Nghị quyết 02/2008/NQ-CP

RESOLUTION

ON MAJOR MEASURES OF DIRECTING AND GUIDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2008 SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND STATE BUDGET ESTIMATE

The year 2008 is a pivotal year of the 2006 2010 five-year socio-economic development plan. The results of implementation of the 2008 socio-economic development plan will serve as a precondition for the successful achievement of the objectives of the 2006-2010 five-year socio-economic development plan and the 2001-2010 ten-year socio-economic development strategy.

The entire Party, all the people, all branches and levels and enterprises of all economic sectors should strive their best to fruitfully implement the 2008 socio-economic development plan and state budget. At the same time, comprehensive economic, social, environmental protection and sustainable development solutions must be realized in a coordinated manner, of which key ones are to achieve the GDP growth rate of 8.5-9% or higher; take the initiative in implementing global economic integration commitments and roadmaps; and step up administrative reform and anti-corruption efforts. The Government requests ministries, branches and localities to concentrate on implementing the following major.measures:

I. ACTIVELY IMPROVING THE INVESTMENT AND BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, ACCELERATING ECONOMIC GROWTH, RAISING THE QUALITY, EFFICIENCY, COMPETITIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ECONOMY

1. Further improving the legal system

a/ Ministries and branches shall speed up and improve the drafting of legal documents. Functional agencies and concerned organizations shall increase their coordination in the process of formulating draft laws and ordinances, well completing the 2008 law- and ordinance-making program already adopted at the 2nd session of the XIIth National Assembly. The Ministry of Justice shall coordinate with the Government Office in urging and supervising the formulation of legal documents to ensure the progress of formulation and quality of these documents.

b/ Responsible agencies shall strive to issue guiding documents as soon as the National Assembly promulgates laws and ordinances. The Government shall sirictly abide by the regulation that it will not examine draft laws and ordinances which are not accompanied with guiding documents. Efforts will be concentrated on formulating and promulgating adequate documents to guide the laws and ordinances which have taken effect.

c/ Ministries, agencies and administrations at all levels should focus on reviewing promulgated legal documents falling within their competence; amend, supplement or cancel regulations which are no longer appropriate, especially those concerning dossiers and procedures related to land, investment, business registration, tax identification number registration, and enterprise dissolution and bankruptcy; and concurrently intensify the supervision, inspection, detection and prompt handling of problems and constraints in the course of implementation. The Ministry of Justice shall coordinate with other concerned ministries and National Assembly agencies in working out a scheme on general review of the Vietnamese legal system, report it to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for comment, and organize its implementation in 2009-2010.

2. Creating a favorable environment for investment and business activities of enterprises of all economic sectors

a/ The Ministry of Investment and Planning shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and branches in, submitting to the Government and the Prime Minister for promulgation the following mechanisms and policies, and perform the following tasks as well:

- Raising the quality and accelerating the elaboration, evaluation and approval of plannings to ensure that plannings satisfy set development orientations, serve as the basis for providing investment guidance for all economic sectors and that socio-economic development plannings harmonize all land, capital, technology, labor, market and other elements.

- Modifying, supplementing and completing mechanisms of corporate governance and state management of state enterprises where the State holds 100% of their capital or dominant shares: perfecting legal foundations for state economic groups and their management and operation mechanisms.

- Encouraging the strong development of various forms of non-state economy.

- Increasing the supervision of the implementation of the law on collective economy; effectively implementing policies on support for and continued renovation and development of collective economy.

- Supporting the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

- Strongly attracting foreign direct investment, especially in big projects, transport infrastructure projects and hi-tech product production projects.

- Improving the legal framework to facilitate offshore investment by Vietnamese enterprises.

- Reviewing and immediately abolishing licenses, permits and regulations which are no longer appropriate, hindering production and business activities. Renovating procedures for the grant of business registration certificates toward combining these certificates and tax identification numbers into enterprise identification numbers in business registration certificates.

- Continuing monitoring the implementation of the Investment Law, the Enterprise Law and the BiddingLaw and their guiding documents; promptly removing problems faced by localities and establishments.

b/ The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and branches in, submitting to the Government and the Prime Minister for promulgation the following mechanisms and policies, and perform the following tasks as well:

- Simplifying tax collection procedures; widely applying the form of tax assessment by enterprises combined with intensified post inspection.

- Supervising the renewal and reorganization of state enterprises, focusing on equitization; closely and effectively directing equitization work, particularly equitization of state corporations, commercial banks, etc.; detecting in time problems for amending and supplementing current regulations. Guiding and supervising the observance of market principles in enterprise equitization, linking equitization to the development of the securities market.

