Legal load for WTO entry
The National Assembly (NA) is drafting 30 legal documents concerning negotiations on Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The documents, 26 laws and codes and four ordinances, are being drafted or revised and supplemented to carry out duties which will arise during bilateral and multilateral WTO negotiations.
Minister of Trade Truong Dinh Tuyen said that Vietnam's law building programme has drawn due concern from major partners, including the US, who consider it one of Vietnam's top priorities for admission.
The NA's law building programme in 2005 has met almost all WTO requirements. The NA will have to build or revise four laws and two ordinances this year.NA vice Chair Nguyen Van Yeu said that apart from the next two sessions in May and October, the NA will not have to convene any more meetings on law building. It proposed extending the 7th session in May by four days and the 8th session in October by two days and completing the compilation of these legal documents in time and ensuring their quality.
The government is striving to convince its partners that Vietnam should revise and issue the most important laws in 2005, and that it will amend and issue other laws after joining the WTO.
The WTO working group has conducted nine meetings, the latest in December 2004, during which Vietnam replied to more than 2,000 questions from WTO members to clarify its trade regime and policies. Twenty-seven partners have so far asked for bilateral talks with Vietnam in goods and service areas.
The Trade minister said that Vietnam has concluded negotiations with six partners and has to complete talks with 21 others before July 2005 before it can join the world largest trade body by the end of this year.
Radio Voice of Vietnam, March 22, 2005
