The National Assembly Standing Committee’s 42 nd session in Hanoi on October 15 concentrated its discussions on the draft Law on Associations. Several opinions called on the bill to reflect the Party’s stance on the position and role of mass organisations, create favourable conditions for citizens to practise their rights to establish associations and bring associations’ voluntariness, self-management and sense of responsibility into play. In its report, the government proposed exempting associations without legal entities. The NA Law Committee suggested making a clear distinction between the right to gather and the right to establish associations as stipulated in the Constitution’s Clause 25. It called for appropriate adjustments to regulations on managing associations without legal entities. Chairwoman of the NA Committee for Social Affairs Truong Thi Mai said the government report should specify how associations without legal entities are subject to particular laws and State management. Regarding policies towards associations, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said those established at the request of the Party and State will be subsidised while others will receive funding for performing particular State missions. During the morning session, legislators also commented on a report of opinions on the draft Law on supervising the National Assembly and People’s Councils. In the afternoon, the committee is due to examine a feedback report on the draft Civil Code and the Law on Referendum.-VNA