- Coordinating with other ministries and branches in further socializing educational, health, cultural and sport activities; encouraging the development of non-public educational, health, cultural and sport service establishments.

c/ The Government Office shall assume the prime responsibility for submitting to the Government and the Prime Minister measures to reform administrative procedures, creating a favorable environment for investment and business activities of enterprises of all economic sectors.

d/ The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Construction in. speeding up the study and finalization of the draft Law on Real Estate Registration, and reporting it to the Government for submission to the National Assembly; and shall coordinate with the Supreme Peoples Court and the Ministry of Planning and Investment in elaborating a scheme on amendments and supplements to the Bankruptcy Law.

e/ Line ministries and Peoples Committees all levels shall continue reviewing and immediately removing licenses and regulations which are no longer appropriate and cause obstacles to production and business activities.

3. Synchronously forming and smoothly operating various markets

a/ The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for submitting to competent authorities or promulgate according to its competence adequate legal documents on financial, insurance, securities, accounting, audit and other services. To accelerate the improvement of infrastructure and technologies for securities trading centers with a view to meeting requirements of market expansion. To increase the supervision of securities trading activities and services and disclosure of information on the exchange, and increase the transparency of the exchange.

b/ The Ministry of Science and Technology shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating and perfecting mechanisms and policies on development of the science and technology market, submit to the Government or the Prime Minister for perfection and supplementation policies on finance, selection and placement of orders of scientific and technological projects; on scientific and technological establishments operating after the enterprise model; on development of support services for intellectual property, consultancy, purchase and sale of technology, assessment, appraisal and transfer of technology and setting up of technology nurseries: establish and operate venture investment funds; and expand and improve the operational efficiency of technological equipment markets and trading floors.

c/ The State Bank of Vietnam shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with Ministry of Finance in, implementing monetary policy in synchrony with financial policy, direct the supph of currency for circulation, implement exchange rate and interest rate policies, effectively control credit operations, and minimize non-performing loans in credit operations.

d/ The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating mechanisms and policies on and properly implement the scheme on development of the labor market; link job-training establishments with production or business establishments; operate employment floors on a periodical and regular basis; and expand and develop labor export markets, especially high-income ones.

e/ The Ministry of Construction shall assume the prime responsibility for submitting to the Government and the Prime Minister measures for managing and developing a healthy real estate market; restrain sudden real estate price hikes, especially the prices of apartments built for low income earners; and review and submit to the National Assembly for revision problematic provisions of the Housing Law and the Real Estate Business Law.

f/ The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall:

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and concerned ministries and branches in submitting proposed amendments to the Land Law and laws related to the grant of land use right certificates toward a unified certificate of land use rights and the right to own houses and other assets attached to land; amend other legal documents related to land recovery, compensation and resettlement support; revise guiding documents of the Land Law concerning the inclusion of the value of land use rights in die value of equitized enterprises.

- Make land use plannings and plans consistent with construction plannings and plannings of all branches and sectors that use land; general urban construction plannings consistent with detailed urban construction plannings: and making land use plannings consistent with one another. Improve the agricultural land use plannings. elaborate plannings on diree types of forests and reorganize state-run forestry farms.

- Examine and recover land areas which have been allocated or assigned to agencies, units, enterprises and investors but are not used, have been used for improper purposes or are used behind schedule as prescribed by the Land Law.

- Strengthen land use rights registration offices and land fund development organizations.

g/ The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for elaborating a scheme on development of the Vietnamese notary profession and reporting it to the Government for approval in order to ensure safety for transactions in economic development.

4. Stepping up the development of branches and economic regions towards higher quality and effectiveness

a/ Developing agriculture and rural areas and improving peoples living standards

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall:

+ Assume the prime responsibility for elaborating and submitting a scheme o Issues of agriculture, farmers and rural areas to the Government for submission to the 7th plenum of the Party Central Committee, the Xth Congress.

+ Coordinate with the Ministry of Investment and Planning in reviewing and adjusting the plannings on agricultural production branches with a view to soon forming consolidated raw material zones and hi-tech production zones.

+ Coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in studying, forecasting and elaborating plannings and plans on the use of the labor force, the trades structure and the skill level structure in line with branch development plannings nationwide, serving as a basis for providing vocational training for rural labor and carrying out economic restructuring combined with labor restructuring.

+ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with localities in, continuing with agricultural restructuring; submit to the Government a decree on assurance of food security and policies on management of land areas under rice cultivation.

+ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Trade and Industry in. organizing the implementation of the Program on development of rural trades and approve trades development plannings nationwide; the program on renovation and improvement of the effectiveness of the management and operation of irrigation works to make progresses in irrigation management work.

