October 2021 – Duane Morris Vietnam

October 29, 2021 by Dr. Oliver Massmann

VIETNAM – FREE TRADE AND PROSPERITY – HEART OF THE MATTER – A Podcast On Legal Developments From Around The World – Part 1

October 11, 2021October 11, 2021 by Dr. Oliver Massmann

VIETNAM – FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT – THE MOST INVESTOR FRIENDLY COUNTRY IN ASIA – The Hanoi Times interviewing Dr. Oliver Massmann

1. What do you think about recent rumors that factories of foreign corporations intend to move their production from HCMC to other countries due to the impact of Covid-19?

In 2020, thanks to its outstanding Covid-19 prevention, Vietnam became one of the most attractive destinations for foreign investors looking to move its production out of pandemic-ridden China. Coupled with the enforcement of the EVFTA, Vietnam was set to be the new manufacturing hub of South East Asia. However, since May 2021, the Covid-19 situation in Vietnam, especially Ho Chi Minh City, took a rapid U-turn that led to nationwide lockdown for 4 months. Factories that wished to continue production must have their employee work and live onsite, while office workers worked from home mostly. Other issues include shortage in material supply, contact restriction between enterprises and customers, expats unable to enter Vietnam,… With the sudden disruption to operation and increased costs to ensure workers’ safety and needs onsite, enterprises found themselves having to find a more efficient working way. Some started transferring part of their orders to China, some suspended their process from moving from China to Vietnam and some are looking at alternative countries like Philippines.

2. In your opinion, what major factors will likely cause these corporations’ move?

In a survey of foreign enterprises in Vietnam, to return to operation, 51% of businesses said they need at least 6 months to return to normal operations. 62% of businesses said they would stop operating if the situation did not improve in the next 12 months. 65% of them will stop working immediately if in the next 3 months the situation has not improved.
So the most important factors that will cause these corporations’ move in the near future is if the Covid-19 situation in Vietnam does not become well-controlled soon. The government should let foreign businesses clearly see the anti-epidemic plans and measures in each phase, as it can greatly support the business’s plan.

3. What factors make the remaining large brands like Néstle, Samsung, or Tetra Pak, LG continue to invest in Vietnam?

First of all, it is not easy to immediately move a production to another country. Companies may look to other alternative destinations but will keep an eye on the existing location to see if there’re any considerable new improvements. Second, the Covid-19 situation in Vietnam has greatly improved with most of the population got at least the first jab of vaccination. Third, the Government has been issuing favourable policies on tax and fees for businesses suffering from the consequence of the corona virus pandemic. It is aimed that by the end of 2021, at least 01 million businesses will have access to favourable credit policies, reduction or termination of payment of tax, land fees as well as electricity, water, telecommunication charges.

For example, the latest draft of the Ministry of Planning and Investment on this matter covered the following points to support to cut costs, remove difficulties in cash flow for businesses:
_ Propose policies suspending or reducing the social insurance premiums in 2021 for businesses until June 2022.
_ Develop a plan to support air transport enterprises, and report to the Prime Minister in September 2021.
– Requesting shipping companies to publicly and transparently list shipping rates to eliminate unreasonable increase in freight rates that lead to cost burden for enterprises
_ Reduce of electricity prices for goods warehouses of logistics and processing enterprises in the agriculture, forestry, fishery and a number of commodity industries with export turnover of over USD 1 billion USD. Continue to reduce electricity prices for tourist accommodation establishments.
– Expeditiously implement the issued policies on relaxation and reduction of taxes, fees, charges and land rents; implement preferential tax policies for imported goods to finance COVID-19 prevention and control after being approved by the Government.
– Extend the deadline for paying excise tax on automobiles manufactured or assembled in Vietnam. Continue to reduce registration fees for domestically manufactured or assembled cars for an additional period of time in line with the COVID-19 pandemic.
_ Research to allow travel businesses to temporarily withdraw deposits for domestic and international travel and tourism services; reduce deposit withdrawal settlement time from 60 days to 30 days; continue to extend the reduction of the license fee for travel service business and issue tourist guide cards until the end of 2021.
_ Continue to administer monetary policy to control inflation, contributing to stabilizing the macro-economy; encourage credit institutions to continue reducing lending interest rates for existing loans and new loans to support production and business.
_ Supplement policies on debt rescheduling, exemption and reduction of interest and fees, keeping the same debt group for customers affected by the Covid-19 epidemic
_ Research and consider the exemption of trade union fees for members of businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and 2022

