Vietnam has set up a legal framework, including Decree 130 detailing the implementation of the law on electronic transactions regarding digital signatures and digital signature authentication services, Decree 30 on electronic documentation and Decree 45 on administrative procedures in the electronic environment.

Also,Circular 16/2019 from the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) details the list of mandatory technical standards on the provision of mobile digital signature authentication and remote digital signature services; and Circular 22/2020 regulating technical and functional requirements for digital signature software and digital signature verification software.

Pham Quoc Hoan, deputy director of NEAC, said there are three reasons agencies and businesses should apply digital signature as the first step in their digital transformation.

First, the system of documents legalizing the provision of digital signature and applying digital signatures in agencies and businesses’ operation has been completed.

Second, there is a competitive digital signature service market.

Third, the technologies and digital signature solutions are diverse. Service providers have experience in using digital signature in the most influential fields in society such as e-tax, social insurance and e-customs.

Nguyen Thi Chinh from the State Records And Archives Management Department Of Vietnam under the Ministry of Home Affairs said Decree 30 affirms the legitimacy of electronic documents digitally signed by authorized persons and by agencies and organizations with legal validity equal to signatures on original paper documents.

The decree also stipulates that documents converted from paper to electronic formats (digitized documents and digitally signed by agencies and organizations) are copies from paper documents to electronic documents and have legal validity like the original papers.

She said the regulations promote the use of specialized electronic signatures, and restrict the release of paper documents.

Dinh Duc Vinh, deputy general director of the Vietnam National Television, proposed that MIC provide tools, a digital signature system, and digital signature authentication to ensure public trust.

NEAC director Nguyen Thien Nghia said NEAC is planning to promote personal digital certificates in a convenient and affordable way. This will help people perform e-transactions and online public administrative procedures.

There are 16 public digital signature authentication (CA) service providers. The total number of active digital certificates issued by public CAs has been more than 1.4 million. 

Trong Dat

Harvard professor suggests digital transformation solutions for education in Vietnam

Vietnam’s recent efforts to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic and the determination to pioneer the digital transformation in the educational sector have been praised by international organizations and Harvard University professors.

Ministries, provinces to receive annual digital transformation ranking

Following the direction of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, chair of the National Committee on E-government, from 2021, a digital transformation ranking will be given to ministries and provinces each year.