Preliminary review of the draft Law on Beliefs and Religions (amended)

On the morning of March 16, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Social Affairs held an expanded meeting to conduct a preliminary review of the draft Law on Beliefs and Religions (amended). Member of the Central Committee of the Party and Chairman of the Committee, Nguyen Dac Vinh, presided over the meeting.

Attending the session were Deputy Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religion Nguyen Hai Trung; representatives from agencies of the National Assembly, and relevant ministries and sectors.

Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs Nguyen Dac Vinh speaks at the session. Photo: Quang Khanh

The Law on Beliefs and Religions was enacted by the National Assembly in 2016. After nearly 10 years of implementation, the Law has revealed a number of limitations and difficulties, especially in light of the urgent need to streamline the state apparatus, strongly reform administrative procedures and methods, and promote the application of science and technology in state management. Therefore, the draft Law on Beliefs and Religions (amended) has been included in the 2026 legislative program and will be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the First Session of the 16th National Assembly (April 2026).

Deputy Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religion Nguyen Hai Trung presents a summary of the draft Law on Beliefs and Religions (amended). Photo: Quang Khanh

Having been assigned to preside over the review of the draft Law on Beliefs and Religions (amended), the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs has recently held working sessions with the drafting agency and relevant agencies; conducted written surveys in 34 provinces and cities, carried out direct surveys in 3 localities, and held seminars on the proposed policy amendments…

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Social Affairs agrees with the necessity of amending the Law on Beliefs and Religions, in order to continue to promptly and fully institutionalize the Party's guidelines and policies; and at the same time overcome difficulties, obstacles, and inadequacies arising in the implementation of the current Law as well as in the practical activities of beliefs and religions.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs, Trieu The Hung, presents the draft verification report. Photo: Quang Khanh.

The Standing Committee noted that the draft law submitted to the National Assembly was fully prepared in accordance with the Law on the Promulgation of Legal Documents, ensuring the prescribed procedures. However, the Standing Committee requested the drafting agency to further review the provisions and compare them with relevant laws to ensure consistency within the legal system and with relevant international treaties to which Vietnam is a signatory.

Continue researching, supplementing, and refining the draft Law; review the Party's guidelines and policies, legal documents, and draft detailed regulations before submitting them to the National Assembly; review regulations on establishing principles and responsibilities of agencies, organizations, and individuals when conducting religious activities in cyberspace; registration of religious activities outside religious establishments; educational, medical, social welfare, charitable, and humanitarian activities of religious organizations and affiliated religious organizations, ensuring consistency, uniformity, and feasibility...

Delegates offer their opinions at the session. Photo: Quang Khánh

At the meeting, delegates agreed with the scope and subjects of application of the draft Law; they believed that the draft Law implements the direction of innovation in legislative work in the new situation, ensuring both the requirements of state management and the right to freedom of belief and religion, and promoting the positive values ​​of religion for society.

Regarding specific issues, delegates suggested adding and clarifying the " responsibilities of entities " participating in religious activities in cyberspace; and that the decentralization and delegation of authority in state management of religious activities must be consistent with the capabilities and conditions for performing tasks and powers of local governments at all levels, especially at the commune level.

Overview of the meeting. Photo: Quang Khánh

The draft law proposes adding a provision that “ religious activities outside of religious establishments ” carried out by representatives, management boards of religious establishments, or other organizations and individuals must be registered. Delegates suggested reviewing and adjusting this provision to clarify the scope of excluded religious activities that do not require registration (based on scale and nature) and entrusting the Government with the task of providing detailed regulations to ensure feasibility…

Beliefs and religions are a difficult, complex, and sensitive area, while the timeframe for drafting the revised Law on Beliefs and Religions is very tight. Therefore, the Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs, Nguyen Dac Vinh, emphasized the principle of reforming the law-making process in accordance with Resolution 66 of the Politburo. Accordingly, the law will only stipulate a policy framework for issues that are stable and have long-term value; detailed issues will be left to the Government to regulate to ensure flexibility and suitability to practical realities.

Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs Nguyen Dac Vinh requested the drafting agency to continue reviewing, researching, and incorporating feedback to finalize the draft Law. Photo: Quang Khanh

Based on the opinions expressed at the meeting, Chairman Nguyen Dac Vinh requested the agency in charge of drafting the Law on Beliefs and Religions (amended) to continue reviewing, researching, and incorporating feedback to finalize the draft Law; and at the same time, clarify the contents on which there are differing opinions, in order to both ensure the freedom of belief and religion of citizens and contribute to improving the effectiveness of state management in this field.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/tham-tra-so-bo-du-an-luat-tin-nguong-ton-giao-sua-doi-10410173.html