Maximum administrative fine for individuals proposed to rise to VND1.5 billion

The National Assembly Standing Committee has proposed increasing the maximum administrative fine for individuals from VND1 billion to VND1.5 billion, while raising fines for organizations from VND2 billion to VND3 billion. This draft amendment to the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations (Amended) was discussed and debated on September 23.

The proposal also includes expanding the categories of violations where fines could be up to two times higher than the standard fine in urban areas and special economic zones. Additionally, the draft raises fine limits for summary sanctions without written reports, increasing them from VND500,000 to VND1 million for individuals and VND1 million to VND2 million for organizations.

Law and Justice Committee Chairman Phan Chi Hieu expressed concerns that excessively high fines may not be financially feasible for most individuals and businesses, suggesting that more effective measures should be considered alongside fine increases. These could include remedial actions and supplementary penalties, such as revoking licenses or suspending operations.

The draft law also proposes new enforcement measures requiring the suspension of internet services, telecommunications services, digital infrastructure, or technical blocking and access restrictions against non-compliant organizations and individuals in the electronic environment. However, some opinions called for careful evaluation of this measure's necessity and impact, as it could directly restrict the rights and interests of citizens.

Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh and Committee on Citizen Petitions and Supervision Chairwoman Le Thi Nga stressed the importance of implementing sufficiently strong measures to enforce sanctioning decisions while ensuring compliance without unduly infringing on citizens' fundamental rights.