In comments on the draft amended Law on Metrology, State Auditor General Nguyen Huu Nghia proposed adding provisions allowing the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) and competent state agencies to connect to, access, share, and use measurement data free of charge to perform their functions and duties in accordance with the law.
State Auditor General Nguyen Huu Nghia speaks at the group discussion session. Photo: N. TRUONG
On the morning of October 17, following presentations of the submissions and appraisal reports on the draft amended Law on Postal Services and the draft amended Law on Metrology, National Assembly deputies discussed the two draft laws in groups. State Auditor General Nguyen Huu Nghia, Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Hung Yen Province, chaired the discussion of Group 6, comprising the National Assembly delegations of Hung Yen and Tay Ninh provinces.
Ensuring Equal and Transparent Access to Measurement Standards
During the group discussion, State Auditor General Nguyen Huu Nghia provided comments on several specific provisions of the draft amended Law on Metrology.
Regarding investment in and the socialization of the national measurement standards system, the State Auditor General noted that the draft law encourages organizations and enterprises to invest in establishing and maintaining national measurement standards.
According to the State Auditor General, measurement standards play a crucial role in social life, production, business, and investment activities. Such standards must be developed, tested, validated, and certified or recognized by competent state authorities before becoming common benchmarks for practical applications in daily life, production, and business operations.
Therefore, the State Auditor General proposed adding a principle requiring measurement standards funded by organizations and enterprises to be regulated and recognized by competent state authorities, with their use governed by public and transparent mechanisms that ensure equal and continuous access to services. He also proposed that state funding provided for the establishment and development of measurement standards be separately accounted for and monitored, and that the state budget not be used to cover costs that would result in duplication in the calculation of measurement service fees.
Regarding the provisions on measurement assurance programs, the State Auditor General recommended revising the draft to stipulate that support must be based on programs and tasks approved by competent authorities and remain within the allocated state budget estimates. Such support should target eligible beneficiaries, ensure transparency and accountability, and be subject to measurable output indicators. The draft law should also clearly state that the absence of a measurement assurance program does not automatically constitute grounds for classifying an organization or enterprise as high-risk.
Regarding Clause 11, Article 1 of the draft law, which introduces provisions on digital platforms and the exploitation of digital data, the State Auditor General pointed out that the draft currently only authorizes competent state management agencies to use measurement data for management, analysis, warnings, inspections, examinations, and violation handling.
However, the SAV is an agency established by the National Assembly and is responsible for auditing and evaluating the management and use of public assets and public finances based on economic and technical standards and norms, including measurement standards.
Accordingly, the State Auditor General proposed adding a provision to Article 34c stipulating that the SAV and competent state agencies may connect to, access, share, and use measurement data free of charge to perform their legally mandated functions and duties. Such activities must ensure safety and confidentiality, remain within the authorized scope, and maintain complete audit trails of all access to and use of measurement data.
Flexible Regulations to Facilitate E-Commerce Activities
Commenting on the draft amended Law on Postal Services, the State Auditor General focused on Article 21 concerning customs procedures for imported and exported postal items. He noted that this is a particularly important issue as e-commerce and cross-border digital platform-based trade become increasingly widespread.
Overview of the group discussion session. Photo: N. TRUONG
“Article 21 of the draft law should provide for a highly flexible regulatory approach that facilitates cross-border commercial transactions, particularly small-scale transactions conducted through postal services,” the State Auditor General proposed.
Under Clause 2, Article 21, postal service providers would carry out customs procedures and other import-export formalities for postal items on behalf of service users, in accordance with customs regulations. The State Auditor General considered this provision difficult to implement in practice, as the Law on Customs primarily governs the import and export of goods and services under conventional arrangements.
Therefore, to promote and facilitate the rapid and efficient development of cross-border trade and digital commerce, the State Auditor General proposed adding a provision to Article 21 authorizing the Government to issue detailed regulations and guidance on customs procedures for imported and exported postal items, thereby ensuring greater flexibility.