The Vietnamese government has annulled 18 decrees and six specific articles from other regulations, taking effect December 1, 2026, through Decree No. 356/2026/ND-CP. This action follows revisions to the Government Organisation Law (No. 63/2025/QH15) and the Legal Documents Promulgation Law (No. 64/2025/QH15), as modified by Law No. 87/2025/QH15. The Justice Ministry proposed the changes.

Full repeals: 12 decrees removed entirely

Twelve decrees have been completely annulled, including long-standing rules on identity documentation, cultural enforcement, and economic governance. Among the canceled regulations:

• Decree No. 35-CP (1995) – Placed the National Reserves Department under direct government control.
• Decree No. 88-CP (1995) – Established penalties for breaches in cultural activities and social conduct standards.
• Decree No. 05/1999/ND-CP (1999), Originally governed citizen identity cards, later updated multiple times.
• Decree No. 66/2004/ND-CP (2004), Transferred the State Securities Commission to the Ministry of Finance.
• Decree No. 138/2006/ND-CP (2006), Clarified civil relations with foreign involvement under the Civil Code.
• Decree No. 170/2007/ND-CP (2007), Revised identity card procedures from Decree No. 05/1999/ND-CP.

An additional six decrees were fully annulled, covering health supervision, inspection standards, maritime security, and COVID-19 emergency measures. Notably, Decree No. 29/2022/ND-CP, issued during the pandemic, has been removed, marking a shift in public health administration.

Partial annulments: six articles deleted from recent regulations

Beyond full repeals, six specific provisions were stripped from newer decrees, targeting inconsistencies in environmental business operations, construction management, and healthcare decentralization. The affected articles include:

• Articles 3 and 28 of Decree No. 103/2009/ND-CP, Cultural activity regulations.
• Articles 6 and 7 of Decree No. 22/2023/ND-CP, Natural resource and environmental business rules.
• Article 13 of Decree No. 35/2023/ND-CP, State oversight of construction projects.
• Article 26 of Decree No. 79/2023/ND-CP, Plant variety protections under intellectual property law.
• Clause 3, Article 39 of Decree No. 121/2025/ND-CP, Justice Ministry decentralization authority.
• Article 32 of Decree No. 148/2025/ND-CP, Health sector power delegation.

These targeted deletions aim to simplify local governance and align regulations with updated ministerial responsibilities.

Background: legal updates in a modernizing system

Most of the canceled decrees date to 20 years ago or earlier, reflecting Vietnam’s rapid legal development. The 2025 revisions to government organization laws created opportunities to consolidate outdated provisions. For instance, Decree No. 05/1999/ND-CP on identity cards was amended three times before its complete repeal, illustrating how frequently foundational documents require updates.

The current process follows similar reviews in 2016 and 2020, when Decree No. 100/2016/ND-CP and Decree No. 101/2020/ND-CP removed dozens of older regulations. This time, the focus includes healthcare adjustments and digital-era security rules, such as the scrapped COVID-19 response decree and ship safety regulations.

A key contrast remains: Decree No. 145/2025/ND-CP, which defines local administrative powers, stays in effect. Its retention shows the government’s shift from sector-specific rules to broader legal frameworks.

Impact on businesses and citizens

In healthcare, the removal of Decree No. 117/2014/ND-CP (commune health organizations) and Article 32 of Decree No. 148/2025/ND-CP signals a move toward centralized oversight of medical services in rural and urban areas.

The intellectual property sector sees minimal disruption, with only Article 26 of Decree No. 79/2023/ND-CP removed, affecting plant variety rights filings. The National Office of Intellectual Property will provide clarification on replacement processes before the deadline.

Additional Decrees Fully Revoked Under the Latest Legal Overhaul

The cancellation also includes Decree No. 36-CP (1996), which modified sections of the regulation issued alongside Decree No. 87-CP (1995). Decree No. 88-CP (1995) had outlined penalties for violations in cultural activities and measures to address social conduct breaches. Decree No. 194-CP (1994) was also annulled, though its original scope remains unspecified in the new framework.

Decree No. 106/2013/ND-CP and Decree No. 117/2014/ND-CP were fully removed, covering inspection collaborator roles and the organization of commune-level health services, respectively. Decree No. 33/2015/ND-CP, which detailed procedures for implementing inspection findings, was also repealed. Decree No. 37/2018/ND-CP, governing monitoring measures for juvenile offenders exempted from criminal liability, and Decree No. 75/2018/ND-CP, regulating maritime security guard duties, were both canceled.