New policies take effect from October

Decree 91/2020/ND-CP, dated August 14, 2020, on fighting spam messages, spam emails, and spam calls takes effect from October 1.

Especially, a fine ranging from VND 20,000,000 to VND 30,000,000 shall be imposed for the commission of making more than one advertising call to one phone number within 24 hours unless otherwise agreed by the user and making advertising calls outside the 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM unless otherwise agreed by the user.

Each advertiser may send up to three advertising messages to a phone number, up to three advertising emails to an email address, and make one advertising call to a phone number within 24 hours unless otherwise agreed by the user.

A fine ranging from VND 5,000,000 to VND 10,000,000 shall be imposed for the commission of making advertising calls to users without their clear prior consent.

Duty-free goods buyers and buying conditions

Decree 100/2020/ND-CP, dated August 28, 2020 on duty-free business shall come into force from October 15.

Persons exiting/transiting through Viet Nam, passengers on international flights departing from Viet Nam or persons waiting to exit Vietnam may buy duty-free goods.

Passengers on international flights departing from Viet Nam may buy duty-free goods on the aircraft making the flight. Passengers on international flights to Viet Nam may buy duty-free goods on the aircraft making the flight.

Persons entering Viet Nam may buy duty-free goods from duty-free shops located in the restricted area of an international civil airport immediately after completing their entry procedures and may not buy duty-free goods after leaving the restricted area of the international civil airport.

Crew members working on vessels sailing international route (including foreign vessels and Vietnamese vessels sailing international route) may buy duty-free goods from class-1 seaports and duty-free shops away from port for personal use and for daily living of the crew of the vessel while it is at anchor in a Vietnamese seaport and after it has left Viet Nam’s territorial waters.

Administrative violations against commerce regulations

Decree 98/2020/ND-CP, dated August 26, 2020, prescribing penalties for administrative violations against regulations on commerce, production and trade in counterfeit and prohibited goods, and protection of consumer rights shall take effect from October 15.

Accordingly, the maximum fine for a violation in the field of production and trade in counterfeit and prohibited goods VND 200.000.000 if it is imposed on an individual or VND 400.000.000 if it is imposed on an organization.

Tougher penalities on border maker violations

Decree 96/2020/ND-CP on administrative fines for violations in the field of national border management and protection shall take effect from October 10.

Individuals who commit administrative violations in national border management and protection will face a maximum fine of VND 50 million (US$ 2,160).

The launch and operation of flying objects within the border area or across the border will face fines of VND 40-50 million, and the use of gun for hunting within 1,000m from the land border will be subject to fines of VND 30-40 million.

Under Decree 96, a fine of VND 300,000-500,000 will be imposed on Vietnamese citizens who enter land border areas and border belts without bringing identity cards or passports; and those who do not report and register, or hide and facilitate the illegal travelling and stay of others in land border areas.

Fines worth VND 500,000-1,000,000 will be applied to border residents using expired border passes to travel through the border, border residents who travel beyond the allowed areas, foreigners entering border belts without reporting to border guards; and border residents grazing cattle and poultry across the border./.

 By Kim Loan