ISSUANCE OF CONSOLIDATED DOCUMENT 41/VBHN-BNNMT: CONSOLIDATION OF THREE IMPORTANT DECREES ON LAND
1. General Information
On April 2, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued Consolidated Document No. 41/VBHN-BNNMT, consolidating regulations on delineation of authority, delegation of powers, and decentralization in the land sector.
This document consolidates three important decrees, including:
- Decree 151/2025/NĐ-CP;
- Decree No. 226/2025/NĐ-CP (amended and supplemented);
- Decree No. 49/2026/ND-CP (guidelines for implementing the mechanism to resolve issues under the Land Law).
The issuance of consolidated legal documents helps standardize, systematize, and facilitate the retrieval of currently effective legal provisions on land.
2. Scope of Application
Regulatory Document:
- Authority, procedures, and processes for performing state management tasks regarding land;
- The powers of agencies and authorized officials at all levels;
- Methods for organizing the implementation of decentralization and devolution within the administrative system.
This content covers all land management activities under the Land Law and related guiding documents.
3. Focus: Delineation of Authority Among Government Levels
The core of the document is establishing a mechanism for delineating authority between the central and local governments (two levels).
The main principles include:
- Ensuring unified government management;
- At the same time, granting greater autonomy to localities;
- Clearly define responsibilities to avoid overlapping or omissions in tasks.
This is a crucial step in land management reform aimed at streamlining – efficiency – clear accountability.
4. Strengthening decentralization and devolution in practice
The consolidated document clearly reflects the trend:
- Delegate more authority to local levels, particularly in administrative procedures related to land;
- Increase flexibility in processing applications, issuing permits, and managing land use;
- Assign accountability to each level of government.
This contributes to:
- Shortening the time required to process procedures;
- Reducing dependence on central authorities;
- Aligns with the current two-tier local government organizational model.
5. Legal Significance of the Consolidated Document
It should be noted that the consolidated text:
- Is not a new legal regulation;
- Does not alter the substance of the policy;
- It only serves to compile and systematize existing regulations.
However, the practical value lies in:
- Helping businesses, lawyers, and investors access regulations faster;
- Minimize the risk of incorrect application due to documents being revised multiple times.
6. Impact on businesses and the market
For businesses, particularly in the real estate, investment, and logistics sectors:
- Easier to search for and apply laws, reducing compliance costs;
- Clearly understand the jurisdiction of each level, thereby identifying the correct agency to handle the case;
- Minimize legal risks in procedures such as land allocation, land leasing, and land use conversion.
At the same time, greater decentralization may also lead to:
- Differences in implementation across localities;
- Requiring businesses to closely follow local practices.
Consolidated Document 41/VBHN-BNNMT of 2026 is an important step in systematizing land laws, with a focus on delineating authority – strengthening decentralization – enhancing management efficiency.
This is not only a legal tool for state administration but also an essential reference document for businesses and investors in the implementation of land-related projects.