4. What production shift scenarios do you predict may happen in the near future?

If Vietnam can effectively control the corona-virus pandemic in the next 6 months, I believe Vietnam will regain its position as one of the most ideal investment locations in South East Asia.

5. What should the Vietnamese government do to make production and business of foreign corporations stable?

The government must always listen to enterprises’ difficulties and guide them on how to solve it. It is imperative to reopen the economy as soon as possible while ensuring that businesses are conducted safely to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Vietnam has started to apply vaccination cards that allows people to move freely after they have had 2 vaccine injections. Policies that assist foreign enterprises to overcome issues caused by the pandemic as well as policies that assist them to reopen operation and achieve target growth are always welcome.

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For more information on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the author Dr. Oliver Massmann under omassmann@duanemorris.com. Dr. Oliver Massmann is the General Director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC, Member to the Supervisory Board of PetroVietnam Insurance JSC and the only foreign lawyer presenting in Vietnamese language to members of the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF VIETNAM.

October 7, 2021 by Dr. Oliver Massmann

VIETNAM – PRIME MINISTER TO REVIEW THE FINAL DRAFT POWER MASTER PLAN 8 THIS WEEKEND

The Appraisal Council approved the National Electricity Development Plan for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045 (Power Master Plan VIII) in a meeting held on 3 October 2021.

Immediately after receiving the results from the Appraisal Council, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has embarked on the finalization of the Draft Power Master Plan 8 with the goal of submitting the final draft to the Prime Minister this weekend for consideration and approval.

Duane Morris will keep our readers updated of any progress on the finalization of the Draft Power Master Plan 8.

October 6, 2021 by Dr. Oliver Massmann

VIETNAM – LOCAL REGULATION COULD LEAD TO EU-VIETNAM TRADE HINDRANCE

Under Circular No.28/2012/TT-BKHCN dated 12/12/2012, before the products are circulated on the market, the manufacturer must declare the products’ standard conformity (Declaration of Standard Conformity). A component of the application dossier for the Declaration is the assessment result of standard conformity (“Assessment”). Under Circular 28, this Assessment can be carried out either by the manufacturer themselves or a third party registered certifying organization.

On 31 December 2019, the Ministry of Science and Technology issued Document No. QCVN 19:2019/NKHCN on National Technical Regulation on LED lighting products (Document 19). Article 3.4 of Document 19, the Declaration of Standard Conformity must be based on the assessment results issued by a certification body that has registered its field of operation as prescribed in local regulations.

It has been brought to our attention that these certification bodies charge around USD 700 for each model testing. From 2022, under Decision No. 1383/QD-BKHCN dated 22/05/2020, there will be two additional tests required for the Assessment, thus it is expected that the price payable by manufacturers/distributors will increase to USD 1500 for each model of product.

Importers of LED lamps have been furious with the new Regulation, as they believe local certifying organizations do not have the capacity to assess EU-imported products, assuming that such products have not yet been certified in accordance with EU standards. Importers also feel that the Regulation has resulted in importers have to incur unreasonable additional fees. We examine this instance in light of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement

Under Article 5.3.2 of the EVFTA, Vietnam has the right to prepare, adopt and apply standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures in accordance with the EVFTA and the TBT Agreement.

