Category: MONTHLY LEGAL UPDATE

LEGAL UPDATE – FEBRUARY 2024 – GUIDANCE ON THE PRIVATE PLACEMENT OF CORPORATE BONDS IN DOMESTIC MARKET

Issue February 2024

Nguyen Thu Huyen
Partner 

Nguyen T. Thu Ha
Senior Associate

Corporate bonds are currently governed by the Decree No. 153/2020/ND-CP dated 31 December 2020 on the private placement of corporate bonds and trading of privately placed corporate bonds in the domestic market and offering of corporate bonds to the international market, as amended and supplemented by the Decree No. 65/2022/NĐ-CP and the Decree No. 08/2023/ND-CP (“Decree 153”).

On 17 May 2023, the Ministry of Finance issued Circular No. 30/2023/TT-BTC guiding a number of the regulations on registration, depository, exercise of rights, transfer of ownership rights, transaction payment, and organization of the market for trading privately placed corporate bonds in the domestic market (“Circular 30”). Circular 30 specifically guides the privately placed corporate bonds (the “Bonds”) issued from 01 January 2021 in accordance with Decrees 153. Regarding Bonds issued prior to 01 January 2021 with the outstanding principle, the bond depository and transaction will continue to be conducted in accordance with the approved bond issuance plan.

1. General Principles 

Circular 30 sets out 08 general principles when implementing the registration, depository, exercises of rights, transfer of rights of the Bonds. Some notable principles are as follows:

  1. The Bonds must be registered and deposited in concentration at the Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation – VSDC (Tổng công ty Lưu ký và Bù trừ chứng khoán Việt Nam, in Vietnamese).
  2. The Issuer, the VSDC, and the depository members shall be responsible for exercising the rights for the bondholders in accordance with the Law on Securities and other relevant laws.
  3. The Issuer shall have to register the trading of issued Bonds in the bond trading system.
  4. The payment for transactions in the bonds trading system shall be made via the bonds payment system according to the instant payment method for each transaction, the central clearing partner mechanism shall not be applied.

2. Trading account for trading of the privately placed corporate bonds

This is a new regulation that requires the investors to open a trading account at the trading members for the implementation of transactions.

In case the investor has already had the securities trading account opened at the trading member, the investor is entitled to use such account to trade Bonds. Before the purchase of Bonds, the investors must be a professional investor and have signed a letter of confirmation in accordance with the laws on securities. The Securities enterprises being the trading members are responsible for identifying the professional investor qualification and ensuring that the investors are eligible for bonds purchase before entering commands into the bonds trading system.

3. Trading the corporate bonds via the bond trading system opened at Hanoi Stock Exchange

Circular 30 particularly releases a “life jacket” for the bondholders under the current circumstances where there are several issuers being unable to repay both principal bond and interests under the Bonds. The investors may directly offer their Bonds through the corporate bond trading system opened at the Hanoi Stock Exchange to recover their investment costs. So what are the conditions for investors to be able to offer their Bonds?

First, the issuer must register the Bonds at the VSDC. Secondly, before being traded or transferred to others, the Bonds must be deposited in concentration at the VSDC through a securities enterprise. Thirdly, and being the most crucial factor, is to find investor willing to purchase the Bonds.

In such cases, the Bonds shall be transferred and traded on the bond trading system via the mutual agreement of the parties. Such transaction is established when the buyer or seller enters a trading command into the bond trading system and the reciprocal party confirms that trading command.

4. Transfer of bond ownership rights

The VSDC shall transfer the Bonds that have been registered and deposited at its corporation via the bonds trading system. However, Circular 30 further guides some special circumstances where the transfer of Bonds ownership rights is not subject to bond trading system, such as donation, inheritance; division, separation, consolidation, merging, dissolution of enterprises; exercises of courts’ judgment, decisions of arbitration court or the judgment enforcement; etc.

5. Payment settlement of bonds transaction

Circular 30 sets forth more detailed instructions on bond transaction payment. Accordingly, individuals and organizations eligible for Bonds transactions on the depository account system of the VSDC includes: (i) the depository members settling payment for their own Bonds transactions or their clients’ and (ii) the organizations opening accounts for the direct payment of their own Bonds transactions (the “Permitted Bond Transfer Organization”). The Permitted Bond Transfer Organization must open a deposit account under its name at the bank for the payment settlement of bond transactions.

The payment of bond transactions shall be made at the settlement bank based on the payment obligation announced by the VSDC. The transfer of bond payments, on the other hand, shall be made via the system of VSDC on the principle of Bond transfer between accounts of investors at the Permitted Bond Transfer Organization, simultaneously with the payment settlement at the bank. The depository members at which the investors open their accounts are responsible for the distribution of money and Bonds to the investors’ accounts immediately upon the completion of payment transfer by VSDC and payment settlement of transactions by the bank.

In addition, Circular 30 also prescribes instructions for processing some circumstances of insolvency for bond transactions, for instance, where the Permitted Bond Transfer Organization is temporarily insolvent, the bank shall lend money for the payment settlement of bonds transactions by virtue of the financial support agreement signed between the parties. In the event such agreement prescribes the use of deposited securities at VSDC as collaterals for the loan amount, VSDC shall freeze such securities under the suggestion of the bank. Furthermore, in case the payment deadline arrives and the Permitted Bond Transfer Organization does not have available funds for such payment, VSDC shall remove the transaction payment.

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – FEBRUARY 2024 – LAW ON PRICE 2023

Issue February 2024

Trinh Hoang Lien
Partner 

  

Ha T. Thu Trang
Legal Assistant

 

The Law on Price No. 16/2023/QH15 (“Law on Price 2023“) was adopted by the National Assembly on June 19, 2023 to overcome limitations under the Law on Price 2012 to adapt with drastical changes in reality. The law will take effect on July 01, 2024 except for the provisions on the expertise of the Valuer Council, which will be delayed until January 01, 2026. Below are some notable new points of the Law on Price 2023.

1. Principles of applying the Law on Price and other related laws

Application of the Law on Price on issues concurrently regulated by other effective laws is guided in more detail under the Law on Price 2023. Specifically, in case there are inconsistancies between the Law on Price and other laws issued before the effective date of the Law on Price, the Law on Price shall be applied, except for pricing by the State of some commodities required to implemented in accordance with the lining laws, including laws on land, housing, electricity, medical examination, treatment, education, university education, vocational education and intellectual property.

2. Price declaration

The Law on Price 2023 expands numerous cases subject to price declaration besides the mandatory case of declaring prices for goods and services in the price stabilisation list as regulated under the Law on Price 2012. Goods and services subject to price declaration include goods and services in the price stabilisation list; goods and services that the State determines the price range, maximum price, minimum price for organisations to determine specific prices to sell to consumers; goods and services that traders agree to follow the reference price; and other essential goods and services determined by the Government.

It is concerned that expansion of the subjects of price declaration can become a form of “sub-license” for traders of goods and services. The list of organisations providing goods and services that must perform price declaration is unclear. Price declaration shall be implemented at two levels, the Ministrial level and equivalent agency and the provincial level (Provincial People’s Committee) according to the list issued by these agencies. The questions whether the price declaration procedure is complicated or not, the list of organisations subject to price declaration is long or not and if there will be overlap in the list of goods and services subject to price declaration issued by these two levels of implementation or not only be answered upon the promulgation of Decree guiding in detail by the Government.

