January 24, 2025
Following Vietnam’s adoption of the new Law on Data (“Data Law”) on November 30, 2024, there remained uncertainty as to what impact the new framework would have on businesses in Vietnam and abroad. The government has now released a package of four draft legal documents aimed at guiding the implementation of the Data Law: (1) a decree on the National Data Development Fund (“NDDF Decree”), (2) a decree related to regulations on scientific, technological, and innovation activities and data products and services (“Decree on Specific Activities”), (3) a decree detailing a number of articles and measures to implement the Data Law (“Implementation Decree”), and (4) a decision on the lists of important data and core data. This article will provide an overview of the draft legislation. 1. NDDF Decree The draft NDDF Decree relates to the establishment, management and use of a National Data Development Fund (“NDDF”), which is a non-profit and non-budgetary state financial fund established and managed by the Minister of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS). The NDDF has legal personality and is fully state owned, operating similarly to a single-member limited liability company. Its main objectives are to support, promote, and invest in artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and other new technologies and innovation. The NDDF may lend to, invest in, or otherwise support eligible organizations. The draft NDDF Decree also proposes a series of regulations on donations to the NDDF and from the NDDF (through expense support), the lending activities of the NDDF to commercial banks, which will in turn lend to eligible organizations, the investment activities in data products and services innovative start-ups, and other kinds of support. The government commits to provide VND 1 trillion (approx. USD 40 million) to the NDDF, evidencing the importance the government places on