Decree 303/2026/ND-CP: Vietnam Introduces Four New Types of Industrial Clusters — What Enterprises Need to Know

13-09-26 MTParners

From 15 September 2026, specialized, supporting, high-tech and eco-industrial clusters are formally recognized under Vietnamese law, opening new opportunities for investors while tightening the criteria for infrastructure investors.

On 1 August 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 303/2026/ND-CP amending and supplementing Decree No. 32/2024/ND-CP on the management and development of industrial clusters, effective from 15 September 2026. For the first time, Vietnamese law establishes four new types of industrial clusters — specialized, supporting, high-tech and eco-industrial — while also introducing a 100-point scoring system for selecting infrastructure investors, with a minimum threshold of 50 points required for consideration.

Four New Types of Industrial Clusters Formally Defined

Previously, Decree 32/2024/ND-CP recognized only two concepts: “industrial cluster” and “craft village industrial cluster”. Decree 303/2026/ND-CP amends Article 2 of Decree 32/2024/ND-CP, adding clauses 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d to specifically define four new types:

Specialized industrial clusters: clusters where at least 60% of industrial land is allocated to investment projects within the same industry or profession.
Supporting industrial clusters: clusters where at least 60% of industrial land is allocated to the production of supporting industrial products, helping enterprises participate more deeply in supply chains.
High-tech industrial clusters: at least 30% of industrial land is allocated to projects involving high-tech research, production and application.
Eco-industrial clusters: a model oriented towards sustainable economic development and the circular economy, encouraging cleaner production and the efficient reuse of raw materials, water, energy and waste.

Priority Land Allocation for High-Tech and Innovative Start-Up Enterprises

The Decree also amends Article 3 of Decree 32/2024/ND-CP so that the State prioritizes and encourages the development of craft village, specialized, supporting, high-tech and eco-industrial clusters, as well as other smart, efficient and sustainable industrial cluster models. Notably, high-tech enterprises and innovative start-ups are now given priority in land allocation within industrial clusters — a clear signal for innovative enterprises seeking production premises.

Provincial People’s Committees are empowered to decide on the type of industrial cluster appropriate to the provincial master plan and local conditions, to be reflected in the decision establishing or expanding the cluster.

Stricter Criteria for Selecting Infrastructure Investors: 100-Point Scale, Minimum 50 Points

Another key change is the scoring mechanism for selecting enterprises, cooperatives or organizations to act as investors in technical infrastructure for industrial clusters, based on a 100-point scale:

Technical infrastructure investment plan: up to 15 points.
Environmental management and protection plan: up to 15 points.
Capacity and experience: up to 30 points.
Financial plan: up to 40 points.

An entity must score at least 50/100 points to be considered by the provincial People’s Committee for appointment as investor. Reaching 50 points is only a minimum condition and does not guarantee selection. Where two or more entities achieve the same highest score, the appointment is made based on the recommendation of the Chairman of the Investor Selection Evaluation Council.

Practical Impact

By formally defining four types of industrial clusters, localities now have a clearer legal basis to plan industrial clusters with specialized orientations rather than the generic “multi-industry” model used previously. Enterprises operating in supporting industries, high technology or eco-industrial models will have more suitable premises to choose from, and may access preferential land-allocation policies if they belong to an encouraged category.

On the other hand, the 100-point scoring requirement makes it more competitive to become an infrastructure investor in an industrial cluster, requiring clear evidence of financial capacity (the highest-weighted criterion, at 40/100 points) and proven practical experience in the application dossier.

Recommendations

Enterprises planning to invest in factory premises should check whether the industrial cluster where they intend to lease land has already been assigned an appropriate type by the provincial People’s Committee, in order to take advantage of priority land-allocation policies (if they qualify as a high-tech enterprise or innovative start-up).

Enterprises and cooperatives intending to become infrastructure investors in an industrial cluster should carefully prepare documentation on financial capacity and experience in similar projects before submitting an application, as these two criteria together account for 70 out of 100 points.

MT & Partners Law Firm, with a team of experienced lawyers in corporate and investment law, is ready to advise, review legal documentation and support enterprises in accessing the right incentive policies when investing in industrial clusters. Contact hotline 0987140772 or email info@mtpartners.vn for consultation.

(*) This article is for reference only and does not replace specific legal advice.

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