+ Encourage the development of support services in order to increase the effectiveness of offshore fishing; intensify surveys to assess aquatic resource reserves; speed up the building of fishing wharves and storm shelter zones; raise the quality of and reorganize fishing fleets to ensure their effective and safe operation on the sea; encourage investment in the processing and export of aquatic products in association with aquaculture development.

+ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with localities in, strictly controlling the quality of plant varieties, livestock breeds and forest saplings, and agricultural supplies; effectively implement the Program on plant varieties and livestock breeds, forest saplings and aquatic breeds so as to supply high-quality varieties and breeds lor production, thus minimizing damage caused to farmers.

+ Initiate and proper; implement the key rrogram on application and development of biotechnology in agriculture and rural development till 2020; prioritize the development of industrial trees, processing of farm produce, and rearing of cattle and poultry on a consolidated basis.

+ Study and develop industrial trees with advantages, form large-scale consolidated production zones associated with the processing industry. Review and expand the results of pilot allocation and contractual protection of natural forests and production forests. Adjust policies on encouragement of people to participate in protecting natural forests and protection forests and developing economic forests.

+ Take the initiative in supervising, detecting and taking prompt measures for preventing and stamping out plant and animal epidemics before they can widely spread or recur.

+ Assume the prime responsibility together with local Peoples Committees for proactively taking synchronous measures for preventing, controlling and reducing natural disasters and ensuring sufficient water for agricultural production and peoples life.

+ Coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and localities in studying and implementing measures for step by step improving the rural environment, first of all in trade villages and consolidated animal rearing establishments; complete and implement plans on relocation of polluting establishments from residential areas to industrial parks or rural trade clusters.

+ Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and localities in drastically carrying out food hygiene and safety assurance efforts.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall take specific measures for improving the quality of hydrometeorological recasts in combination with propaganda and a aming about adverse impacts of natural disasters for the people to know and proactively take measures for preventing and controlling them.

- The Ministry of Investment and Planning shall assume the prime responsibility for submitting to the Government for promulgation policies on incentives for more investment in agricultural and rural areas and extremely disadvantaged areas; work out solutions to mobilizing more funding sources for investment in building rural socio-economic infrastructure.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Culture. Sports and Tourism shall take the initiative in coordinating with local authorities in implementing appropriate measures for supporting rural inhabitants in production skills, vocational training, job creation and development of traditional trade villages and tourist trade villages; properly settle pressing cultural and social problems in the countryside.

- The Ministry of Investment and Planning and the Ministry of Finance shall continue prioritizing the allocation of state capital sources (including ODA capital) to the Social Policy Bank for providing more loans for poverty reduction and to production and business households in disadvantaged areas and ethnic minority areas.

- The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance shall coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in studying and submitting to the Government for promulgation mechanisms and policies to increase personnel and funds for agricultural, forestry and fishery extension work, grassroots animal health work and development of traditional trade villages.

b/ Developing industries, building and managing urban centers

- Ministries, branches and localities shall take measures for further developing industries at high rates in association with raising the quality, effectiveness and competitiveness of products; focus on developing the production of products v. iih comparative advantages; develop industries in association with developing services and urban centers and protecting the environment.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall:

+ Assume the prime responsibility for elaborating and reporting to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for passage amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Petroleum Law and continuing reviewing, adjusting, supplementing and formulating branch and sector development plannings for the period up to 2015, with a vision to 2025 taken into consideration.

+ Assume the prime responsibility for studying and implementing measures for balancing the economys supply and demand related to major industrial products such as gas, coal, electricity, construction steel, petrol, oil. fertilizer and cement, on the basis of stepping up domestic production.

+ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Investment and Planning and the Ministry of Finance in, submitting to the Government and the Prime Minister for promulgation appropriate mechanisms and policies and specific measures for encouraging investment in the development of oil refinery and petrochemistry, energy, production of important materials and raw materials, high technology, information technology and auxiliary industries.

+ Assume the prime responsibility for developing mechanisms and policies to encourage enterprises to promote their association and cooperation within industries, between industries and among economic sectors in order to develop, and increase the competitiveness of, industrial products.

- The Ministry of Construction shall:

+ Assume the prime responsibility for strongly promoting the elaboration of regional construction plannings and basically complete this work by the end of 2008. Continue drafting a law on urban planning, report it to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for comment. Guide branches and localities in perfecting, and raising the quality of, plannings on urban centers.

+ Intensify the management and supervision of the implementation of urban development plannings and regulations, especially in major cities; overcome the problems of suspended plannings and illegal construction; strictly handle violations.

+ Focus on properly implementing the housing development program till 2020, develop houses together with new urban centers in order to form in a synchronous manner commercial residential quarters, social residential quarters and houses for industrial park and export processing zone workers, and meet the needs of inhabitants with different income levels in each locality.

