Investment Policy Monitor
-
The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.
UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.
-
UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).
The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).
The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.
Classification of the nature of measures
More favourable to investors
Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.
Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).
Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.
Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.
Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).
Less favourable to investors
Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.
Treatment and operation: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.
Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Share





Latest publications

- Home >
- Investment Policy Monitor >
- Viet Nam - Amending Law on Investment
Viet Nam
Amending Law on Investment
17 Jun 2020On 17 June 2020, Vietnam’s National Assembly passed the amended Law on Investment which will take effect on 1 January 2021. The Law basically applies to both domestic and foreign investors. Key points of the amended law include among others: - A business organization is deemed as a "foreign investor" if such investors hold 50% or more of the charter capital (the current law stipulates 51%). In case the business organization is a partnership, the majority of the general partners/members must be foreigners. - Before foreign investors can establish a business organization, they must have identified an investment project and obtain an Investment Registration Certificate for that project. The latter is not required for investors engaging in the establishment of a small and medium-sized creative start up or fund for such start up. - Market access conditions for foreign investors are the same as for domestic investors, except for industries and business that do not allow for such market access reciprocally or those that come with conditions on foreign investors. The Government will announce a list of the above-mentioned industries and business before 1 January 2021. The list will cover topics such as ownership of charter capital, investment form, scope of investment activities, evaluation of investors’ capacity and partners participating in the investment activity. - Foreign investors can reap the benefits of various business guarantees, including a guarantee on investment in case of change in laws, guarantee of property ownership, guarantee on investment activities and guarantee on the right to transfer assets abroad. - Disputes between foreign investors and the State can be taken to international arbitration, provided that the contract between the parties includes such clause or international treaties to which Vietnam is a signatory. Disputes between investors, of which at least one party is a foreign investor as defined by the Law, can be taken to foreign or international arbitration with no attached conditions. - The Government has added more types of investment incentives, such as: Exemption from import tax on goods imported to create fixed assets; Exemption or reduction of land use levy, land rent, land use tax; Quick depreciation, increased deductible expenses when calculating taxable income. - The Government has added more business lines eligible for investment incentives, covering preservation of drugs, manufacture of medical equipment, university education, and manufacture of products to the list of industries prioritized for development such as new materials, new energy, clean energy, renewable energy, products with 30% or more added value, energy-saving products, waste collection, waste treatment, waste recycling and waste re-use.
Nature of measure:
- Incentives
- Other regulatory changes
Type:
- Entry and establishment (Ownership and control)
- Treatment and operation (Dispute settlement)
- Promotion and facilitation (Investment incentives)
Inward FDI:
NoOutward FDI:
NoSources:
- Lexology, Vietnam - new law on investment proves the government’s effort to attract foreign direct investment, https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=336b853c-4d41-45da-8115-07a14c2b5f58&utm_source=Lexology+Daily+Newsfeed&utm_medium=HTML+email&utm_campaign=Lexology+subscriber+daily+feed&utm_content=Lexology+Daily+Newsfeed+2020-08-27&utm_term=, 25 Aug 2020
- Vietnam Briefing, Vietnam Adopts Amended Law on Enterprises and Law on Investment, https://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/vietnams-adopts-amended-law-on-enterprises-and-investment.html/, 07 Jul 2020
-
The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.
UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.
-
UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).
The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).
The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.
Classification of the nature of measures
More favourable to investors
Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.
Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).
Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.
Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.
Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).
Less favourable to investors
Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.
Treatment and operation: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.
Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Share





Latest publications
