Deputy Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Nguyễn Hải Trung co-chaired the workshop with Vice Chairman of the Ninh Binh provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Cao Sơn.

The event saw the presence of Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs under the MERA Vũ Hoài Bắc, and members of the decree drafting team, and leaders of the Departments of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and Departments of Home Affairs of 34 provinces and cities.

Deputy Minister of the MERA Nguyễn Hải Trung delivers the opening speech

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Trung informed that the Law on Belief and will take effect on January 1, 2027.

Deputy Minister Nguyễn Hải Trung stressed that the workshop gave the drafting team a chance to hear feedback from localities. Feedback based on state management practice in provinces and cities will be an important basis for the Ministry to further study, revise and finalize the draft decree dossier.

Delegates at the event

Speaking at the workshop, Vice Chairman of the provincal People’s Committee Nguyễn Cao Sơn said that Ninh Binh province has a rich and diverse religious and belief life. Religious followers make up about 29.5% of the province’s population. The province has nearly 3,000 religious establishments and more than 5,000 dignitaries, deacons and religious practitioners. Belief and religious activities are generally stable and harmonious, contributing to preserve cultural identity and strengthen the great national unity bloc.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Cao Son speaks at the event

According to Vice Chairman Nguyễn Cao Sơn, the state management of belief and religion faces many new issues. These need further study, guidance and improvement such as belief and religious activities in cyberspace; belief activities outside belief establishments; new religious phenomena; land and construction management related to belief and religious establishments; and other issues arising at the grassroots level, etc.

As reported at the event, the draft decree details the provisions assigned in 34 articles of the 2026 Law on Belief and Religion. It also aims to resolve difficulties and obstacles in implementing current regulations.

The draft seeks to further simplify administrative procedures in the field of belief and religion and to meet digital transformation requirements. It also aims to raise the accountability of state agencies and help individuals and organizations better exercise their right to freedom of belief and religion.

The draft decree has eight chapters and 77 articles. Chapter II covers belief and religious activities in cyberspace. Chapter III covers representatives and management boards of belief establishments, and the notification and registration of belief activities. Chapter IV covers the registration of concentrated religious gatherings and the issuance of certificates of religious activity registration.

The remaining chapters cover religious organizations; religious activities; donations and sponsorship; the renovation, upgrading, preservation, restoration and new construction of belief and religious structures and auxiliary facilities; and implementation responsibilities.

The draft also sets out 79 forms for use in the field of belief and religion. They include 15 decision forms, 14 registration forms, 21 request forms, one certificate, 27 notification forms and one report form.

Under the draft, the number of administrative procedures in the field of belief and religion will be cut from 60 to 50. Of these, 15 will be handled at the central level, 28 at the provincial level and seven at the commune level.

The total processing time for the 50 procedures is expected to be 1,002 days. This is 1,148 days, or 53.39%, less than under current regulations.

GCRA Chairman Vũ Hoài Bắc speaks at the event

During the event, participants discussed and gave feedback on the draft decree dossier. Many comments drew on local experience in enforcing belief and religion laws. They focused on belief and religious activities in cyberspace; the management of belief activities outside belief establishments; the registration of concentrated religious gatherings; religious training; religious organizations and activities; belief and religious structures; and the reduction of administrative procedures, etc.

Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs in Hung Yen province Đinh Thị Hoàn speaks at the event

Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs in Dong Nai province Nguyễn Đình Kiên speaks at the event

Delegates also discussed regulations on withdrawing approvals for concentrated religious gatherings and certificates of religious activity registration, and on suspending religious functionaries. They stressed the need to balance respect for the autonomy of religious organizations with the need to handle violations of the law.

Concluding the event, Deputy Minister Nguyễn Hải Trung highly appreciated practical feedback from participants. He asked the Government Committee for Religious Affairs and the drafting team to compile all feedback from the workshop as well as quickly complete the draft decree dossier as schedule.