Vietnam’s electric vehicle (EV) industry is experiencing rapid growth, driven by a strong wave of new legislation, strategic plans, and government incentives. The government’s clear commitment to electrification is attracting foreign investment, supporting advanced production, and reducing reliance on internal combustion engine (ICE) imports. Recent national strategies, sector regulations, and technical standards demonstrate a rare level of regulatory momentum in Southeast Asia, positioning Vietnam as a competitive player in the global EV supply chain and an attractive market for foreign investors. An overview of legal developments for the EV sector in Vietnam is presented below. National Action Program for Green Transportation A key driver of Vietnam’s EV growth has been the National Action Program for Green Transportation through 2050 stipulated in Decision No. 876/QD-TTg of the prime minister dated July 22, 2022. The National Action Program sets a detailed roadmap for the green energy transition in road transport. For the period 2022–2030, the focus is on promoting the manufacturing, assembly, import, and conversion of road motor vehicles to electric power, expanding the use of 100% E5 gasoline for road vehicles, developing charging infrastructure to meet the needs of residents and businesses, and encouraging both new and existing bus stations and rest stops to meet green criteria. For the period 2031–2050, the roadmap aims to gradually restrict and ultimately cease by 2040 the manufacturing, assembly, and import of fossil fuel-powered cars, motorcycles, and mopeds for domestic use. By 2050, the goal is for 100% of road motor vehicles and construction vehicles participating in traffic to use electricity or green energy, for all bus stations and rest stops to meet green criteria, and for all machinery and equipment for loading and unloading to transition from fossil fuels to electricity or green energy. The program also calls for the completion of nationwide

On July 9, 2025, Thailand issued a notification that introduces comprehensive operational requirements for digital platform service providers operating as goods marketplaces, effective December 31, 2025 (i.e., 180 days after its publication in the Government Gazette). The regulation’s official name is Notification of the Electronic Transactions Committee Re: Other Actions for Digital Platform Service Operators in the Category of Marketplace for Goods with Specific Characteristics under Section 18(2) of the Royal Decree on the Operation of Digital Platform Service Businesses that are Subject to Prior Notification B.E. 2565 (2022), B.E. 2568 (2025). Scope of Application The notification applies exclusively to goods marketplace operators formally designated by the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), which on the same day designated 19 platforms that had previously notified the ETDA of their operations. The goods requiring enhanced oversight by these operators are limited to those regulated by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI). Development from Earlier Draft An earlier draft of the notification had included a requirement for offshore platforms to establish a local entity, but this requirement was removed from the final notification. Key Obligations Despite the removal of the local entity requirement, the notification imposes a range of additional obligations on designated goods marketplace operators: Transparency. Operators must implement robust transparency measures, including clear, accessible, and understandable disclosures to users in Thai. These disclosures must cover all relevant terms and conditions, comprehensive product information, and complaint management procedures. Operators must also submit an annual compliance report to the ETDA within 60 days after the end of their accounting period, including statistics on regulated goods. Business user registration and identity verification. Before permitting the sale or advertisement of regulated goods, operators must collect and verify business user information, including contact details, identification documents, registration

On June 27, 2025, the National Assembly of Vietnam officially passed the amended Law on Atomic Energy, which will take effect on January 1, 2026. This legislative milestone follows the release of the fourth draft in June 2025, which was circulated for public consultation and builds upon earlier drafts from February, April, and early June. (See our previous article on the draft version here), Many provisions have been retained or refined to ensure greater specificity and alignment with Vietnam’s current legal framework. Once in force, the amended law will replace the 2008 Law on Atomic Energy (No. 18/2008/QH12), marking a significant step forward in modernizing Vietnam’s legal infrastructure for nuclear energy. The new law aims to harmonize with international standards, promote the safe and sustainable development of nuclear power, and facilitate future nuclear projects in the country. Noteworthy Updates in the Final Legislation Definition of National Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (NRNSA): The law introduces a clear definition of the NRNSA, outlining its roles and responsibilities in line with IAEA standards. Currently, this function is performed by the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS) under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Digital Transformation Requirements: New provisions mandate the development of an integrated digital platform for data management, administrative procedures, and safety oversight, enhancing transparency and security. Policy Support for Training and Privatization: The law sets out principles for workforce incentives and sector privatization, with detailed regulations to be issued by the government. Dedicated Safety and Security Mechanism: A new section outlines inspection, supervision, violation handling, and enforcement procedures in the field of atomic energy, particularly for nuclear power plants. The NRNSA is empowered to conduct unscheduled inspections, suspend operations, and recommend license revocation when safety risks are identified. Key Provisions Retained or Clarified from the Draft Licensing

On July 1, 2025, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health issued Circular No. 30/2025/TT-BYT providing updated guidance on the application of drug quality standards, testing of drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients, and procedures for the recall and handling of noncompliant drugs (Circular 30). Circular 30 officially came into effect on the same day and replaces Circular No. 11/2018/TT-BYT and its amendments. Key highlights of Circular 30 are presented below. Drug and Pharmaceutical Ingredient Quality Standards Circular 30 maintains consistency with previous regulations regarding the selection of an applicable quality specification. Pharmaceutical businesses and drug preparation establishments may still choose to apply standards from the Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia, reference pharmacopoeias (including the United States Pharmacopoeia, the European Pharmacopoeia, the British Pharmacopoeia, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, and the International Pharmacopoeia), or an in-house specification. Priority is given to the Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia and reference pharmacopoeias, encompassing quality indicators, quality levels, and testing methods. If alternative pharmacopoeias or in-house specifications are used, they must meet the requirements outlined in the corresponding monographs of the Vietnamese or reference pharmacopoeias. At the time of registration, the quality standards of drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients must comply with either the current version of the pharmacopoeia or a previous version of the pharmacopoeia that is no more than two years older than the current version. The requirement for updating quality specifications in line with the quality under the corresponding pharmacopoeia also applies to products that have already been granted marketing authorization. Testing Drugs and Pharmaceutical Ingredients in Quality Management Similar to the regulations under the previous circular, if pharmaceutical businesses disagree with the sample testing results, they may, within five working days of receiving the test report, request that the state quality inspection authority designate an alternative testing facility. The testing period for establishments listed as foreign drug manufacturers with quality violations remains