Takes effect on July 01, 2018, the Law No. 104/2016/QH13 on information access passed on April 06, 2016 prescribes that all citizens are treated equal and not discriminated in exercising their right of access to information, the Government grants favorable opportunities for the disabled and those who reside in border regions, islands, mountainous regions, areas faced to extremely difficult social and economic conditions to practice their right of access to information.
Accordingly, information is provided free of charge for citizens, except for other cases of fee collection as regulated by law. The applicant for the provision of information must pay fees actually incurred from printing, duplication, photocopying and sending information.
Within that, all information on legislative documents; administrative documents with universal effect; international treaties of which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member or international agreements to which Vietnam is a signatory; administrative procedures and working procedures of state agencies; information regarding the dissemination and guidance on the implementation of laws and policies in sectors under the state management; drafts of legislative documents as regulated by the law on promulgation of legislative documents; contents and results of the referendum and acquisition of people’s opinions about issues which are under the decision of state agencies and have to be asked for people’s opinions as regulated by the law; schemes and their drafts on the establishment, dissolution, merger or division of administrative units or modification of administrative areas… shall be disclosed publicly on post information on portals and websites of state agencies; provide information via the mass media; post information on Official Gazettes; post information in the notice form at head offices of state agencies and other locations.
Information relating to a trade secret may be accessible if the trade secret holder has assented to the access to such information. Information relating to secrets and privacy of an individual may be accessible if such individual grants an assent; information relating to family secrets may be accessible if there is an assent granted by all members of that family, heads of state agencies may, during the execution of their functions, tasks and powers, and where necessary, decide the provision of information concerning trade secrets, personal secrets and privacy or family secrets… shall be provided under one of the methods such as requested information is directly provided at the head office of the requested agency; requested information may be provided electronically, by fax or mail.
