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 HÀ NỘI — Full-time National Assembly (NA) deputies met on Monday to discuss drafts of amendments and supplements to four laws that are planned for the third meeting of the 15th NA scheduled to take place in May.

The four laws under the discussion are the Law on Intellectual Property, Law on Emulation and Commendation (amended); Law on Cinema (amended) and Law on Insurance Business (amended).

This is the first meeting of full-time NA deputies of the 15th NA. Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng attended the meeting.

Chairing the meeting, NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ said that building and completing the development institutions, especially the socialist-oriented market economy institution, was very important.

The work was one of three strategic breakthroughs for the rapid and sustainable development of the country. Institutional improvement was given special attention from the 11th Party Congress. It was identified as one of the top priorities of the 13th National Congress during the 2021-2025 term and the national 10-year socio-economic development in the 2021-2030 period.

At the first meeting of the 15th NA, General Party Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng gave orientations for NA activities, on which he required the NA to continue to strengthen its role and position in creating a legal framework for the country's activities, serving the tasks of socio-economic development, ensuring national defence, security and foreign affairs, Huệ said.

“Following the Party leader’ directions, from the beginning of the term, the NA Party Committee issued an action plan to implement the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party and the National Assembly Standing Committee promulgated Plan No. 81 to implement Conclusion No. 19-KL/TW of the Politburo on the orientation of the Law-making Program for the 15th National Assembly. This identifies 137 legislative tasks with eight large orientation groups and 70 specific orientations to improve Việt Nam’s legal framework, effectively mobilise, manage and use the country’s resources to serve the national development demand," Huệ said.

On Monday morning, full-time deputies discussed proposed amendments and supplements to the Intellectual Property Law.

NA chairman Huệ said the improved institutions on intellectual property rights must help promote creativity and innovation, ensuring transparency and reliability.

Under the proposed draft, intellectual property rights are protected and enforced. Intellectual property created by Vietnamese must be properly protected and exploited. Việt Nam encourages the commercialisation and transfer of intellectual property rights, which was agreed by the Politburo and the Central Party Committee.

Although the law is amended and supplemented, there are more than 100 articles of the current law proposed for amendments and other four other relevant laws are expected to change.

“The promulgation of the law will make an important contribution to promoting innovation and creativity, improving productivity, quality and efficiency of the economy in the context of the 4th industrial revolution. In addition, it will ensure consistency, uniformity, feasibility and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state management of intellectual property, contribute to promoting economic and social development and international integration,” Huệ said.

Regarding the draft Law on Emulation and Commendation (amended), Huệ suggested discussions focus on contents such as criteria for awarding or posthumously conferring the Glorious Youth Volunteer Medal, criteria and competence to propose/consider awarding emulation titles and commendation forms and punishment for violations relating to emulation and commendation.

For the draft Law on Cinema (amended), the issues of concern include those about film development, film industry; providing film production services to foreign organisations and individuals, film production using the state budget, dissemination of films in cyberspace and the film development support fund.

Meanwhile, for the draft Law on Insurance Business (amended), deputies were asked to give opinions about the issues including the structure and principles of law application, regulations on types of insurance, operating forms of insurance enterprises, reinsurance enterprises, insurance agents and insurance brokers.

Regulation on national anthem proposed

Under the draft amended Intellectual Property Law, organisations and individuals exercising intellectual property rights must not prevent or obstruct the dissemination and use of the National Flag, National Emblem and National Anthem.

Chairman of the NA’s Legal Committee Hoàng Thanh Tùng said that in report No. 87, the Government proposed stricter regulations on allowing the exploitation, use and dissemination of the National Flag, National Emblem and National Anthem in social life, especially in cyberspace. The move aimed to ensure the legality, preserve the solemnity and dignity of the National Flag, the National Emblem and the National Anthem, while meeting the common needs of the people, international integration and practical needs.

Tùng said that the committee agreed that it was necessary to supplement this provision.

Deputy Lê Minh Nam, from the Standing Committee of Finance and Budget Committee, said that currently, Việt Nam only had regulations on handling violations relating to the national flag, national emblem, national anthem, but no specific regulations on the use of the national flag, emblem and anthem under the Intellectual Property Law even though they "are a special object, the symbol of the country, stipulated in the Constitution."

Nam said that according to international practice, some countries have their own regulations on the National Flag, the National Emblem, and the National Anthem, including copyright ones.

“As the national anthem was muted in a match of the Vietnamese football team, not only the people's access to the national anthem but also the nation’s honour were affected,” Nam said.

Previously, on December 6, 2021, a YouTube channel that aired the football match between Việt Nam and Laos muted the sound of the Vietnamese flag salutation ceremony for fear of possible copyright infringement related to the recorded version of the Vietnamese national anthem.

During the silence, an explanatory message in Vietnamese was shown on the channel - Next Sports channel screen: “For the reason of music copyright, we are obliged to mute the sound at the flag salutation ceremony. Upon the end of the ritual, the sound will be resumed. Your understanding is appreciated.”

After the match, people expressed surprise and shock due to the soundless performance, calling for stricter regulations over the issue. — VNS