3. Business conditions for valuation services of valuation enterprises

The conditions for valuation services of valuation enterprises are regulated more strictly to ensure the stability of human resources of valuation enterprises and limit violations in the implementation process. The new regulation increases the requirement for the minimum number of valuers at enterprises from 3 to 5 valuers.

Furthermore, additional requirements are set for each form of valuation enterprise. Specifically, for partnership company, general partners of the partnership must be persons who obtains valuer card registered for the valuing profession at the enterprise. For limited liability company with two or more members and joint stock company, it is further required that the total contributed capital of the members or shareholders who have an valuer card registered for the valuing profession at the enterprise must account for more than 50% of the charter capital of the enterprise.

For the branch of the valuing enterprise, the new regulation requires to increase the number of valuers at the branch of the valuing enterprise from at least 2 to at least 3 valuers who meet all conditions for registering for the valuing profession and registering for the valuing profession at the branch.

4. Conditions for valuers

The Law on Price 2023 reduces the working experience time required before register for the valuing profession for those who gain university degree or higher in the field of price or valuation according to the application-oriented program as prescribed by law. For these persons, the minimum total actual working time at the valuation enterprises, state management agencies on price and valuation is 24 months compared to the general level of total actual working time at the valuation enterprises, state management agencies on price and valuation for those with a general university degree or higher of 36 months.

5. List of goods and services subject to price stabilisation

The Law on Price 2023 removes electricity, table salt and table sugar (including granulated sugar and refined sugar) from the list of goods and services subject to price stabilization regulated by the Law on Price 2012 and adds DAP fertilizer, animal feed and aquatic feed. Consequently, the list of goods and services subject to price stabilisation according to the Law on Price 2023 includes 9 goods and services: Gasoline, oil products; Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); Milk for children under 6 years old; Ordinary paddy and rice; Nitrogen fertilizer, DAP fertilizer, NPK fertilizer; Animal feed, aquatic feed; Vaccines for disease prevention for livestock, poultry; Pesticides; Drugs in the list of essential drugs used at medical examination and treatment facilities. The regulation of this list in the law ensures transparency, clarity, avoids abuse to expand the scope of goods subject to price stabilisation, ensures legal certainty, stability, helps businesses and people who are doing business in goods subject to price stabilisation have a suitable business plan.

6. List of goods and services subject to price determination by the State

The Law on Price 2023 supplements a criterion for goods and services subject to price determination by the State, essential goods and services of monopoly nature in buying and selling or have a limited competitive market and affect the economy – society, people’s lives, production and business activities. Additionally, in order to get rid of inconsistancy, overlap between the Law on Price and other lining laws in related to goods and services subject to price determination by the State, the Law on Price 2023 also updated the list of goods and services subject to price determination by the State in line with the regulations of lining laws such as adding station entry and exit services; auction services, … to the list.

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – JANUARY 2024 – WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF NEW LAND LAW 2024 ON PROPERTY/ REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS IN LAND PRICE EVALUATION?

Special Issue Jan, 2024

Nguyen Dang Viet
Partner

We take a snapshot on amendments and supplements under the new Land Law 2024 related to land pricing and evaluation, a very important issue concerned by all real estate developing investors to find out whether there are significant impacts on land costs leading to changes in real estate selling prices or not.

I – Principles of land pricing

II- Land Price Evaluation Approaches

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – JUNE 2023 – VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT’S DECREE NO. 08/2023/ND-CP DATED MARCH 5, 2023 AMENDING AND SUSPENDING SOME ARTICLES OF DECREES PRESCRIBING PRIVATE PLACEMENT AND TRADING OF PRIVATELY PLACED CORPORATE BONDS IN DOMESTIC MARKET AND OFFERING OF CORPORATE BONDS IN INTERNATIONAL MARKET

Issue June 2023

Nguyen Thi Thu Trang
Counsel

Phan Van Huy
Senior Associate

Recently, a number of bond issuers, especially those engaged in real estate business, have faced difficulties meeting their due bond principal and interest repayment obligations. With the purpose to facilitate issuers as well as providing more options for bondholders, on 5 March 2023, the Government issued Decree No. 08/2023/ND-CP amending, supplementing and suspending the effect of a number of articles in the Decrees prescribing private placement and trading of privately placed corporate bonds in domestic market and offering of corporate bonds in international market (“Decree 08/2023”).

Decree 08/2023 is expected to bring positive solutions for bond issuers and bondholders in payment of due bonds. The Decree takes effect from the date of signing and marks following significant points:

 1. Allowing negotiation to pay principal and interest of due bonds with other assets

Formerly, the bond issuer is responsible to “make full and timely payments of bond principal and interests when they become due, and exercise associated rights (if any) for bondholders under terms and conditions of bonds” as stipulated in  Article 34.3 of Decree No. 153/2020/ND-CP of the Government prescribing private placement and trading of privately placed corporate bonds in domestic market and offering of corporate bonds in international market (“Decree 153/2020”), with no regulation allowing adjustment of the payment term. Decree 08/2023, notably, provides regulations allowing the issuers and bondholder to negotiate to pay due principal and interest of bond with other assets. In particular, regarding bonds offered for sale in the domestic market, where the issuers cannot make full and timely payment of the bond principal and interest in Vietnam dong in compliance with the issuance plan announced to the investors, the issuers may negotiate with the bondholders to pay due principal and interest of the bond with other assets on the following principles:

(i) comply with the provisions of civil law and relevant laws. For conditional business lines, they must also comply with the provisions of respective law on such conditional business lines;

(ii) must be approved by the bondholders;

(iii) issuers must disclose unusual information and take full responsibility for the legal status of assets used to pay bond principal and interest in accordance with the laws.

This new legal framework is expected to motivate bond issuers that are having difficulty paying bond principals and interests according to the issuance plan announced to investors and, together with bondholders, to find a solution to settle the payment of due bond principal and interest. On the other side, the new regulation opens up more options for bondholders to receive payment with other assets instead of long waiting for the issuers to pay in compliance with the initial plan.

However, it should be noted that this new legal framework only stipulates that the issuers are fully responsible for the legal status of the assets used for payment, but does not provide a strict mechanism to control the legality of the assets and subsequent payment process. Many argue that the change of payment assets can pose issues to asset valuations, asset divisions, notably under circumstances where many bondholders receive payment with the same real estate.

2. Extending bond’s term up to 02 years compared to the announced issuance plan

For bonds issued prior to and having outstanding balance by 16 September 2022 – the effective date of Decree No. 65/2022/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 153/2020 (“Decree 65/2022”), instead of not allowing issuers to change the term of issued bonds as prescribed in Article 3.3.(b) of Decree No. 65/2022, Decree 08/2023 allows the change of the terms and conditions of bonds on the condition that it must ensure the following principles:

(i) approved by a competent authority of the issuers;

(ii) accepted by bondholders representing at least 65% of the total outstanding bonds of the same type;

(iii) where the bond’s term is extended, the maximum duration shall not exceed 02 (two) years compared to the term in the bond issuance plan announced to investors;

(iv) for bondholders who do not agree to change the bond’s terms and conditions, the issuers are responsible for negotiation to ensure the interests of the investors. Where a bondholder does not accept the negotiation plan, the issuers must fulfill all obligations towards the bondholder according to the bond issuance plan announced to investors (even if the change in terms and conditions of bonds has been approved by bondholders representing 65% or more of the total bonds).

Accordingly, the notable new point is the extension of the bond’s term up to 2 years compared to the term in the bond issuance plan announced to investors. This period shall give the issuers more time to fulfill its obligations towards bondholders.

