Amendments to the 2001 Publishing Law in 2008 and 2011

The first amendment was made in 2008 and took effect on 1st January 2009. Further amendments were made on 20th November 2011, taking effect on 1st July 2013. The aim of the three amendments was to meet the increasing demands of the publishing, printing and distribution sectors, as well as the trends toward international integration of the sector, which gave increased rights to enterprises and civil society organizations in relation to the establishment of publishing houses, clearly stating the authority and deadline for granting registration for the import of publications; allowing wider co-operation with foreign partners in terms of distributing publications and managing electronic publications (a new working field in Viet Nam), promulgating related regulations on intellectual properties, ensuring authors’ rights in the publishing sector (as books and other publications are considered commercial goods); and providing stricter regulations on the legal deposit of publications.