Vietnam adopts decree to curb wasteful staffing and recruitment in the public sector

The Vietnamese Government issued Decree No. 266/2026, which details specific actions classified as wasteful under the Law on Savings and Anti‑Wastage. It targets practices such as appointing deputy officials beyond the legally permitted number, recruiting civil servants and public‑sector staff without proper authority or need, mismatching staff allocations, and signing contracts that do not meet legal standards. The decree also lists wasteful behaviours in project investment, resource use and energy management.

The decree assigns the Ministry of Finance the responsibility for auditing compliance nationwide, while ministries, central agencies and provincial governments must monitor and enforce the anti‑waste provisions within their jurisdictions.