+ Study policies and guide the planning of residential areas and designing of houses and technical infrastructure facilities to limit adverse impacts of natural disasters and protect the peoples lives and property in areas frequently hit by natural disasters.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall:

+ Focus on investigating and assessing reserves of minerals under the planning already approved by the Prime Minister, minerals for which there is great domestic demand and those which can be deeply processed or turned into products by enterprises. Propose major measures for reducing the exploitation of some important minerals and limiting the export of crude materials.

- Raise the quality and effectiveness of environmental observation work, first of all in industrial parks, tourist resorts, urban centers and major production establishments at high risk of pollution, and seriously polluted rivers. Step by step build an environmental data and information system serving socio-economic development.

- The Ministry of Transport shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Investment and Planning and the Ministry of Finance in, studying and submitting to the Government for promulgation urgent measures for improving transport infrastructure.

- Economic groups, corporations and enterprises of the state shall focus on completing investment projects according to set schedule, boost production and business activities, continuously raise their competitiveness and expand markets; apply advanced scientific and technological measures to production and management to raise the quality and reduce costs of products, assuring the fulfillment of the 2008 plan.

c/ Developing trade and services

- The Ministries of: Industry and Trade; Finance; Planning and Investment; Information and Communication; Transport; Culture, Sports and Tourism, shall, within the scope of their assigned functions and tasks, coordinate with agencies and localities in studying and promulgating according to their competence or submitting to the Government and Ifie Prime Minister for promulgation specific policies and mechanisms on:

+ Rapidly developing the services sector at a rate higher than the average growth rate of the economy.

+ Vigorously developing services with potential and competitive edge; attaching importance to expanding new services, especially high-grade services, high-intellectual content sen ices, business support services and rural services, and developing legal, scientific and technological, education and training, health, cultural, information and sports, employment and social security services.

+ Perfecting the management and organization of commodity line-based distribution networks; synchronously developing various distribution services on the domestic market: wholesale, retail, agency and franchising.

+ Forming domestic trading groups which are strong and capable of competing with foreign distribution groups. Strictly controlling monopoly along with facilitating enterprises of all economic sectors to enter and fairly compete on the services market.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Investment and Planning and concerned agencies in, studying and submitting to the Government policies for taking advantage of opportunities and conditions brought about by the process of international economic integration with a view to expanding markets, promoting advantages, boosting goods and service export, and limit trade deficit.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in, stepping up and raising the effectiveness of trade and tourism promotion, promoting and advocating standardization and mutual recognition between Vietnam and foreign trade partners, especially major ones.

d/ Developing regional economy and marine economy

- The Ministry of Investment and Planning shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating master plans on socio-economic development for key economic regions, territorial regions, economic corridors and belts, sea areas and islands.

- The Ministry of Investment and Planning shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in, formulating and submitting to the Government and the Prime Minister for promulgation mechanisms and policies on investment in the development of key economic regions; encourage and give incentives for investment in the quicker development of areas with difficult economic conditions.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in, implementing the overall scheme on basic survey and management of marine resources and environment till 2010, with a vision to 2020. It shall accelerate the modernization of basic surveys of natural resources, observation of and forecast about the marine and island environment and the safeguard of security and national defense in the first years of the 21st century; and multiply models of association of socio-economic development on sea areas and islands with environmental protection.

- Ministries, branches and localities shall organize the implementation of the marine economy development strategy in a comprehensive manner, with central and key tasks in accordance with the Resolution of the 4th plenum of the Party Central Committee (the Xth Congress); formulate and submit to the Government and the Prime Minister a planning together with appropriate mechanisms and policies for vigorously and effectively developing coastal economic zones.

II. ASSURING STABILITY OF MACRO ECONOMY

To continue renovating and improving policies and intensify management in the financial, monetary and trade domains, curb inflation, control import and restrict trade deficit compared with 2007.

1. Ministries, branches and local Peoples Committees shall:

a/ Assign 2008 socio-economic development plans and state budget estimates to grassroots units for implementation right from the beginning of the year; and publicize the 2008 budget estimates according to regulations.

b/ Prepare positive state budget revenue estimates and strive to fulfill them so as to increase budget revenues at least 3% over the estimates assigned by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1569/2007/QD-TTg of November 19, 2007; intensify the fight against revenue loss, smuggling and trade frauds, and resolutely collect outstanding tax debts. At the same, focus on removing difficulties and problems, create conditions for enterprises to step up investment, production, business and export activities, thereby generating a driving force and a foundation for high economic growth and increased state budget revenue.

c/ Restructure state budget spending. Concentrate state budget investment capital on developingeconomic and social infrastructure facilities incapable of capital recovery while attracting other resources (from the State, the population and foreign countries) for infrastructure development: concentrate state budget funds on human resource development and working skill improvement through assuring funds for the development of education and training, job training, healthcare, science and technology, culture, environmental protection and so on.