3. Suspending the effect of some regulations until the end of 2023

Decree 08/2023 further suspends the effect of the following provisions in Decree 65/2022 until the end of 31 December 2023:

(i) Regulations on determining the status of individual professional stock investors at Article 8.1.(d) of Decree 153/2020 as amended in Article 1.6 of Decree 65/2022;

(ii) Regulations on bond distribution time of each issuance instalment in Article 1.7 and 1.8 of Decree No. 65/2022;

(iii) Regulations on credit rating results for bond issuers at Article 12.2.(e) of Decree 153/2020 as amended in Article 1.9 of Decree No. 65/2022.

The suspension of the above regulations is considered a short-term measure to help issuers facing difficulties in liquidity and payment of due bonds due.

To sum up, Decree 08/2023 provides new mechanisms for bond issuers to negotiate with bondholders to solve the current challenging situation of the domestic corporate bond market. Generally, to be able to change the payment assets and extend the bond’s term, the issuers must obtain the approval of the bondholders. Thus, bondholders are advised to carefully consider before making their decisions in the context where many issues may arise in regards to asset valuation, division of assets of co-ownership or the issuers’ provision of unclear or inaccurate information.

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – MAY 2023 – CHANGES IN LAND REGULATIONS

Issue May 2023

Nguyen Dang Viet
Partner

Nguyen Tu Oanh
Associate

On 03 April 2023, the Government issued Decree No. 10/2023/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decrees guiding the implementation of the Land Law. (“Decree 10/2023”), taking effect from 20 May 2023.

The Decree 10/2023 is considered, amongst 04 other Decrees, significantly affecting the land sector and real estate market. the Decree 10/2023 aims to solve and remove certain difficulties and obstacles in land procedures, land valuation, and granting certificates of land use rights, ownership rights for non-residential real estates (condotel and villas and office real estate, etc.). In particular, the Decree 10/2023 sets out the following noteworthy new provisions:

 1. Extension of land use period shall exclude force majeure affection time

Article 64.1.(i) of the  Law on Land 2013 stipulates that “…If [project] developers still fail to put the land into use when the extended time is over, the State shall revoke the [allocated] land without compensation for land and land-attached assets, except due to force majeure”. Force majeure events had been specifically stated under Article 15.1 of the Decree 43/2014/ND-CP, however, this Decree is silent on handling the consequences of force majeure events. The Decree 10/2023 has now supplemented that the period of time being affected by a force majeure event shall be excluded and added into the 24 months’ grace period.

The following authorities have power to determine the period of force majeure effects: (i) Provincial People’s Committees for projects located in a province/ centrally-affiliated city and (ii) the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment for projects located in two or more provinces or centrally-affiliated cities.

2. Auction of land use rights

Article 119 of the Law on Land 2013 sets out only basic conditions for auctioning and entities to take part into land auction when the State allocates or leases land.

The Decree 10/2023 supplements Article 17.a on auction of land use rights when the State allocates land with collection of land use fees or leases land:

 (i) Conditions for organizations participating in the auction of land use rights: If two or more companies having cross-ownership participate in auction of a parcel of land or a project sited at one or more parcels of land, only one company is allowed to participate in the auction; the deposit requirement is increased to 20% of starting price of the land parcel(s); and companies must satisfy the conditions prescribed by the law on housing and the law on real estate business in order to attend the auction of land for developing housing and other real estate business projects;

(ii) Conditions for land: apart from the conditions specified in Article 119.1 of the Law on Land, the following conditions must also be satisfied: (a) starting price of the auction is determined by a competent state authority; (b) process of auction is applicable to each single parcel; (c) The detail planning 1/500 of the parcel used for development of a housing construction project is approved by a competent authority.

Furthermore, Article 17.a also clearly stipulates on handling deposit in specific cases.

3. Issuance of certificates for condotels

The issuance of certificates of ownership of non-residential construction works, namely condotel, villas, etc., had been guided by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in the Official Letter. No. 703/BTNMT-TCQLDD dated 14 February 2020 (“Official Letter 703”). Accordingly, Official Letter 703 referred to Article 32 of Decree 43/2014/ND-CP on certification of ownership of non-residential construction works. However, Article 32 of Decree 43/2014/ND-CP does not have specific regulations on construction works used for travel accommodation purposes.

 The Decree 10/2023 has supplemented Article 32.5 of the Decree 43/2014/ND-CP expanding its application to construction works used for travel accommodation purposes. This regulation clearly states that: “For construction works developed to serve travel accommodation purposes on commercial or service land as prescribed in laws on tourism, if the construction works satisfy the conditions set forth in laws on land, laws on construction and laws on real estate business, the ownership of such construction works attached to land can be granted certificates for commercial or service land use purposes.”. Nonetheless, we view that the Decree 10/2023 has yet to specify whether a developer of a project who develops construction works used for travel accommodation purposes can transfer a single construction work (ie. a condotel or villa) to other organizations or individuals, as in fact, such a transfer may lead to distortion of the original investment project granted to the developer, and whether the transfer is considered a transfer of a part of the investment project or not.

The regulation clearly states that owner of construction work used for travel accommodation purposes take legally responsibility to meet all conditions under the law on construction and real estate business, but it does not prescribe whether or not to comply with the law on investment.

4. Authority to issue title certificates

Currently, the Decree 43/2014/ND-CP, as amended and supplemented by the Decree 01/2017/ND-CP stipulates that: For localities in which Land Registration Offices have been established, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment is the competent agency to grant certificates of land use rights and ownership of houses and other land-attached assets to land users and owners of land-attached assets (“Certificate”) in the following cases: (i) When land users or asset owners exercise the rights of land users or owners of land-attached assets, which requires the grant of a new Certificate; (ii) Renewal or re-grant of Certificates.

The Decree 10/2023 has amended the authority to issue Certificates or to confirm changes to the issued Certificates in a manner that create favorable conditions for people in carrying out these administrative procedures (being implemented at Land Registration Offices without having to go to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment).

5. Online land administrative procedures

Article 1.7 of the Decree 10/2023 provides clearer guidance on procedures for registration and issuance of Certificates in the electronic environment.

The applicants of some land related administrative procedures are now able to undertake online and receive the results of issuing documents by post without having to go directly to the competent authorities. This regulation will help saving time and costs.

6. Conditions for conversion of use purpose of land for rice cultivation, protective forest land, and specialized use forest land to implement investment projects

Regarding the conversion of use purpose of land to implement investment projects as to land for rice cultivation, forest land, etc., Article 1.9 of the Decree 10/2023 has supplemented Article 68.a of Decree 43/2014/ND-CP on conditions and criteria for the conversion of use purpose of land, notably:

  • Having alternative afforestation plans or written document confirm completion of obligations to pay for alternative afforestation in accordance with the laws on forestry in case of the conversion of use purpose of protection forest or special-use forest land or ; having topsoil use plans and written document confirming completion of obligations to pay for protection and development of land for rice cultivation in accordance with the laws on crop production in case of the conversion of use purpose of land for rice cultivation.
  • Having a preliminary environmental impact assessment and environmental impact assessment in accordance with the law on environmental protection (if any).

7. Application dossier for granting Certificates in housing development projects, real estate business projects other than housing development projects

For housing development projects, after the completion of the construction, the investors shall no longer be responsible for submitting the Report on project implementation to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. This regulation is possibly to reduce administrative procedures, given that there is already procedure for inspection and acceptance of the construction completion to be put into use.

