.