Introduction

On February 2, 2017, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 132/DQ-Ttg approving the Scheme on the establishment of Notary Association of Vietnam. This is a significant milestone in the journey of more than 30 years of re-establishing, consolidating and developing the notary profession in our country, marking the maturity of Vietnamese notaries in international integration.

Implementing the policy of socializing notarial activities according to Resolution No. 49/NQ-TU dated June 2, 2005 of the Politburo and Strategy on judicial reform until 2020, the National Assembly has promulgated the Law on Notarization No.82/2006/QH11 dated November 29, 2006 and Law on Notarization No. 53/2014/QH13 dated June 20, 2014. This is an important legal basis for our country’s notary to develop rapidly in quality, improve professionalism and affirm the role as well as position for the State and society

On the 1st National Congress of Notary Deputies held on January 13 and 14, 2019 in Hanoi capital, the event is associated with the birth of Notary Association of Vietnam, the Campaign Committee of Notary Association of Vietnam has built a summary record “Vietnam notary public on the way of construction and development” to record important milestones in the process of establishing Notary Association of Vietnam, thereby inciting  professional pride, strengthening their knowledge, solidarity and deep attachment among notaries and notary unions on the common purpose of helping Notary Association of Vietnam become a “great united and non-stop developing family”, successfully fulfill the assigned tasks and meet the requirements of the reform and construction of socialist law-governed State of the people, by the people and for the people .

NOTARY ASSOCIATION OF VIETNAM – AN INSTITUTIONS TO ENHANCE THE STATE MANAGEMENT

In the first years of our country’s renovation, the notary institution began to be re-established which was marked by the introduction of Circular No. 574/QLTPK dated October 10, 1987 of the Ministry of Justice guiding the state notarization and Circular No. 858/QLTPK dated October 15, 1987 of the Ministry of Justice guiding the performance of state civil servant jobs. This was the legal basis at that time.

Through 20 years of establishment and development of the notary profession, by mid-2007, nationwide, there were 393 notaries at 131 notary offices nationwide.The notarial activity was supposed to have many significant contributions to the socio-economic development in the period of national innovation and also in the following years. However, in the above period, notarization still seems to be considered an activity of state administrative management.
Notarization Law No. 82/2006/QH11 dated November 29, 2006 of the National Assembly marked a new development in notarization organization and activities in our country, in order to implement the Party’s policy of notarial activity socialization and the state with the aim of creating conditions for Vietnamese civil servants to develop in both breadth and depth.This is an important step in completing the law on notary profession, bringing notarial activities to develop professionally, in line with international practices. After 5 years of implementing the notary law No. 82/2006/QH11, a total of 625 notary practice organizations have been developed nationwide, including notary offices and notary offices, 60/63 provinces and cities under the Central Government has implemented the socialization and established notary offices. Notarial activities has gradually been in the right track. The Law on Notary Publication No. 53/2006/QH11 dated June 20, 2014 which replaces the Law on Notary Publication No. 82/2006/QH11 has introduced many new regulations affecting the organization and operation of notary, and the practice regime of the notaries, individuals, agencies and organizations concerned. After 4 years of implementation, the number of notarial practice organizations and notaries has increased along with the results of notarial activities, and the notarial activity socialization. This has taken a new step for the notarial activity to become deeper and broader. However, the results of notarial activities among localities are still uneven, stemming from differences in socio-economic development conditions between localities.

Notarization Law No. 53/2014/QH13 also officially stipulates the socio-professional organization of notaries, organizations that unite notaries in the locality as well as in the country. Up to the present time, across the country, 50 Notary Associations have been established and put into operation, step by step demonstrating their roles.

The regional and international integration of our country’s civil servants has also achieved many positive results which had constantly expanded relationships with countries with developed notarial systems such as the French Republic, The German Federation, the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Algeria, etc. Among these, the relationship with the French Republic is the oldest and has the most obvious results. In addition to the direct cooperation between the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam and the Supreme Notary Association of France, over the past time, the notarial cooperation between the localities of the two countries Vietnam – France with the support of the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam with the French Supreme Notary Council has also been promoted. This is totally in accordance with the wishes of the local notaries and notaries in two countries with the support and help of international friends. In 2013, Vietnam was officially admitted as the 84th member of the International Union of Notaries.
Generally and objectively, we have the right to be proud of Vietnam’s notary over the past 30 years, its contributions to the country’s socio-economic development, management society as well as diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges. We are also very proud to have built a large team of notaries in terms of number, professional maturity and transparency in professional ethics, sense of pride in the profession and sense of society, for the sake of the community.

As the solidarity and efforts of each of us, those who are passionate about the profession of notary and notary in Vietnam will have faster and more sustainable development steps, meeting the expectations of the Party and the State, to well serve the legitimate needs of the people and businesses, and fulfill its obligations to the International Union of Notaries./.

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 “On behalf of the Party staff and the Ministry of Justice, we wish the 1st National Congress of Notary Deputies and the founding Congress of Notary Association of Vietnam a great success. We wish the delegates solidarity, fairness and wisdom; choose the prestigious and capable Association’s Board of Directors to shoulder the responsibility that the Vietnamese notary team entrusts; contribute to Notary Association of Vietnam become the “common roof” of the Vietnamese notary community; bring Vietnam’s notary activities to meet increasingly the needs of organizations and individuals, and socio- economic development requirements of the country!” – Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Binh Hoa Truong.