For real estate business projects other than a housing development projects, after completion of construction, the investors shall be responsible for sending the Notification of specialized construction authority that allows investors to conduct taking-over of construction items, construction work or approve the result of taking-over in accordance with laws on construction together with other papers.

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – MARCH 2023 – SOME NOTABLE CHANGES IN BANK GUARANTEE UNDER THE CIRCULAR 11/2022/TT-NHNN

Issue March 2023

Tran Cong Quoc
Partner

Nguyen Thuy An
Associate

On 30th September 2022, the State Bank of Vietnam issued the Circular No. 11/2022/TT-NHNN on bank guarantees (hereinafter referred to as the “Circular 11”). The Circular 11 will repeal the Circular 07/2015/TT-NHNN and the Circular 13/2017/TT-NHNN on bank guarantees (hereinafter referred to as the “Circular 07”), and take effect from 1st April 2023. Below are some notable changes of the Circular 11.

1. Electronic guarantees

Pursuant to Article 9 of the Circular 11, in addition to the bank guarantees in writing, credit institutions/foreign bank branches may offer electronic bank guarantees (hereinafter referred to as “electronic guarantees”). Adoption of electronic guarantees will depend on agreement by the credit institutions/foreign bank branches and clients. Those matters related to security of data and information confidentiality in electronic guarantee must comply with, among others, regulations on anti-money laundering, electronic transactions, SBV’s instruction on risk management of electronic transactions. The supplementation of electronic guarantee form under Circular 11 is based on the actual demand of clients, which implement the provisions of the Law on Credit Institutions on electronic banking services. Regulations on electronic transactions in e-banking activities and electronic guarantee are also found in other legal documents, including, among others, Decree 35/2007/ND-CP, Decree 130/2018/ND-CP and Decision 35/2006/QD-NHNN.

In case “know your clients” are made electronically, the value of each issued bank guarantee shall not exceed VND04 billion per individual and VND45 billion per organization, except the following cases:

  • Client identification information is certified by the competent authority or electronically certified by electronic certification service providers in accordance with the law on electronic certification and identification;
  • Request for issuance of an electronic guarantee is submitted via SWIFT system;
  • Client information and guaranteed obligations are verified and certified through the customs e-payment portal or the national bidding system;
  • Clients use digital signatures as prescribed by law when applying for a guarantee or entering into a guarantee agreement with credit institutions/foreign bank branches;
  • The client is a credit institution or a foreign bank branch.

2. Guarantees over future residential property

The Circular 11 clarifies some certain contents regarding guarantees over future residential property as follows:

  • An agreement on guarantees over future residential property is defined by Circular 11 as a contractual agreement between a commercial bank, a developer and other relevant parties (if any) whereby commercial bank agrees to guarantee for obligations of developer against the buyer under the sale, and purchase leasing of future residential property. The guarantee letter will be issued by the bank to buyers after conclusion of the agreement on guarantees over future residential property.

The agreement on guarantee over future residential property is signed before signing contracts on sale or contracts on purchase leasing of future residential property (hereinafter referred to as the “Sale contract” or “Purchase leasing contract”). Upon signing Sale contract or Purchase leasing contract, the developer shall request the commercial bank to issue guarantee letters to buyers.

  • Rights and obligations of the parties

The Circular 11 specifies those rights and obligations of developers, commercial banks and buyers in relation to guarantees over future residential property, which give buyers more protection in case of claiming the guarantee, including, among others:

  • Commercial banks are obliged to issue and deliver guarantee letters to buyers, or developers in accordance with Sale contract or Purchase leasing contract;
  • Upon receipt of guarantee letters from the commercial bank, developers are obliged to deliver the same to buyers;
  • Buyers are entitled to receive the guarantee letters from commercial banks or developers within the effective term of the agreement on guarantees over future residential property and before the estimated hand-over date of future residential property;
  • If the guarantee agreement over future residential property is early terminated, within the business day immediately following termination date, the commercial bank shall so publish on its website and notify this early termination in writing to the housing management authority of the provincial level where the project is located, specifically stating that the commercial bank will no longer issue guarantee letters for the buyer to sign a Sale contract or Purchase leasing contract with the developer after the guarantee agreement over future residential property is terminated. For guarantee letters previously issued to the buyer, the commercial bank shall continue to fulfill its commitment until the guarantee obligation is terminated.

3. The cases where enterprises are not guaranteed for bond payment obligations

Pursuant to Article 11.2 of the Circular 11, the credit institutions/foreign bank branches are not allowed to grant the bank guarantees with respect to the bond issued for debt restructure, capital contribution, shares acquisition or operational capital increase, while under Circular 07 such limitation was only applied for two cases of debt restructure and bond issued by subsidiaries or affiliates of other credit institutions.

4. Foreign language in bank guarantees

Previously, pursuant to the Circular 07, bank guarantee was allowed to be in a foreign language only if the guaranteed transaction is a civil relation involved a foreign element as defined in the Civil Code. The Circular 11 now supplements two additional cases where it is allowed to use a foreign language: (i) guaranteed obligations arising from projects financed by international financial institutions, and (ii) guaranteed obligations arising from participating in international bidding packages.

5. Transitional regulation

The parties continue to implement the signed bank guarantee agreement, bank guarantee commitment which took effect prior to the effective date of the Circular 11 until termination of the guarantee obligations thereof. The amendment and supplementation of the above-mentioned signed documents shall comply with the regulations of the Circular 11.

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – JANUARY 2023 – DECREE NO.99/2022/ND-CP DATED NOVEMBER 30, 2022 ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT REGARDING THE REGISTRATION OF SECURITY INTERESTS, SUPERSEDES DECREE NO. 102/2017/ND-CP DATED SEPTEMBER 01, 2017.

Issue January 2023

Nguyen Bich Van
Partner

Ha Tuan Viet
Associate

Security interests always play a crucial role in stabilizing civil, business, and commercial relations, preventing conflicts arising, and increasing respect for the law among the parties involved in the transaction. Simultaneously, security interests are also the method for the protection of legitimate rights and interests of such involved transaction’s parties in the event that the obligator fails to perform or improperly performs its obligations when due.

The registration of a secured transaction “comes out into society” due to the need for disclosure of the secured transactions, and protection of legitimate rights and interests of the subjects involved in the transaction and related parties. In recent years, facing the demands of actual practices, the provisions of registration of secured transactions have been increasingly improved, creating a solid basis for organizations and individuals to have favorable conditions in accessing credit sources, ensuring legal safety in civil transactions, commercial business.

As of November 30, 2022, the Government promulgated Decree 99/2022/ND-CP regarding the registration of security interests to supersede Decree No. 102/2017/ND-CP dated September 01, 2017 in order to significantly contribute to the completion and unification of the law in the field of registration of security interests.

Decree 99/2022/ND-CP on registration of security interests officially takes effect on January 15, 2023 and contains the following noteworthy points:

 1. Scope of regulation

Comparing Decree 99/2022/ND-CP to Decree 102/2017/ND-CP, there is an expansion in the regulation’s scope regarding (i) the registration of security interests, (ii) the provision of information on security interests centrally registered at the Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation (“VSDCC”).

Accordingly, in relation to the unprovided matters in the law of securities, the registration shall comply with the provisions relating to the registration of security interests in immovable property, other than aircraft and seagoing ships as prescribed in Decree 99/2022/ND-CP.

