Consulting with a number of ministries and branches on the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended)

On the afternoon of April 2, at the headquarters of the National Assembly agencies - 22 Hung Vuong, the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment worked with a number of ministries and branches to collect comments and contributions to complete the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended). Vice Chairman of the Committee Ta Dinh Thi chaired the meeting.

Attending the meeting were representatives of leaders of a number of National Assembly Committees, members who are full-time National Assembly deputies of the Committee on Science , Technology and Environment and leaders of a number of relevant ministries and branches.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh said that after 17 years of implementation, the 2008 Law on Atomic Energy (passed by the 12th National Assembly on June 3, 2008 and effective from January 1, 2009) has revealed inadequacies and limitations in management requirements, is not compatible with a number of newly issued laws, and does not meet the requirements for internalization related to international treaties of which Vietnam is a member... Therefore, the 2008 Law on Atomic Energy needs to be studied, amended and supplemented.

The purpose of promulgating the Law on Atomic Energy (amended) is to continue institutionalizing the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's policies on atomic energy, enhancing the effectiveness of State management on radiation safety, nuclear safety and security; developing the application of atomic energy; contributing to creating new momentum for the country's rapid and sustainable development in the new era.

Overview of the working session.

Regarding the scope of regulation, the Law regulates activities in the field of atomic energy and ensures safety and security in such activities. The Law applies to domestic organizations and individuals, Vietnamese people residing abroad, foreign organizations and individuals, and international organizations conducting activities in the field of atomic energy in Vietnam.

The draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) consists of 12 chapters and 73 articles (a reduction of 20 articles, equivalent to more than 20% of the number of articles compared to the 2008 Law on Atomic Energy). The draft closely follows four policies that the Government has basically agreed upon in Resolution No. 240/NQ-CP dated December 17, 2024 at the Special Session on Lawmaking in November 2024, specifically: Promoting the development and socialization of atomic energy applications; ensuring radiation safety, nuclear safety and security, decentralization in State management; facilitating nuclear inspection activities; managing radioactive waste, spent radioactive sources and spent nuclear fuel; responding to radiation incidents and nuclear incidents; civil liability for nuclear damage.

The draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) was developed by the Ministry of Science and Technology in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents. Accordingly, the Ministry has established a Drafting Committee and an Editorial Team for the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) with the participation of representatives of ministries, branches, central and local agencies, experts and scientists.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has organized to collect opinions from ministries, branches, localities, agencies, organizations, associations, enterprises, and experts on the draft Law. The Ministry has also received written comments from 70 agencies, including: 18 ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and agencies under the Government; 44 provincial People's Committees of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and 06 facilities conducting radiation work; 02 experts in the field of atomic energy. Of the total 68 comments received, 23 completely agreed with the draft Law. At the same time, many specific comments have been seriously accepted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, completing the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended).

On March 6, 2025, the Ministry of Science and Technology submitted the draft Law to the Ministry of Justice for appraisal. On March 12, 2025, the Government Standing Committee gave its opinion on the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended). On March 18, 2025, the Ministry of Justice issued a Report on appraisal of the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) in Report No. 84/BCTĐ-BTP dated March 18, 2025. The draft Law was revised and supplemented by the Ministry of Science and Technology based on the comments of the Government Standing Committee, the appraisal comments of the Ministry of Justice and submitted to the Government in Report No. 16/TTr-BKHCN dated March 18, 2025.

Government members gave their opinions on the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) at the Government's March 2025 Lawmaking Session (March 19, 2025). The Ministry of Science and Technology has studied and absorbed the opinions of Government members and the Prime Minister's conclusions to complete the draft Law.

On behalf of the review body, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Ta Dinh Thi affirmed the necessity of amending the Law on Atomic Energy to ensure the comprehensive and direct leadership of the Party in law-making; institutionalize the Party and State's guidelines and policies on developing atomic energy for peaceful purposes; promote decentralization, delegation of power, and simplification of administrative procedures in State management of atomic energy; inherit and develop reasonable and principled provisions of the 2008 Law on Atomic Energy; thoroughly overcome the shortcomings and overlaps that have caused difficulties and problems in the past. At the same time, comply with the principle that the law only regulates issues under the authority of the National Assembly.

Vice Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Ta Dinh Thi also suggested that ministries, branches and delegates focus on contributing new points of the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) as well as 04 policies that were basically agreed upon by the Government in Resolution No. 240/NQ-CP dated December 17, 2024 at the Special Session on Lawmaking in November 2024.

Within the framework of the working session, the ministries and branches focused on contributing opinions and making proposals on the following contents: Reducing administrative procedures and decentralizing and decentralizing power in State management of atomic energy; State management tasks on nuclear radiation safety; Inspection, examination and handling of violations; Trial operation of nuclear power plants; Development of human resources in the field of atomic energy; Measures to promote the development and application of atomic energy; Socialization of activities in the field of atomic energy...

According to the National Assembly's legislative agenda, the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) will be submitted to the National Assembly for comments at the 9th Session taking place in May 2025. Therefore, the opinions and proposals of the ministries and branches will be carefully reviewed by the review agency before being submitted to the National Assembly for consideration./.

According to the Vietnam National Assembly Electronic Information Portal

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/lay-y-kien-cua-mot-so-bo-nganh-ve-du-an-luat-nang-luong-nguyen-tu-sua-doi-197251101210118517.htm