New Policy Takes Effect from May 2026

Mechanism for Autonomy and Self-Accountability in the Use of Administrative Management Funds from May 1, 2026

The Government has issued Decree No. 75/2026/ND-CP dated March 16, 2026, prescribing the regime of autonomy and self-accountability in the management and use of administrative management funds, taking effect from May 1, 2026.

This Decree consists of 3 chapters and 15 articles regulating the regime of autonomy and self-accountability in the management and use of administrative management funds of state agencies.

The Decree stipulates that administrative management funds allocated to agencies implementing the autonomy regime come from the following sources:

1. State budget funds allocated for administrative management expenditure in accordance with the law on the state budget and determined for autonomous allocation as prescribed in this Decree.

2. Lawful revenue sources as prescribed by law (except where otherwise provided by law).

Implementation of Regulations on Participation in Supplementary Pension Insurance from May 10, 2026

From May 10, 2026, the Government's Decree No. 85/2026/ND-CP on supplementary pension insurance takes effect. A notable feature of the Decree is its provisions relating to the subjects, methods, and procedures for participating in supplementary pension insurance.

The Decree stipulates that the subjects eligible to participate in supplementary pension insurance are employers and employees who are already participating in compulsory social insurance as prescribed in Article 2 of the Law on Social Insurance. These subjects may voluntarily participate in supplementary pension insurance implemented by pension fund management enterprises through employers.

The Decree stipulates that participation in supplementary pension insurance is not a mandatory condition for recruitment, signing, or renewal of labor contracts; employers are not permitted to discriminate against or obstruct the legitimate rights and interests of employees through participation in supplementary pension insurance. Employers are not permitted to link participation in supplementary pension insurance to the company's reward policies, emulation assessments, or employee benefits.

The contribution level for supplementary pension insurance is agreed upon by employers and employees on a voluntary basis.

Regulations on Administrative Sanctions in the Field of Electric Power

Decree No. 133/2026/ND-CP dated April 6, 2026 of the Government specifically prescribes violations in electricity use and the corresponding penalty levels.

In particular, in cases where landlords collect electricity fees from tenants at rates higher than the prescribed level, if electricity is purchased at the retail price for residential use, a fine of between 20 and 30 million VND will be imposed.

In addition, other violations related to electricity use will be penalized as follows:

- A fine of between 3 and 5 million VND: Failure to notify when the number of households sharing a meter decreases, or falsely declaring the number of occupants to benefit from residential electricity quotas;

- A fine of between 5 and 8 million VND: Unauthorized installation, connection, disconnection, repair, relocation, or replacement of electrical equipment or works belonging to the electricity seller;

- A fine of between 4 and 10 million VND: Electricity theft with a value of under 1 million VND; a fine of between 10 and 20 million VND if the value of electricity theft is from 1 million to under 2 million VND;

- A fine of between 60 and 80 million VND: Large electricity users employing non-standard equipment, failing to comply with dispatch instructions, failing to reduce electricity consumption, or failing to invest in metering systems as prescribed.

Decree No. 133/2026/ND-CP takes effect from May 25, 2026.

New Regulations on Product and Packaging Recycling Responsibilities Take Effect from May 25, 2026

On April 1, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 110/2026/ND-CP detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Environmental Protection regarding the responsibility for recycling products and packaging and the waste treatment responsibilities of manufacturers and importers (EPR). The Decree takes effect from May 25, 2026.

Under the regulations, manufacturing and importing enterprises must carry out recycling of products and packaging according to mandatory rates and specifications when placing goods on the Vietnamese market. In cases of entrusted importation, the unit responsible for labeling the goods will be required to fulfill the recycling obligation. This clarifies legal responsibility and limits the practice of 'evading' environmental obligations.

The Decree also provides for a number of cases exempt from recycling responsibilities, such as enterprises with annual revenue of under 30 billion VND, or products intended for export or research purposes. However, in the long term, the policy still aims to expand its scope of application in order to enhance corporate responsibility…

Preventing Family Members from Engaging in Income-Generating Activities on Grounds of Gender Subject to Fines of up to 10 Million VND

Under the provisions of Clause 1, Article 13 of Decree No. 125/2021/ND-CP as amended by Article 5 of Decree No. 76/2026/ND-CP dated March 16, 2026, the act of obstructing or preventing family members from engaging in income-generating activities or meeting other family needs on grounds of gender, or treating family members unequally on grounds of gender, is subject to a fine of between 5.000.000 VND and 10.000.000 VND.

Decree No. 76/2026/ND-CP takes effect from May 1, 2026.

From May 15, 2026, Users of E-Cigarettes Face Fines of up to 5 Million VND

Regarding violations of regulations on the use and harboring of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, Decree No. 90/2026/ND-CP dated March 30, 2026 stipulates as follows:

1. A fine of between 3.000.000 VND and 5.000.000 VND for the act of using e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products.

2. A fine of between 5.000.000 VND and 10.000.000 VND for the act of allowing others to use e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products at a location owned or managed by oneself, except in cases where the person allowing such use is the grandparent, parent, child, grandchild, sibling, or spouse of the violator.

The above regulation takes effect from May 15, 2026.

Cohabiting as Husband and Wife with Another Person While Already Married Subject to Fines of up to 10 Million VND

From May 18, 2026, Decree No. 109/2026/ND-CP dated April 1, 2026 of the Government takes effect, replacing the provisions of Decree No. 82/2020/ND-CP.

Under Decree No. 109/2026/ND-CP, the following acts are subject to a fine of between 5.000.000 VND and 10.000.000 VND:

+ Marrying another person while already having a spouse, or marrying a person whom one clearly knows to already have a spouse, while not yet being married oneself;

+ Cohabiting as husband and wife with another person while already having a spouse;

+ Cohabiting as husband and wife with a person whom one clearly knows to already have a spouse, while not yet being married oneself;

+ Marrying or cohabiting as husband and wife between a person who was formerly an adoptive parent and their adopted child, a father-in-law and his daughter-in-law, a mother-in-law and her son-in-law, a stepfather and his wife's child from a previous relationship, or a stepmother and her husband's child from a previous relationship;

+ Obstructing marriage, making property demands in marriage, or obstructing divorce.

Using Lifelong Learning Record Data on the VneID National Identification Application

Decree No. 88/2026/ND-CP dated March 28, 2026 of the Government clearly states that agencies and units within the national education system are responsible, within their respective authority, for preparing and developing technological systems or using services from providers to support the creation and reporting of lifelong learning record data in accordance with regulations.

Lifelong learning record data, once validly received and stored in the National Database on Education and Training, will be automatically shared, interconnected, and integrated into the VNeID national identification application. Individuals have the right to access their own lifelong learning record data that has been integrated into the national identification application for use as the equivalent of related paper documents.

Decree No. 88/2026/ND-CP takes effect from May 15, 2026.