2. Security interests subject to the registration procedure

Decree 99/2022/ND-CP stipulates that four circumstances required the registration of security interests in assets, including (i) registration of mortgages, pledges of assets, retention of ownership rights in accordance with the Civil Code and other relevant laws; (ii) registration according to the agreement between the securing party and the secured party or at the request of the secured party, except for property liens; (iii) registration of notification of collateral disposal in case an asset is utilized to secure the execution of several obligations where multiple parties jointly receive the security or in case the securing party and the secured party have agreements;  (iv) registration of changes in registered contents; deregistration of registered contents for the cases specified at the aforementioned points.

Compared to the contents of Decree 102/2017/ND-CP, the newly updated regulations have demonstrated the discrepancy in the expansion of institutions and security interests, in which the entities involved in the transaction can decide to register the security interests. Correspondingly, Decree 102/2017/ND-CP previously stipulated a quite rigid classification of security interests into two groups, including (i) groups of security interests required to be registered (mortgage of land use rights, mortgage of land-attached assets, mortgage of aircraft, seagoing ships) and (ii) groups of registered security interests upon request (mortgage of movable assets, mortgage of land-attached assets formed in the future, reservation of ownership rights in case of purchase and sale of land-attached assets, land-attached assets formed in the future; purchase and sale of aircraft, seagoing ships; purchase and sale of other movable assets with reservation of ownership rights).

3. Principles of registration and provision of information

For the purpose of ensuring uniformity and consistency in the registration, provision and exchange of information on security interests, creating a legal framework conducive to the registration and provision of information by competent State authorities in order to register and secure legitimate rights and interests for entities requesting registration of security interests, Decree 99/2022/ND-CP stipulates the principle that information on security interests must be made available to the public, provided upon request, information exchanged in accordance with law; to comply with procedures, competence, duration, tasks, powers and responsibilities, not to give rise to procedures other than those prescribed by the Decree. And notably, in case of violation of any above-mentioned principles, the Registry must be responsible before the law.

In addition, the Registry is not responsible for the name of the security contract and the contents of the agreement of the parties in the security contract; the parties must be honesty in declaring, providing and exchanging information; being responsible before the law for the accuracy of the information declared, provided and exchanged.

4. Validity of the registration

For the purpose of ensuring transparency about the effectiveness and validity of the registration, simultaneously with separating the registration of security interests and other registration related to assets used to secure the performance of obligations (hereinafter referred to as “other registration”), Decree 99/2022/ND-CP has set out new regulations on the validity of registration as follows:

– Specifying in detail and clarifying the time of arising and termination of the validity of registration of security interests and other registrations;

– The validity of the registration of security interest is the ground for determining the period of countervailing effect of security interest to third parties in accordance with the law on security for the performance of obligations;

– The validity of other registration is only for notifying, publicizing agreements and commitments in civil transactions rather than the basis for determining the validity of civil transactions, the validity of countervailing effect against third parties;

– Separating the effect of deregistration in case the security interest is terminated as required or prescribed by law from the cancellation of registration due to the security contract being declared invalid according to the effective judgment or decision of the court, arbitration or the security interest is registered at an incompetent Registry.

5. Competence of the Registry

In order to ensure conformity with the relevant provisions of law, maintain transparency and convenience of a state registration and management authority for the registration of security interests, Decree 99/2022/ND-CP has provided the registration authority of the VSDCC for the registration of securities that have been registered centrally in accordance with the law on securities. Concurrently, in addition to stipulating the general competence, tasks and powers of the Registry, Decree 99/2022/ND-CP also provides the cases of registration falling under the exclusive competence of each Registry, showing the legal mechanism for information exchange between the Registry and other competent agencies and persons in accordance with the law.

6. Dossiers, procedures for registration and provision of information

Regarding the registration dossier, information provision

In order to ensure transparency and consistency of registration dossiers and prevent inappropriate requirements in registration practices, Decree 99/2022/ND-CP specifies in detail the following contents:

– The information must be on the Registration Request Form; Forms are documents and papers belonging to the dossier component; signatures and seals in the registration; languages used in the registration; the description of the information about security assets in some specific cases, for example, movable assets other than aircraft, seagoing ships, securities which have been centrally registered;

– The composition of registration dossiers for registration of security interests in housing construction investment projects; investment projects on construction of works other than houses; future-formed assets; assets being annual trees or temporary works; assets being agricultural investment projects, forest development projects, projects on planting perennial trees or annual trees, other projects using land, transferring the mortgage registration of property rights arising from contracts for purchase and sale of land-attached assets to the mortgage registration of land-attached assets; other registration dossiers;

– Particularizing the composition of registration dossiers for changes in cases of purchase and sale of debt collection rights, receivables, other payment claims; dossiers for deregistration in cases where economic organizations other than credit institutions mortgage land use rights or land-attached assets of individuals or households using land become foreign-invested enterprises; persons requesting deregistration are not security recipients, such as securiting parties, civil judgment enforcement agencies, buyers of security assets to be handled, recipients of transfer of ownership of security assets.

Regarding the registration procedure

Decree 99/2022/ND-CP controls the registration procedure by defining general and particular procedures for each kind of collateral, in particular:

– For the purpose of ensuring full coverage of registration cases, and the convenience for application and determination of the authority of the Registry, instead of defining the circumstances of registration as previously, the Decree outlines the cases of registration of security interests in accordance with each kind of asset. In addition, the Decree also specifies other cases of registration as well as the competence to carry out such registrations.

– In order to ensure transparency, limit arbitrariness in refusing registration and prevent risks and occurred additional costs for the requester for registration, the Decree stipulates that the Registry may only be allowed to refuse registration when there are clear-cut grounds specified in the Decree. Furthermore, the Decree has particularized several cases where the Land Registration Office and the Branch are required to carry out the registration procedure when the information agreed upon by the parties describing the collateral is inconsistent with the information on the Certificate or archived at the competent authority.

– Moreover, the Registry is not allowed to refuse to register for the following reasons: the name of the security contract, the content of the agreement on the value of the collateral, the secured obligation, the guarantee of the performance of obligations of others, the scope of the secured obligation, the duration of performance of the secured obligation.

–  For the purpose of ensuring the appropriateness of the competence to request registration in accordance with the law on guarantee of performance of obligations and related laws, the Decree has provided the regulation regarding the registration procedure by the requester in the way of separating the person who has the right to request the first registration with the person who has the right to request in the registration of change and deletion of registration; specified information about the guarantor, the secured party, the representative in the registration; the rights and obligations of the requester for registration.

– In order to create favorable conditions for individuals and businesses, as well as ensure the feasibility in resolving registration dossiers, providing information, in parallel with continuing to regulate the submission of registration dossiers through the electronic environment and the submission of registration dossiers in paper form, the Decree specifically stipulates the process of receiving and inspecting the registry’s registration dossier components, which includes the following main contents:

  • Separation of the time limit for settlement of dossiers when refusing registration with the time limit for settlement of dossiers for making registration;
  • Provisions on cases where the registry fails to register due to force majeure events in the receipt of dossiers, settlement of dossiers and time limit for settlement of dossiers in such case;
  • Regulations on notifying the requester for the guidance of the completion and supplementation of dossier components; the sending of papers and documents to competent agencies for verification when detecting signs of forged documents and time limit for settlement of dossiers in such case;
  • Regulations on the method of returning registration results in accordance with the method of submission of registration dossiers and the legal value of registration results;
  • Regulations on mechanisms and procedures for registration in the electronic environment.

