The National Assembly Standing Committee gives opinions on the Law amending the Law on Geology and Minerals

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan proposed studying the amendment and supplementation to perfect regulations on criteria for delimiting areas where mineral exploitation rights are not auctioned.

Continuing the 50th Session, on the afternoon of October 14, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Geology and Minerals.

According to the Draft Law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Geology and Minerals presented by Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang, the draft Law consists of 3 articles, including reviewing to amend and supplement regulations on licensing of mineral activities in groups III and IV to provide construction materials for public investment projects according to the provisions of the law on public investment; investment projects implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) method according to the provisions of the law on investment under the public-private partnership method...; allowing state management agencies to grant licenses for deep exploration and expansion to organizations and individuals that are legally exploiting minerals without having to adjust or supplement mineral planning before granting exploration licenses...

The report on the review of the Law project presented by Vice Chairman of the Committee for Science , Technology and Environment Ta Dinh Thi clearly stated the scope of amendments. The draft Law basically correctly reflected the viewpoints and objectives of amending the Law; in accordance with the Party's guidelines and policies, and the State's laws and policies.

However, it is recommended that the contents stipulated in Resolution No. 66.4/2025/NQ-CP dated September 21, 2025 of the Government on specific mechanisms and policies to remove difficulties in implementing the Law on Geology and Minerals in 2024 should not be legalized at this time.

Based on the assessment of the implementation results of this Resolution, the Government will propose to legalize appropriate regulations in the coming time to avoid wasting resources, abusing policies, and not causing negative consequences.

Regarding the regulations on criteria for delimiting areas where mineral exploitation rights are not auctioned (Clause 23, Article 1), there are opinions suggesting to study regulations in the direction that all mineral exploitation rights must be granted through auction. The exclusion of non-auction mineral areas can be replaced by adding conditions for participating in auctions, for example, mineral areas at borders, coastal areas, areas affecting national defense and security should limit foreign investors or add procedures to examine conditions on national defense and security...

Discussing at the meeting, the majority of members of the National Assembly Standing Committee said that amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Geology and Minerals is extremely necessary to meet urgent requirements in state management and the country's socio-economic development in the new context, thereby promptly removing difficulties arising in the implementation of the Law, especially issues related to the licensing mechanism, exploitation and use of minerals for the construction of important national works and projects; urgent and urgent investment projects decided by competent authorities...

This is also one of the practical solutions to promote socio-economic development, contributing to the completion of the GDP growth target of 8% in 2025 and creating a solid foundation towards double-digit growth in the following years.

Giving comments on the draft Law, Chairman of the Ethnic Council Lam Van Man suggested that it is necessary to forecast negative impacts on subjects directly affected by mineral exploitation activities in mountainous areas and ethnic minority areas in order to have appropriate regulations.

Leading and concluding the discussion, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan suggested that the Government study and absorb the opinions at the meeting, review and institutionalize the Party's major policies to supplement and perfect the draft Law.

At the same time, study the amendment and supplementation to complete the regulations on criteria for delimiting areas where mineral exploration and exploitation rights are not auctioned, and the exploitation of common materials and filling materials; and the reduction and simplification of administrative procedures.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan speaks. (Photo: Doan Tan/VNA)

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan emphasized that the decentralization and delegation of power stipulated in the draft must ensure the removal of obstacles and shortcomings, unblocking bottlenecks; preventing and combating corruption and negativity; reviewing the scope of amendments to the draft Law, ensuring the legalization of regulations on decentralization and delegation of power in a synchronous and complete manner in accordance with regulations on authority and responsibility for state management and the Government's decree regulating decentralization and delegation of power in the fields of agriculture and environment.

The National Assembly Standing Committee basically agreed on amending and supplementing regulations on criteria for delimiting areas where mineral exploitation rights are not auctioned to ensure energy security; ensure national defense and security; effectively use strategic and important minerals, ensure raw materials for types of works, projects and tasks specified in the draft Law; ensure the legal basis for granting mineral exploitation licenses for areas with exploration results or for extending and re-issuing mineral exploration licenses, mineral exploitation licenses, transferring mineral exploration rights....

The Government needs to continue reviewing and perfecting regulations on delimiting areas where mineral exploitation rights are not auctioned, ensuring publicity and transparency, consistent with the actual exploitation, processing and usage capacity of cement factories and mineral processing factories operating in accordance with the law, avoiding speculation in mine sites, profiteering and not affecting the development of new mineral exploration and exploitation projects according to regulations...

Also at the session, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of laws in the fields of agriculture and environment; and gave opinions (for the third time) on preparations for the 10th session of the 15th National Assembly./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/uy-ban-thuong-vu-quoc-hoi-cho-y-kien-ve-luat-sua-doi-luat-dia-chat-va-khoang-san-post1070271.vnp