Vietnam

Siết khí thải phương tiện tại TPHCM, tài xế đăng kiểm xe thế nào?

Dantri | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Regulation

Ho Chi Minh City is enhancing vehicle emissions inspections in line with Government Decision 43/2025, which outlines a roadmap for applying national technical regulations on vehicle emissions. Vehicle inspection centers are required to upgrade their infrastructure and equipment to meet these standards. The Vietnam Register emphasized the importance of creating a comprehensive database of emissions results to enable local authorities to monitor vehicles entering and leaving low-emission zones (LEZs) using smart camera technology.

Decision 43/2025 categorizes vehicle emissions standards by the vehicle's year of manufacture, setting requirements from Level 1 to Level 5, corresponding to Euro 1 through Euro 5 standards. Vehicles operating in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi face stricter emissions levels, with vehicles manufactured between 2017 and 2021 required to meet at least Level 4 (Euro 4) by January 1, 2027. Emissions inspections will no longer be simply pass or fail; inspection certificates and stickers will display the specific emissions level a vehicle meets, which will determine its access to certain zones depending on local regulations.

The Vietnam Register will ensure emissions data is integrated into national and police databases, facilitating real-time enforcement through smart cameras at LEZs. For example, if a vehicle’s emissions level does not meet the LEZ requirement, it can be flagged for warnings or fines based on license plate recognition.

Inspection centers such as Center 50-02S report their equipment already meets Decision 43/2025 requirements and foreign standards, capable of providing accurate emissions level results. They noted that only very old or poorly maintained vehicles typically fail inspections, and many well-maintained vehicles made before 2016 still pass emissions tests. Conversely, Center 50-07V is in the process of reassessing whether their equipment can accurately measure specific emissions levels and awaits further guidance from the Vietnam Register before considering upgrades.

Quốc hội thông qua Luật sửa đổi, bổ sung 15 luật trong lĩnh vực nông nghiệp và môi trường

Bao Dien Tu | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Regulation

The National Assembly approved a law amending and supplementing 15 laws related to agriculture and environment, comprising 17 articles. The law was adopted with a strong majority and aims to institutionalize Party policies on government reorganization, decentralization, administrative procedure reform, and business investment condition simplification. It addresses legal bottlenecks and issues in state management within the agriculture and environment sectors, aligning with practical needs and supporting socio-economic development.

Minister Trần Đức Thắng explained that the amendments focus narrowly on reorganizing administrative apparatus, reforming procedures and business conditions, and resolving pressing legal bottlenecks. Other issues and broader amendments will be assessed for proposals in the 2026-2030 legislative term. The Ministry plans comprehensive amendments to 14 related draft laws during this period, including updates to the Environmental Protection Law and the Marine and Island Resources Law, with changes expected as early as 2026.

Key changes include removing the criterion of environmentally sensitive land specialized for growing wet rice for two or more crops from the Environmental Protection Law, aimed at simplifying procedures without impacting food security. The law maintains current resettlement criteria. Additionally, Article 57 of the Crop Production Law, concerning the use of the topsoil layer on wet rice land, will be abolished following widespread support from localities, as existing laws sufficiently protect rice-growing land.

Regarding the Forestry Law, the amendments clarify that areas of planted forest after clear-cutting are not considered forest land requiring conversion procedures but are treated as agricultural land subject to land-use change decisions. However, investors must fulfill replacement tree planting obligations to maintain forest area and canopy coverage, ensuring sustainable forest resource management.

The government also reviewed the draft law to ensure legal consistency, particularly with other laws and resolutions considered by the National Assembly during the session.

Xuất khẩu gạo: Tìm dư địa tăng trưởng từ các FTA và thị trường mới

Bao Dien Tu | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedTrade Issues and Numbers

Vietnam's rice export sector in 2025 faces significant challenges including political instability in some regions, high inflation, and slow global trade recovery. Tight monetary policies in major economies have led to financial market disruptions and weakened consumer demand in developing countries. Protectionist measures and stricter standards on safety, sustainability, and climate change for imports have further complicated the export environment. Despite these difficulties, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has coordinated with relevant agencies to implement timely policies and support the rice sector's production and exports.

In the first 11 months of 2025, Vietnam exported over 7.53 million tons of rice valued at more than 3.85 billion USD, but this represents a 10.9% decrease in volume and a 27.4% drop in value compared to 2024. Some key markets such as Indonesia and Malaysia saw sharp declines, while increased exports to Ghana, China, Bangladesh, and Senegal helped offset losses. The majority of exports consisted of high-quality white rice and fragrant rice, which accounted for 69% of the total volume by October 2025.

Rice production in 2026 is forecasted to reach approximately 43 million tons, with a slight reduction in planting area due to seasonal declines. Local authorities are urged to restore production after natural disasters and focus on sustainable, low-emission rice cultivation, especially in the Mekong Delta, where a project aims to develop 1 million hectares of specialized rice by 2030. The resumption of rice imports by the Philippines, recovery in key markets such as China and Bangladesh, and benefits from trade agreements are expected to support the sector in 2026. Improved rice quality is seen as a competitive advantage.

Stakeholders emphasize the need to classify rice as a special commodity to better manage domestic consumption, food security, and export demands. This includes building stable supply regions with traceability, quality control, and brand development to meet the standards of importers. Vietnamese rice enterprises have yet to fully capitalize on free trade agreements, prompting calls for a clear strategic approach, stronger branding, and enhanced cooperation between state agencies, associations, and businesses to exploit these market opportunities.