– In order to ensure the accuracy of the information on registered security interests and to limit unnecessary procedures for registration of changes, the Decree separates cases of mandatory registration of changes from cases of registration of changes upon request; deletes the registration of contents registered for changes in cases of withdrawal of collateral; clarifies the responsibilities of the requester for the failure of registration for the cases where the registration procedure for changing is required.

– For the purpose of ensuring uniformity and consistency with the provisions of the law on ensuring the performance of obligations, fully covering situations arising in practice, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of property owners and other related subjects, the Decree specifies the following contents:

  • Cases of deregistration to conform to reality and in accordance with changes in the law on security for performance of obligations;
  • Recording the deregistration of the withdrawn property in case of the registration changes due to the reduction of the collateral; in case of deregistration of part of the content, the remaining shall not be changed or terminated;
  • Regulations on the responsibilities of the requester for registration in case of failure to delete the registration when there are grounds for the registration to be deleted;
  • Supplementing the provisions on deregistration for other cases of registration.

In conclusion

During the time of practical application, Decree 102/2017/ND-CP has revealed the limitations expressed in the ineffectiveness and validity of registration; the refusal of registration; information about the securing party and the secured party; information on the registration request form; language, signature and seal in the registration; the return of registration results; registration of changes and deregistration; separation between deregistration and deregistration due to invalidity of the security contract; the mechanism to correct information; method of payment of registration fees; submission of registration dossiers on the electronic environment; information exchange between competent state agencies.

With the updated provisions of Decree 99/2022/ND-CP, the processes of registration of security interests have been renovated, perfected and become effective legal instruments, demonstrating the safety and transparency of assets and transactions. Thereby, individuals and businesses shall have a solid legal basis to access low-cost capital sources for the development of production and business. Additionally, the financing entities are more confident when the market’s supply of capital has a protective legal mechanism to implement in a safe and stable manner. Moreover, the new provisions of Decree 99/2022/ND-CP also contribute to the competent agencies and organizations to obtain accurate and convenient legal evidence on security interests in the course of state management or in case of having to settle cases in accordance with the law.

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2022 – DECREE No. 65/2022/ND-CP SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 AMENDMENTS TO GOVERNMENT’S DECREE NO. 153/2020/ND-CP DATED DECEMBER 31, 2020 PRESCRIBING PRIVATE PLACEMENT AND TRADING OF PRIVATELY PLACED CORPORATE BONDS IN DOMESTIC MARKET AND OFFERING OF CORPORATE BONDS IN INTERNATIONAL MARKET

Issue November 2022

Le Hong Phong
Partner

Le Thi Tuyet Mai 
Associate

Decree 153/2020/ND-CP prescribing private placement and trading of privately placed corporate bonds in domestic market and offering of corporate bonds in international market, issued on December 31, 2020, effective into force on January 1, 2021. After 18 months implemented of the decree, before signs of “hot” growth accompanied by many potential risks, state management agencies have issued consecutive warnings to issuers and investors, especially individual investors. However, the reality shows that there is still a deliberate violation to offer secondary sale to individual investors to buy individual corporate bonds or contribute capital through investment cooperation contracts with securities investors under Civil Code. The law observance of the bond issuer is not strict and in compliance with the legal framework, many serious violations have occurred.

To the corporate bond market, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance have issued guiding documents on the management, especially stepping up the inspection of issuance, investment, and service providing services in the corporate bond market [1].

In the face of the fast-growing corporate bond market and many risks, the Government has issued a new legal framework that is safe for investors, promotes a transparent market and enhances the supervisory responsibility of investors in state agencies.

The most notable aspects of the New Decree 65/2022/ND-CP amendments to Government’s Decree NO. 153/2020/ND-CP dated December 31, 2020 prescribing private placement and trading of privately placed corporate bonds in domestic market and offering of corporate bonds in international market.

1. Purpose of issuing bonds

Decree 65/2022/ND-CP amending regulations on bond issuance purposes in order to strengthen the responsibilities and obligations of issuers in using proceeds from bond issuance for the right purposes.

According to, bonds are issued for executing investment projects/programs, restructuring the issuer’s debts or serving other purposes as prescribed in specialized laws. The issuer is required to clearly indicate purposes of the bond issue in its bond issuance plan, and disclose the same to investors to serve their subscription for the bond issue. The funds raised from a bond issue shall be used for the purposes which have been defined in the issuer’s bond issuance plan and notified to investors[2].

Decree 65/2022 allows issuers to issue corporate bonds for the purpose of debt restructuring. This is one of the key points in the direction of easing to help businesses with the purpose of debt restructuring (by regulations) still have access to the corporate bond issuance channel.

 2. Increase the par value of domestic bonds to 100 million

The New Decree has increased the par value of bonds from VND 100,000 (about US$4.20) (and a multiple of VND 100,000 or about US$4.20) to VND 100 million (about US$4,200) (and a multiple of VND 100 million or about US$4,200). This increase also limits the scope of eligible investors and seems designed to exclude small retail investors. Specifically, Decree 65/2022/ND-CP states: “Face value of a bond offered in the domestic market is VND 100.000.000 (one hundred million) or a multiple of VND 100.000.000 (one hundred million)”[3].

3. Bond buyers

Decree 65/2022/ND-CP also stipulates specifically about Bond buyers. Accordingly, Buyers of non-convertible bonds without warrant are professional investors as defined in the Law on securities.

An individual that is identified as a professional investor as prescribed in Point d Clause 1 Article 11 of the Law on Securities shall be eligible to buy privately placed bonds if he/she holds a quantity of listed or registered securities, excluding securities borrowed to conduct margin transactions and those of REPO* transactions, of which the daily average price determined in a minimum period of 180 consecutive days preceding the date on which he/she is identified as a professional investor shall not be lower than VND 02 billion. The certification of a professional investor status as prescribed in this Point shall be valid for 03 months from the date of certification.

The New Decree guides on requirements for eligible investors, as well as documentation as evidence for such eligibility, accordingly confirms the responsibilities of both issuers and securities companies in the determination and certification of investor eligibility with respect to participation in private bond issuances.

Decree 65/2022/ND-CP adds responsibilities of bond buyers “Conduct bond transactions according to the provisions of Article 16 Bond trading of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP; not sell bonds to or make joint investment in bonds with investors who are not professional investors in any forms. Capital mobilization and purchase/investment in corporate bonds by credit institutions, FBBs and fund management companies shall comply with specialized laws”[4].

Buyers of convertible bonds and warrant-linked bonds are professional investors and strategic investors of which the number of strategic investors of an issue is limited to 100[5].

4. Supplementing the principle of private corporate bond issuance

Bond issuance conditions comply with the Law on Securities and the Law on Enterprises. The Decree supplements regulations on bond offering documents including: (i) credit rating results according to cases and implementation schedule as prescribed for bond offering to the public, from January 1st, 2023; (ii) the contract signed with the representative of the bondholder in case of offering to individual professional securities investors and (iii) the commercial bank’s confirmation on the opening of an account to receive money for purchase bonds.

Upon completion of the offering, bonds must be (i) registered and deposited with the Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) and (ii) registered for trading with the Stock Exchange. Previously, there was no particular guidance on these requirements, private issued bonds could be registered with a depository member of the VSD. These new provisions should increase secondary trading and create a more transparent secondary market.

The bond exchange will need to be set up within nine months after issuance of Decree 65/2022. The VSD’s bond registration and depository and the bond trading system of the Stock Exchange are targeted to come into operation in June 2023. Pending the setting up of the bond exchange, privately-issued bonds could continue to be traded under Decree 153/2020.

