Vietnam moves to overhaul Civil Aviation Law, grant greater powers to localities
Vietnam's draft Civil Aviation Law calls for a major overhaul, cutting one-third of administrative procedures and empowering local authorities under the principle: 'Localities decide, implement, and take responsibility'.
Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh presents the draft Civil Aviation Law at the 49th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on September 5.
On the morning of September 5, the National Assembly Standing Committee convened its 49th session to review the draft Law on Civil Aviation of Vietnam (replacement).
Presenting the proposal, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh said the overhaul aims to institutionalize the Party and State’s policies, address existing obstacles, and introduce solutions to emerging issues in the fast-changing aviation sector. The bill also seeks to remove bottlenecks and create fresh momentum for socio-economic growth.
The draft reorganizes and streamlines the current law into 11 chapters with 107 articles—95 fewer than the existing legislation. It maintains the State’s unified ownership of key airport infrastructure while affirming the leading role of state-owned enterprises in airport investment. Private investors will be limited to managing, operating, and exploiting such infrastructure.
Minister Minh stressed that the law has been developed with a principle-based framework, leaving specific provisions to sub-law documents. This approach will enable the streamlining of business conditions and administrative procedures once the law takes effect.
According to the draft, 33.33% of administrative procedures will be abolished, including nine out of the current 24 procedure groups and the removal of one conditional business line.
A key feature of the proposed legislation is stronger decentralization, giving localities greater autonomy in decision-making, implementation, and accountability. The Minister said these changes would align Vietnam’s civil aviation sector with modern global trends while improving efficiency and competitiveness.