Raise the effectiveness of the use of the budget, prepare sufficient conditions for disbursing stage budset funds according to estimates right from the beginning of the year. Link the management of state budget revenues and expenditures to the implementation of governmental and local programs of action for implementation of the Law on Thrift Practice and Wastefulness Combat and the Anti-Corruption Law. Guide the thrifty and efficient use of the state budget according to assigned estimates and prescribed criteria and norms. Raise the responsibility of heads of agencies and units for managing and using budget funds and public assets.

d/ Vigorously reform the public non-business sector. Distribute and allocate 2008 state budget expenditure estimates along the line of reducing state budget investments in units with development conditions and relatively high non-business revenues and increasing state budget investments in units meeting with difficulties and operating mainly with state budget funds.

e/ Concentrate resources and proactively implement measures for generating funds for further realizing the salary adjustmentroadmap and social security policies, stepping up administrative reform.

f/ Organize the exemption from irrigation charges for farmers and fishermen engaged in agriculture, fishery andaquaculture in accordance with the Governments Decree No. 154/2007/ND-CP of October 15, 2007.

g/ Review and reasonably reduce voluntary contributions of the people, first of all fanners and people in difficulty-hit areas; observe the principles of voluntariness, publicity, transparency, efficient use for proper purposes of peoples contributions under the Prime Minister sDirective No. 24/2007/CT-TTg of November 1, 2007.

h/ Inspect, supervise and audit the use of state budget and assets in budget-funded units. Publicize inspection, supervision and audit results at every level and unit; publicize state enterprises finance; publicize finance of funds of all social organizations receiving the States financial supports and local financial funds.

i/ Audit state enterprises, first of all economic groups and corporations; increase the oversight of the fulfillment of responsibilities of owner representatives at state-invested enterprises.

j/ Make public regulations and criteria for investment, procurement and use of public assets while further decentralizing the management thereof linking powers to responsibilities of all levels and asset managers.

k/ Proactively take economic and monetary measureslo keep the consumer price increase rate below the economic growth rate. Manage prices on the market principle, speed up the application of markei prices to goods and services with prices still controlled by the State. Prevent speculation and price hikes; strictly handle acts of syndication and abuse of monopolistic positions to manipulate prices, especially those of important materials and raw materials and essential consumer goods. Intensify measures to urge enterprises to practice thrift and combat wastefulness in production and business, renovate technology, increase productivity, reduce production expenses and lower product costs for the purpose of ensuring that selling prices are reasonable and suitable to the market. Incrementally reduce oil price subsidies before cutting them soon.

1/ Study the establishment of a supervisory body to assist the Government in performing macro control of the operations of banks, insurance and securities firms and securities funds.

2. The Ministry of Investment and Planning shall:

a/ Study and submit to the Government a draft decree stipulating the formulation and monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of socio-economic development plans.

b/ Evaluate the implementation of Decision No. 210/2006/QD-TTg promulgating principles, criteria and forms for allocation of state budget development investment funds in the 2007-2010 period. Continue guiding localities in applvins these principles and criteria to fund allocation.

c/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Slate Bank in taking measures to ensure stable macro balances of budget, investment, money, credit, import and export, international payment balances, government debts, foreign debts, etc.

3. The Ministry of Finance shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for formulating and reporting to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for passage the Value Added Tax Value (amended), the Enterprise Income Tax (amended), the Special Consumption Tax (amended), the Law on Management and Use of State Assets, and the Law on Compulsory Purchase and Requisition of Assets. Draft the Law on Management of the Public Sectors Debts, and report it to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for comment

b/ Continue perfecting the tax system along the line of reviewing tax policies and regulations in accordance with signed international commitments.

c/ In the process of administration of 2008 state budget estimates, assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with other ministries, branches and localities in, proactively striving to collect revenues higher than assigned.

d/ Properly manage the collection of state budget revenues: increase measures of managing collection and combating tax losses and debts: fight against trade frauds and tax evasion. In the first quarter of 2008, review and classify tax debts of taxpayers (bad tax debts and late tax payment fines arising before the time of enforcement of the Tax Administration Tax) and propose to the Government and the National Assembly Standing Committee measures to thoroughly handle them.

e/ Assume the prime responsibility for organizing a conference to review 5 years implementing the Ordinance on Charges and Fees. Modify and cancel according to its competence or make proposals to the Government and provincial Peoples Councils to alter and cancel charges and fees which are no longer appropriate.