Decree 65/2022/ND-CP provides: With regard to bonds issued in the domestic market, their terms and conditions as prescribed in Article 6 of this Decree may be changed if the change is approved by [6]:

a) The issuer’s competent authority; and

b) A number of bondholders that represents at least 65% of total outstanding bonds of the same type

Information on the change of conditions and terms of bonds must be unusually disclosed by the issuing enterprise [7].

5. Representative of bondholders

The Decree adds regulations on the representative of bondholders to strengthen the supervision of the purpose of using the bond capital of the issuer as well as strengthen the supervision of the implementation of other commitments of the issuer.

The representative of bondholders strengthens the supervision of the purpose of using the bond capital of the issuer, as well as strengthens the supervision of the implementation of other commitments of the issuer.

Where bonds are offered to professional investors that are individuals, the bond offering dossier must include the contract signed with the representative of bondholders as prescribed in Clause 7 Article 14 of this Decree and the Law on securities [8].

In addition, the representative of bondholders shall report to the State Securities Commission and the Stock Exchange on a quarterly and annual basis and report in case the issuer is found to violations affect the interests of bondholders [9].

6. Modify time of bonds offered in each wave

Decree 153/2020/ND-CP stipulates that bonds offered in each wave must be distributed within 90 days from the date of disclosure of information before offering. Total duration for offering of bonds in multiple waves shall not exceed 12 months from the issue date of the first offering wave

According to Decree 65/2022/ND-CP, Bonds offered in each offering wave must be distributed within 30 days from the date of disclosure of information before offering. Total duration for a multiple-wave offering shall not exceed 06 months from the issue date of the first offering wave.

A bond issuer must sign a contract with a bond issuance consultant which is securities company in all cases. Before Decree 65/2022, a bond issuer being a securities company is exempted from engaging a bond issuance consultant.

A private bond issuer must obtain a credit rating from a rating agency (1) if the total par value of issued bonds of such issuer in each 12-month period prior to the issuance date is greater than VND500 billion and 50% equity recorded on its latest financial statements; or (2) the total par value of outstanding bonds of such issuer as at the time of registration for issuance is greater than 100% equity recorded on its latest financial statement. Before Decree 65/2022, this requirement only applies to public issuance of corporate bonds.

Decree 65/2022 now requires the bond issuance agent (or the underwriter) to certify that the bond issuer has received the bond proceeds into its account.

7. Enhanced Responsibilities of bidding, underwriting and brokerage services:

The New Decree provides that (i) only securities companies are permitted to provide services of auction, guarantee and agency, and (ii) commercial banks and branches of foreign banks are permitted to provide agency services if approved by the State Bank of Vietnam and licensed to engage in depository service by the State Securities Commission[10]. These “intermediaries” must not be related parties of the issuer and enter into a service contract with the relevant issuer, in which rights and responsibilities of each party must be specified.

The New Decree also imposes additional responsibilities of these intermediaries to provide true and accurate information on the bond issuance to the investors and ensure distribution of bonds only to eligible investors. This is a clear step towards promoting more responsibility on the part of these intermediaries.

8. Cases in which bonds are redeemed before maturity[11]:

This is a completely new regulation compared to Decree 153/2020/ND-CP, whereby Decree 65/2022/ND-CP requires the responsibility of the issuer. Additional Decree stipulates that Bonds must be compulsorily redeemed before maturity when the issuer fails to comply with the bond issuance plan (including the capital use plan), and that violation cannot be rectified or violate the law; Before and after the bond issuance, there must be a disclosure of information on solvency, an audit report on the financial position and an audit of the use of capital for the bond issuance purpose.

Cases in which bonds are redeemed before maturity:

a) The redemption is made under an agreement between the issuer and bondholder.

b) Bonds shall be compulsorily redeemed at the request of investors in the following cases:

  • The issuer commits violations against regulations of law on offering and trading of corporate bonds according to decision issued by a competent authority, and such violations cannot be rectified or a number of bondholders that represents at least 65% of total outstanding bonds of the same type refuses to give approval for remedial measures for such violations.
  • The issuer fails to comply with the bond issuance plan, and that violation cannot be rectified or a number of bondholders that represents at least 65% of total outstanding bonds of the same type refuses to give approval for remedial measures for that violation.
  • Other cases defined in the bond issuance plan which is prepared according to Article 13 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP (if any).

Note: The case of compulsory redemption at the request of the investor does not apply to the case where the bonds are withdrawn under the decision of the competent authority [12].

Recognize

With the bond issuance of new regulations on the issuance and trading of privately placed corporate bonds, it will promote the formation of professional long-term investment institutions in a transparent and sustainable market. Strengthen coordination between Ministries and sectors in operating, managing and supervising the stock market, bond market, money market, bank credit and proactively informing, propagating and orienting the market. Establish an organized trading market and complete regulations on management and supervision mechanisms.

These represent a key step in ensuring transparency and investor protection in the bond market which industry experts have considered to be lacking.

Market participants, in addition to learning about corporate bonds, need to comply with the law before and during the transaction. Bond issuer must ensure the truthfulness of bond offering documents, use capital for the right purposes, and be responsible for explaining to investors information related to the issuance plan and legal risks management, investment risks, capital use risks, rights, interests and liabilities of the parties when issuing and investing corporate bonds.

*          Repo is a generic name for both repurchase transactions and buy/sell-backs. Repos are sometimes known as ‘sale-and-repurchase agreements’ or just ‘repurchase agreements’. In some markets, the name ‘repo’ can be taken to imply repurchase transactions only and not buy/sell-backs. Repurchase transactions are also known as ‘classic repo’. Under EU regulation — along with securities lending, commodities lending and margin lending — repurchase transactions and buy/sell-backs are types of ‘securities financing transaction’ (SFT)

[1]                 Directive No. 01/CT-BTC dated April 25, 2022 of the Ministry of Finance

[2]                 Clause 2 Article 5 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[3]                 Point a Clause 4 Article 6 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[4]                 Point dd Clause 2 Article 8 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[5]                 Point b Clause 1 Article 8 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[6]                 Clause 4 Article 5 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[7]                 Point c clause 1 Article 22 of the Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[8]                 Point dd clause 2 Article 12 of the Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[9]                 Clause 2 Article 33 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[10]               Clause 4 Article 14 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[11]                Clause 3 Article 7 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

[12]                Clause 4 Article 7 of Decree 65/2022/ND-CP

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – OCTOBER 2022 – Decree 53/2022: Some notable points in implementation of Law on Cybersecurity

Issue October 2022

Nguyen Trong Nghia
Partner

Le Anh Kien 
Associate

On 12 June 2018, the National Assembly passed the Law on Cybersecurity and took effect from 01 January 2019, however, some provisions were not clearly specified and there were many obstacles in practical implementation. Therefore, recently on 15 August 2022, the Government issued the Decree No. 53/2022/ND-CP (“Decree 53”) in order to detail a number of articles of the Law on Cybersecurity.

