Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà chairs the conference. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

HÀ NỘI — Issuing licences for karaoke and disco businesses must strictly follow planning, ensure safety, security and order, as well as prevent fire and explosion, environmental and noise pollution.

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà made this statement while chairing a conference reviewing a draft amended decree on karaoke and discotheque services, which was held on Friday.

The draft amended decree will replace Decree 54/2019/NĐ-CP.

The Deputy PM emphasised that karaoke and discotheque services needed close management because they attracted many customers, mostly young people, who often drink in a potentially dangerous setting.

Thus, Deputy PM Hà noted that the services must not affect the lives and activities of people in residential areas, of administrative agencies, educational and medical facilities, religious, historical or cultural relics.

He reminded licensed karaoke and discotheque businesses that they must thoroughly and fully comply with fire and explosion prevention and fighting standards and techniques.

He requested the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) to complete regulations on assigning duties to localities, along with clearly defining the responsibilities of specialised State management agencies.

Fire prevention and fighting work needs to be decentralised to the district-level authorities.

The MoCST should regulate procedures and criteria for cases of temporary suspension or withdrawing trading licences.

It must also research appropriate management methods for food service businesses combined with arts performance.

At the meeting, the MoSCT presented a report saying that some regulations in Decree 54 showed problems, causing difficulties for businesses.

Accordingly, some regulations on trading conditions are no longer consistent with reality. The content on fire prevention and fighting, standards and technical regulations have not been specified in a unified and systematic manner.

The draft amended decree has updated and amended regulations on the issue.

It supplements responsibilities of enterprises in following standards and technical norms on safety.

The new decree stipulates that it is provincial people's committees that grant, regulate and revoke trading licences.

It clearly assigns responsibilities to departments, district-level and commune-level authorities in licensing and inspection.

Discussing at the conference, leaders of the ministries of public security, planning and investment, construction, and justice, all agreed with regulations on decentralisation of power to localities.

They analysed and clarified the conditions for granting licences, evaluated licensing conditions and procedures for new construction, renovation and repair of karaoke and dance halls.

The experts specified cases of withdrawing the trading licences of establishments that violate the rules; and assessed regulations on the minimum area of karaoke rooms and dance halls. — VNS