f/ On the basis of preliminary review results, initiate on a pilot basis the making of medium-term financial plans and spending plans, proactively propagate and disseminate knowledge so as to expand the making of these plans, create a precondition for improving this model in combination with the elaboration of annual budget estimates.

g/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade in, formulating and publicizing a roadmap for application of market prices to goods and services with prices still controlled by the State.

h/ Study and submit to the Government for use financial tools to combat speculation of residential land, houses and land for construction of economic works, ensuring the healthy development of the real estate market.

i/ Review and reorganize existing non-budget financial funds, ensuring their effective operation to meet requirements of integration commitments.

j/ Intensify the inspection, supervision and monitoring of financial activities of state economic groups and corporations with a view to ensuring that they manage and use their state-invested capital in an efficient and lawful manner.

k/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and agencies in, studying and proposing to the Government a mechanism of providing direct supports for the poor to reduce their hardships causedby the States price adjustments.

4. The State Bank of Vietnam shall:

a/ Report to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for adoption the Law on the State Bank of Vietnam (amended) and the Law on Credit Institutions (amended): coordinate with the Ministry of Justice in finalizing and submitting to the National Assembly for adoption the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Civil Code (the part concerning borrowing and lending interest rates of credit institutions). Draft a Deposit Insurance Law, report it to the Government for submission to the Government for comment.

b/ Raise the effectiveness of the implementation of monetary policy and expand the use of non-cash payment forms.

c/ Increase the macro economic forecast capacity; monitor monetary flows in the national economy, including foreign indirect investment currency, proactively implement in a timely and flexible manner in accordance with the market principle measures to control the size and growth rate of payment instruments, increase credit and promote the monetary cycle in the economy in order to regulate the total volume of money in circulation.

d/ Strictly control credit for securities trading in appropriate forms.

e/ Continue strengthening and making healthy the system of credit institutions and financial institutions, restructure the system of commercial banks, accelerate the equitization of state-owned commercial banks, increase the financial capacity and competitiveness of domestic commercial banks along with raising the inspection and supervision capacity to ensure the systems safety.

5. The Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Vietnam shall, according to their functions assigned by the State, assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in. monitoring, evaluating and forecasting the flow of indirect investment capital, particularly foreign indirect investment capital.

6. The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for drafting the Law on Registration of Security Transactions and reporting it to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for comment. It shall coordinate with the State Bank of Vietnam in drafting a Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Civil Code (the part concerning security measures).

7. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branchesin:

a/ Promoting the implementation of measures for boosting export and controlling trade deficit. Concentrating on removing policy and administrative procedure problems in order to promote export. Encouraging the development of support industries and use of domestic raw materials, contributing to increasing the local value of exports and incrementally reducing dependence on imports.

b/ Implementing measures to support enterprises and enterprise associations in dumping lawsuits and minimize damage caused to Vietnamese enterprises.

8. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in.

a/ Creating and implementing technical barriers compliant with international practice to imports in order to reasonably protect domestic production.

b/ Speeding up negotiations and signing of mutual recognition treaties and agreements with other countries concerning conformity assessment results, especially standards and technical regulations on quarantine, food hygiene and safety, etc. Effectively supervising the quality of goods of exporting enterprises. Strictly handle enterprises that cause loss of prestige of Vietnams exported goods on the world market.

9. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in:

a/ Adjusting the minimum wage salary for cadres, public employees and state servants on January 1, 2008. Combining salary reform with the perfection of mechanisms and policies on recruitment of laborers in the state economic sector; decentralizing, and enhancing autonomy in, the recruitment, salary raise and rank promotion to ministries, branches and organizations directly employing laborers on the principle of allocation of fixed administrative funds and personnel norms to state management agencies.

b/ Studying mechanisms and policies for separating salaries from social benefits; increasing revenue sources for the social allowance fund. Effectively using the social allowance fund for hunger elimination and poverty alleviation and implementing social programs for the extremely disadvantaged.

III. MOBILIZING AND EFFICIENTLY USING CAPITAL SOURCES FOR DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT

1. Ministries, branches and local Peoples Committees shall:

a/ Continue implementing synchronous measures for mobilizing to the utmost and raising the effectiveness of use of capital sources for development investment. Attach importance to mobilizing private capital sources at home and abroad for infrastructure development. Enhancing the management and use of state investment capital to ensure investment effectiveness. Investment deciders and investors must be responsible for the quality and effectiveness of investment projects.

b/ Prioritize budget capital for investment in building infrastructure works incapable of recovering invested capital; increase investment in agricultural and rural development, especially areas hit by prolonged drought and frequently flooded areas; for projects capable of recovering invested capital, they will be switch to be funded with credit capital. Arrange resources for accelerating the implementation of socio-economic development programs and projects in mountainous, border and ethnic minority areas and islands.