Decree 53 takes effect from 01 October 2022 and has a number of noted key points as follows:

1. Data localization     

Data localization is considered as the most remarkable point of Decree 53. Accordingly, the subjects of data localization are foreign enterprises that conduct business in Vietnam in one of the following fields: Telecommunications services; services of data storage and sharing in cyberspace; supply of national or international domain names to service users in Vietnam; ecommerce; online payment services; payment intermediary; services of transport connectivity via cyberspace; social networks and social media; online video games; and services of provision, management, or operation of other information in cyberspace in the forms of messages, phone calls, video calls, emails or online chat, are obliged to comply with the data localization requirements and set up a branch or a representative office in Vietnam in case the service(s) provided by foreign enterprises used to commit a violation of the Law on Cybersecurity, which had been notified and requested to coordinate, prevent, investigate and handle in writing by the Department of Cybersecurity and High-tech Crime Prevention under the Ministry of Public Security but the foreign enterprises fail to comply, incompletely comply with, or prevent, obstruct, disable, or invalidate cybersecurity protection measures implemented by the cybersecurity protection specialized force. The time to set up a branch or representative office in Vietnam starts from the foreign enterprise receives the request to set up a branch or representative office in Vietnam until the foreign enterprise no longer operates in Vietnam or regulated services are no longer available in Vietnam.

With regard to the domestic enterprises, Clause 2 Article 26 of Decree 53 stipulates: “Domestic enterprises store data specified in Clause 1 of this Article in Vietnam”. This provision can be understood that all domestic enterprises are obliged to localize all types of data according to the law. However, there may be another viewpoint that only domestic enterprises “provide services on telecommunications networks and the Internet, value-added services in cyberspace in Vietnam have activities on collecting, exploiting, analyzing and processing data about personal information, data on the relationship of service users, data created by service users in Vietnam” is required to localize data in Vietnam (quoted from Clause 3, Article 26 of the Law on Cybersecurity 2018).

2. Data subject to data localization

According to Decree 53, the types of data that enterprises must localize in Vietnam include (i) Data regarding personal information of service users in Vietnam; (ii) Data generated by service users in Vietnam: user service account name, time of service use, credit card information, email address, network address (IP) of most recent login, logout, registered phone number for the account or data and (iii) Data about the relationship of service users in Vietnam: friends and groups with which the user connects or interacts.

3. Form and time period of data localization

The form of data localization in Vietnam is decided by the enterprises.

About the time period of data localization, Decree 53 stipulates: “The data localization period specified in Article 26 of this Decree starts from the time the enterprise receives the data localization request until the end of the request. Minimum localization period is 24 months.”

This regulation does not specify whether it is applicable to the domestic enterprises or foreign enterprises, however, it can be understood that this regulation only applies to foreign enterprises because such enterprises are obliged to localize data at the request of a competent state authority. For domestic enterprises, data localization can be understood that it must be carried out throughout the operation of such enterprises, from the date Decree 53 takes effect.

4. Other provisions

Other than the regulations of data localization, Decree 53 also contains other critical provisions related to the establishment of cybersecurity criteria for important information system for national security; cybersecurity conditions for important information systems for national security; order and procedures for applying cybersecurity protection measures; cybersecurity protection activities in State authorities, central and local political organizations./.

Download pdf version

LEGAL UPDATE – SEPTEMBER 2022 – NEW REGULATIONS ON E-GAMBLING FOR FOREIGNER BUSINESS

Issue September 2022

Trinh Hoang Lien
Partner

Phan T.Lan Phuong 
Legal Assistant

There are some changes in the regulations on electronic gambling for foreigners business after the issuance of the Decree No. 121/2021/ND-CP dated December 27, 2021 by the Government regulating the business of prize-winning electronic games for foreigners in the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (“Decree No. 121”) replacing Decree No. 86/2013/ND-CP dated 29th July, 2013, Decree 175/2016/ND-CP dated 15th February, 2017 and Decree 151/2018/ND-CP dated 7th November, 2018 (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Decree 86”). Decree 121 takes effect from 12th February, 2022 and is detailed by Circular 39/2022/TT-BTC (“Circular 39”) dated 24th June, 2022 and Circular 09/2022/TT-NHNN (“Circular 09”) dated 12th July, 2022. This article summarizes notable changes that have significant implications for this business.

1. Persons eligible for participating in e-gambling

Regulations on people eligible for participating in e-gambling under new regulations are stricter than those in the Decree 86, specifically, foreigners and overseas Vietnamese, who legally enter Vietnam with valid passports or international travel documents issued by foreign competent authorities and visa is in validity; have full civil act capacity as prescribed by Vietnamese law and willingly comply with Game Rules as well as other provisions under Decree 121.

Accordingly, Decree 121 does not allow foreigners and overseas Vietnamese illegally entering Vietnam or legally entering Vietnam but not leaving the country before visa expired   according to regulations to participate in e-gambling.

2. Business conditions and licenses

Basically, an enterprise operating this business must have two sublicenses, a certificate of eligibility for prize-winning electronic games business issued by the Ministry of Finance and a license for collection and payment in foreign currency and other foreign exchange operations issued by the State Bank before commencing its operation.

Conditions that enterprises shall fully satisfy for being issued the certificate of eligibility for prize-winning electronic games business under the Decree 121 are harder. Remaining basic regulations as those in Decree 86, such as having tourist accommodation establishments of five-star class; having an area for arranging Business Location satisfying the conditions under regulations; having managers or operators for Business Location who satisfy the conditions and standards (graduated from university and having experience in managing and operating prize-winning electronic game business for more than 3 years), having a business plan, Decree 121 sets higher conditions in respect of the followings:

  • Increasing the minimum charter capital from VND 200 billion to VND 500 billion and requiring that the profit of fiscal year preceding the year of application for the business eligibility certificate is gain;
  • Increasing the storage time of electronic equipment and camera systems for constant monitoring and surveillance of all activities in the Business Location (24/24h) to at least 180 days from the date of recording and ensuring the clear image of all footage at the following locations: the entrance and exit area of the Business Location; the area where slot machines are located; cashier area, treasury for counting cash, conventional currency and storing equipment for cash and conventional currency. The previous regulations only required minimum storage period of 30 days for such areas and 15 days for others.
  • The slot machines purchased or imported for operation shall be brand new, adhering to the technical specifications announced by manufacturers, and certified by an independent inspection organization from a state member of G7.
  • Strictly regulating the number of slot machines to be licensed. The maximum rate of machines is still 1 machine per 5 accommodation rooms as per the previous regulations, but only counted on the accommodation rooms that have been put into operation.

3. Management of conventional currency

The mechanism for issuing and “registering” conventional currency with the Department of Finance and the tax authority in respect of its model, quantity, and type before putting it into business and re-registering this information upon changes has been replaced by a mechanism of “notifying” to the Department of Finance and the tax authority as the basis for issuing invoices to calculate the revenue of the enterprise. In addition, Decree 121 also annuls the provision on basic information that the conventional currency of enterprise must contain, subsequently, the conventional currency only needs to have its mark and signs for identification.

Regarding this new regulation, Decree 121 has simplified the conditions for the form and quality of the conventional currency as well as the procedures to apply this currency in operation. Furthermore, the enterprises also ease the burden of obtaining licenses or approvals issued by competent authorities on using conventional currency.

The payment for conventional currency under the provisions of Circular 09 remain unchanged in comparison with previous regulations. Players can pay by cash, transference from overseas accounts or from their foreign currency payment accounts opened at permitted banks in Vietnam to the operator’s specialized foreign currency accounts, or by credit card. These regulations seem very limited in consideration of the emerging of numerous non-cash payment methods currently.

4. Loosen deductible expenses

Regulations on accounting expenses for such business are loosen. Specifically, the cap of hiring management fees, which was previously limited to 4% of revenue, is no longer applied.

Decree 121 and its guiding regulations shall tighten state management on such conditional business on the one hand and create a more proper environment for businesses after satisfying all regulated conditions.

Download pdf version