Article 5.5 (Standards) reads that With a view to harmonizing standards on as wide a basis as possible, the Parties shall encourage their standardizing bodies as well as the regional standardizing bodies of which they or their standardizing bodies are members to avoid duplication of, or overlap with, the work of international standardizing bodies. Some exported products may already undergo Assessment of standard conformity in their origin country. As a result, requiring imported products to undergo another local one may be considered as repeating the work.

In addition, under the EVFTA, Vietnam also affirmed its obligation that fees imposed for mandatory conformity assessment of imported products shall be equitable in relation to any fees chargeable for assessing the conformity of like products of domestic origin or originating in any other country, considering communication, transportation and other costs arising from differences between location of facilities of the applicant and the conformity assessment body. Importers of LED lamps could make a case if it could be established that the charges applicable to imported products are higher than those manufactured locally.

In general, it could be said that Document No. QCVN 19:2019/NKHCN on National Technical Regulation on LED lighting products does not comply with provisions under the EVFTA in the sense that it constituted a Technical Barrier to Trade upon Vietnamese importers. Consequently, it would hinder LED lighting products export from EU countries.

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Under the CPTPP, Vietnam has the right to apply the same or equivalent procedures, criteria, and other conditions to accredit, approve, license, or otherwise recognize conformity assessment bodies located in the territory of another CPTPP Party that it might apply to conformity assessment bodies in its own territory. Moreover, the CPTPP also explicitly does not preclude Vietnam from verifying the result of conformity assessment procedures undertaken by bodies located outside its territory.
As a result, it could be said that under the CPTPP, the provisions applicable to LED lighting importers allow for local regulations like Document 19.

Both the EVFTA and the CPTPP require Vietnam and other parties to the agreements to establish local Contact Points for matters arising under their chapters. It is recommended that importers or traders that are negatively affected by Document 19 should voice their concern to such Contact Points, who have the responsibility to handle your matter by working with the relevant governments in light of the EVFTA and the CPTPP.

October 4, 2021 by Dr. Oliver Massmann

VIETNAM – NEW PRICING FRAMEWORK FOR SOLAR AND WIND POWER PROJECTS

In a press conference on 30 September 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (“MOIT”) confirmed that there would be NO FIT extension for wind energy projects after 31 October 2021.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade recently issued a new draft Circular on regulations on methods of building electricity generation price brackets and determining electricity generation prices, power purchase agreement for solar and wind energy projects. This Circular will apply to solar energy projects that have not met the COD deadline of 1 January 2021 or wind energy projects that have not met the COD deadline of 1 November 2021. Though it is only at draft stage, it is expected that the Circular will come into force soon and give developers as well as investors clarity on renewable power projects development and related transactions.

According to the Draft, this Circular will apply to:
i) Ground-mounted solar energy projects, floating solar power projects
ii) Rooftop solar energy projects
iii) Onshore wind energy projects and
iv) Offshore wind energy projects.

The electricity generation price bracket is the range of values from 0 (zero) to the ceiling price of the type of solar and wind power plants corresponding to each type of solar power plant (floating, ground mounted) and wind power plant (onshore, offshore). The ceiling price is the electricity generation price of a standard solar and wind power plant. Standard solar and wind power plants are plants that have operated, are under negotiation or are selected during the year (N-1).

Electricity generation price of newly built solar and wind power plants is determined based on:

a) Reasonable expenses of the Investor in the whole economic life of the project;
b) The financial internal rate of return (IRR) is 12%.

The electricity generation price of a solar and wind power plant includes the following components:

a) Power purchase and sale contract price: To be agreed upon by the two parties and determined according to the formula specified in Article 11 of this Circular;
b) Specific connection price: To be agreed upon by both parties and determined according to formula specified in Article 14 of this Circular.

Electricity generation price of solar and wind power plant is exclusive of value-added tax and other taxes, fees and cash receipts according to the State’s regulations (except for taxes and fees already paid) included in the electricity generation price plan.

The draft Circular also provide a new Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”) template to be used for solar and wind energy projects , including detailed procedure for PPA negotiation and checklist of documents to request for PPA negotiation.