Hanoi holds dialogue with businesses on land and environmental issues

Many issues related to land, site clearance and environmental procedures were addressed directly by Hanoi City in 2026 during a dialogue with small and medium-sized enterprises. The clarified topics focused on transferring projects that use land, environmental permits and expanding production space. All procedures have been published. In response to questions about the transfer of projects that use land, Hanoi’s Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Bui Duy Cuong, said that the conditions and steps are defined specifically in the Land Law and the Investment Law. Currently, all procedures have been published at competent agencies such as the Department of Finance, the Department of Agriculture and Environment, and the City’s Public Administrative Service Center. Enterprises in need should contact the Department of Finance and the Public Administrative Service Center to submit the transfer file for a project. After the city approves the policy, the enterprise registers changes on the land-use certificate. Notably, under the 2023 Land Law, this procedure has been reformed to simplify, avoiding redoing the entire land-related process as before, thereby shortening time and facilitating project implementation. For the issue of site clearance at the Xuân Thu craft village industrial cluster (Da Phuc commune) raised by Đại Phong Infrastructure Construction JSC, Hanoi’s Department of Agriculture and Environment stated that the project started in 2021 with an area of about 20 hectares, but the main challenges stem from incomplete land records and some residents not consenting. To address this, the departments and local authorities are focusing on completing land records and publicly soliciting residents’ opinions. In cases of non-declaration or deliberate obstruction, actions will be taken according to the law. Additionally, enterprises should coordinate closely with local authorities to implement timely compensation after plan approval. The city police will continue to maintain security during project implementation. The enterprise is currently working with the Department of Industry and Trade to adjust and extend the implementation timeline. The departments affirm they will speed up administrative procedures, and with clear policy and planning, they are determined to complete site clearance and bring land into productive use. The city reiterates its support for enterprises to operate effectively. Regarding the request by HDP Plastics Co., Ltd for environmental licensing, Hanoi’s Department notes that the process is fully defined in the Environmental Protection Law and implementing documents, and is published at the Public Administrative Service Center and the Department. However, because the company operates plastic production in a residential area, environmental protection requirements must be prioritized. The department asks the company to strictly follow the law, ensure environmental standards, and not affect nearby residents. In principle, licensing procedures have no obstacles if the company submits the documents as required. For STNL Co., Ltd’s proposal to expand its production space, the department notes that land-use and construction plans are publicly disseminated to communes to facilitate information access. Currently, the company can access land through three main channels: bidding, auction, or transfer of land-use rights. Bidding and auction are delegated to local governments according to planning. For land-use-right transfer, the company should file at the Public Administrative Service Center for city approval. Affirming the city’s policy of accompanying enterprises, Hanoi’s Department of Agriculture and Environment Director, Bui Duy Cuong, stresses that the city always supports efficient enterprises seeking to expand production and business. Enterprises are urged to actively work with local authorities to understand planning and land origin and to carry out procedures in accordance with regulations to ensure progress and investment efficiency. Timely responses and concrete guidance at the conference help enterprises overcome obstacles in project deployment and demonstrate Hanoi’s determination to improve the investment climate and promote sustainable socio-economic development in the time ahead. Proposals to apply a special mechanism to resolve 438 backlog land projects. Goals to complete the land database in 2026.