NA deputies urge strengthening oversight of international agreements

Delegating greater authority to sign international agreements must go hand in hand with oversight, control of powers and clear accountability for implementation, particularly at the commune level, deputies said during group discussions on October 20 on the draft revised Law on International Agreements, as part of the 16th National Assembly (NA)’s second session.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc said that the Government has directed the drafting of the revised law towards greater decentralisation, simpler procedures and paperwork, and wider application of science and technology to facilitate international cooperation. At the same time, the delegation of authority must be accompanied by effective control to ensure consistent and unified management.

He stressed that during their overseas visits, Party and State leaders have attached great importance to international agreements and commitments, which must must be effectively implemented. Ministries, localities and businesses need to make better use of the opportunities they create.

Citing Vietnam’s new-generation free trade agreements, Tuc noted that some ministries, localities and businesses have yet to fully capitalise on their benefits. Technological innovation and production restructuring are therefore necessary to maximise the gains from international commitments.

The Government will push ahead with the implementation of international agreements in the time ahead work to improve the legal framework for cooperation, he added.

During the discussion, NA Vice President Nguyen Khac Dinh welcomed revisions to the draft, particularly provisions establishing general procedures for signing agreements on behalf of ministries and ministerial-level agencies and authorising the Government to provide detailed regulations on these procedures.

Deputy Nguyen Ngoc Son from Hai Phong city supported the revised law, saying it will meet the requirements of deeper international integration and the restructuring of the administrative apparatus under the two-tier local administration model.

He called for further clarification of signing authority, oversight mechanisms and implementation procedures. While the draft defines the NA and its bodies’ oversight powers, he questioned a provision allowing NA agencies and committees to conduct oversight jointly with their counterparts in foreign countries. He proposed replacing this with information exchange and coordination in monitoring implementation, stressing that oversight is a constitutional power of Vietnam’s state authorities.

Son also urged the inclusion of reporting obligations and oversight powers for People’s Councils at the corresponding level, particularly as signing authority would be extended to specialised agencies, management boards and commune-level People’s Committees.

Regarding local authorities’ expanded powers, he supported limits on the fields in which border communes and wards may sign agreements. However, he called for the law itself to establish basic criteria for determining which other localities could be granted such authority.

He further proposed requiring consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies during the signing process, as well as expanding requirements for ministries and localities, including commune-level authorities, to submit copies of signed agreements to the ministry to ensure comprehensive information and effective management./.