The President’s Office announced seven laws, one resolution and an ordinance, which were adopted at the 11th session of the 13th National Assembly at a news conference held in Hanoi on April 29.

Vice Chairman of the President's Office Giang Son announces laws on April 29.

The new Press Law consists of six chapters with a total 61 articles, including 32 new ones. It will take effect from January 1, 2017. The old law was promulgated in 1989.

It dedicates the second chapter with four articles to detailing the freedom of press and citizens’ freedom of expression on the media.

It clarifies the responsibilities of agencies, organisations, and those in charge of providing information for the media; the rights of agencies, organisations and authorised individuals to refuse supplying information for the press; the revelation and protection of news sources, among others.

The new Children Law, built on the 2004 Children Law, regulates 25 groups of rights and obligations of children. The seven-chapter 106-article law will be effective from June 1, 2017. June 1 is annually observed as international children’s day.

With five chapters and 37 articles, the Law on Access to Information specifies Article 25 of the 2013 Constitution with the aim of ensuring people perform their right to access information.

Those who are unable to maintain their civil capacity, or deal with impairments in awareness and behaviour control, and those under 18 years old will have access to information through their representatives. Foreigners can ask for information that directly relate to their rights and obligations, the law says.

The law specifies that citizens freely access to information that are publicised by State agencies and can ask State agencies to supply information they need. It, however, classifies the information that can be accessed or cannot be accessed by citizens.

The Pharmacy Law, with 14 chapters (four chapters more than the old version) and 116 articles, regulates the priority to the production of medicines with pharmaceuticals available in the country along with the development of medicinal plant farms, the protection of genes of rare medicinal plants.

It clarifies the principle of managing medicine prices in accordance with market rules, saying the State will have interference when prices of essential drugs fluctuate abnormally and affect the country’s socio-economic stability. The law will take effect from January 1, 2017.

The Law on amendments and supplements to some articles of the Law on Value Added Tax, the Law on Special Consumption Tax, and the Law on Tax Management will be put in place on July 1, 2016. It supplements a regulation saying services for the elderly are exempt from value added tax.

With 22 articles, the revised Law on Export-Import Tariffs will become effect on July 1, 2016. It aims to renovate export-import tariffs in line with market mechanisms in an open and transparent manner, develop tax instruments to combat smuggling, trade fraud and improve the business environment.

The Law on Signing, Joining and Implementing International Treaties has 10 chapters and 84 articles and will take effect from July 1, 2016.

The resolution ratifying the diplomatic note on visa agreement between Vietnam and the US aims to make it easier for investment and trade activities and tourism of Americans in Vietnam.

The Ordinance on Market Management consisting of eight chapters and 46 articles will take effect from September 1, 2016 and looks to make market management activities transparent and in line with law in a bid to spur a healthy business and investment environment.

VNA