c/ Concentrate on directing and implementing on schedule important national investment projects, especially key national works. Synchronously implement measures, first of all those related to planning, investment preparation, ground clearance and administrative procedures in construction investment in order to overcome the situation of late disbursement of capital construction investment capital.

d/ Proactively set forth solutions to problems and difficulties faced by licensed investment projects in stepping up production and business and increasing capital for expansion and help investors that wish to make investment in localities, and intensify investment promotion both at home and abroad. Review investment projects which cannot be implemented for handling and license revocation.

e/ Carry out investment in different forms such as build-operate-transfer (BOT), build-transfer (BT), build-transfer-operate (BTO), and so on. Sell, lease, and hire management of. state-owned infrastructure facilities, and invest the collected capital in new projects.

f/ For investment credit capital of the State, improve the preparation and appraisal of projects, evaluation and monitoring to ensure that preferential investment capital is used for proper sectors, domains and geographic areas and projects are capable of recovering invested capital and generating profits.

g/ Review ongoing projects, solve their problems, minimize overdue debts and projects incapable of recovering invested capital. Resolutely reducing and transferring capital amounts of works and projects which cannot be implemented to important ones with sufficient implementation conditions but lacking capital.

h/ For capital amounts collected from the equitization of state enterprises, along with reinvesting them by contributing to or purchasing shares of a number of enterprises operating in domains requiring the dominating role of state economy and having efficient business projects, and investing part of these capital amounts in some major programs and projects capable of recovering invested capital, ensure concentrated investments for specified objectives and raise the effectiveness of use of this capital source.

i/ Encourage the expansion of urban development support funds. Concentrate on making urban development plans in cities and towns, encourage enterprises to inv est in building houses, offices, hotels and public works.

j/ Continue perfecting mechanisms and policies on development investment management and investment capital disbursement and allocation procedures to facilitate administration work of all branches and levels. Intensify supervision and inspection so as to end the situation of thinned-out investment, combat loss and waste; intensify the quality management of construction investment projects; supervise and inspect investment projects right from their formulation, appraisal and investment capital allocation to ensure that they comply with approved plans and plannings.

k/ Reorganize project management units toward professionalization and operation under the Enterprise Law: accelerate the realization of the roadmap to end the problem of closed investment and construction. Clearly assign and decentralize investment management among ministries and branches and between central and local levels to avoid overlap and pressure on higher levels.

2. Prorincial-level Peoples Committees shall:

a/ Organize land planning work. Based on land use planrrrngs and plans approved by competent authorities, take the initiative in ground clearance, infrastructure investment and public auction of land funds to create investment capital sources for urban and infrastructure development. Further improve and effectively implement mechanisms and polrcies to support job creation and improvegaent of living conditions for farmer households that have their land recovered and changed m use purpose.

b/ Apply the mechanism of balancing land use levies for investment in the construction of socio-economic infrastructure, and acceleration of the work of measurement, establishment of cadastral dossier databases and grant of land use right certificates. Set aside at least 10% of total land use levies for this work in 2008; strive to basically complete by 2010 the grant of land use right certificates for land of all categories nationwide.

If the above percentage is not enough for ensuring the work of measurement, establishment of cadastral dossier databases and grant of land use right certificates in 2008, provincial-level Peoples Committees shall report thereon to Peoples Councils of the same level for allocation of local budget funds for this work according to local plans for 2008.

Localities which earn large amounts of land use levies and where the work of measurement, establishment of cadastral dossier databases and grant of land use right certificates has basically been completed may themselves set aside part of land use levy revenues and bear responsibility for the use of those revenues for the performance of local tasks.

c/ Continue implementing the National Assemblys Resolution No. 68/2006/QH11 of October 31, 2006, under which construction lottery revenues may not be included in local budgets revenue-expenditure balances but must be managed through the state budget; based on estimated construction lottery revenues in 2007, provincial-level Peoples Committees shall submit to Peoples Councils of the same level for decision cost estimates of the 2008 construction lottery revenues suitable to local practical conditions; at the same time, use these revenues for investment in educational and healthcare works, then other local social welfare works.

3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall consider and advance capital construction investment expenditures according to their estimates for the subsequent year in accordance with the Governments Decree No. 60/2003/ND-CP of June 6, 2003. specifically for national projects and works and group-A capital construction works which fully meet the conditions according to investment and construction management regulations, are currently executed and should be speeded up; in addition, capital construction investment expenditures for the subsequent year may be considered and advanced only in case of domestic capital for ODA projects, urgent irrigation projects, projects on allocation of funds for ground clearance compensation for which compensation and ground clearance plans and cost estimates have been approved. Total advanced capital amounts for the above cases must not exceed 20% of cost estimates of the current years development investment expenditures already allocated to ministries and central branches, or 20% of cost estimates of the current years development investment expenditures additionally allocated from the central budget to local budgets.

4. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall:

a/ Hold monthly meetings with ministries, branches, localities and large enterprises to review the production, business and investment situation: sum up and propose administration solutions at the Governments meetings.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in, submitting to the Government for promulgation a list of socio-economic infrastructure investment works and projects during 2008-2010 in preparation for building the country into an industrialized one by 2020.

c/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and branches in, submitting to the Government or the Prime Minister for promulgation policies and a list of socio-economic infrastructure projects in which investment is encouraged in order to attract investment in appropriate forms from domestic and foreign investors.

d/ Submit to the Government for promulgation a list of investment conditions for investment projects in the conditional investment domains.

e/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in, regularly updating the list of national projects calling for foreign investment during 2006-2010, and further update investment documents as a basis for investment mobilization.

f/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Vietnam in studying, assessing and setting forth specific orientations on the attraction of more foreign indirect investment capital and overseas Vietnameses foreign exchange.

g/ Review and submit to the Government or the Prime Minister for promulgation mechanisms and policies to enhance ODA management and use capacity and train project managers towards professionalism and sustainability. To organize the implementation of the scheme on orientations for ODA attraction and use during 2006-2010([1]) and the plan of action for implementation of this scheme(2). To coordinate with five development banks(3) in implementing urgent solutions and the plan of action for improving the implementation of ODA programs and projects during 2007-2009. To organize the implementation of the framework for monitoring and assessing ODA pngrrams and projects during 2006-2010(4).

h/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in, reviewing and submitting to the Government or the Prime Minuter for adjustment or supplementation of, or guidance on, BOT, BT and BTO investment forms, adopt mechanisms and policies to eneourage enterprises, including foreign-invested ones, to invest in infrastructure development under BOT, BT or BTO contracts.

i/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance in, reviewing and assessing the capital allocation and disbursement by ministries, branches and localities, and propose in time solutions to raising their responsibilities for the formulation, administration and implementation of development investment plans in 2008.

j/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministries of Finance: Transport; Agriculture and Rural Development; Health; Education and Training; and Defense in, formulating plans on the allocation of capital raised from transport, irrigation, healthcare and education bonds, then report them to the Governrrrent for submission to the National Assembly Standing Committee, and organize the implementation thereof. To intensify application of measures to speed up the investment and disbursement of this capital source.

5. The Ministry of Construction shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance in, studying and submitting to the Prime Minister before January 31, 2008, solutions to remove difficulties for projects and works widi contingency expenses exceeding approved investment capital amounts due to increased prices of supplies, raw materials, etc.

6. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for submitting to the Government for promulgation policies to attract foreign investment in key industrial products in which other economic sectors are incapable of investing such as projects on exploitation of iron ores and refinery of steel, aluminum bauxite-alumina, oil refinery and petrochemistry, mechanical engineering and manufacture, base chemicals, pharmaceutical chemistry, etc.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Construction in, regularly monitoring, inspecting and urging right from the early months of 2008 the formulation of important national projects on electricity and oil and gas: to take the initiative in, or report to the Prime Minister for, handling difficulties and problems, ensuring the progress and efficiency of those projects.

7. Pursuant to the Prime Ministers Decision No. 412/QD-TTg of April 11, 2007, approving the investment list of essential traffic infrastructure projects up to 2020, the Ministry of Transport shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance in, carrying out relevant procedures ensuring the progress of projects which are currently executed and the quality of works, and, at the same time, step up investment preparation work for other projects. To update and report on the execution of those projects to the Prime Minister.

8. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall oversee the implementation of the Land Law and guiding documents; review regulations and procedures on land, land use plannings, land-use purpose change and ground clearance in order to amend or supplement them for investment facilitation. It shall propose the renewal of financial policies on land, especially regulations on methods of determining land prices; amend financial regulations upon grant of land use right certificates in the direction of exempting or reducing contributions of people who are granted land use right certificates for the first time; and financial mechanisms applicable to land fund development organizations. It shall, also formulate and improve economic and financial policies and laws in the domain of natural resources and environment.

9. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in implementing the scheme on strengthening foreign investment promotion sections in some key regions.

IV. CONCENTRATING EFFORTS ON DEVELOPING AND RAISING THE QUALITY OF, HUMAN RESOURCES

In 2008, synchronous solutions shall be applied to create breakthroughs in raising the quality and efficiency of human resources training so that human resources will step by step become an important factor in investment attraction and a competitive advantage of the national economy.

1. The Ministry of Education and Training shall:

a/ Enhance measures to train and retrain teachers and lecturers to meet education and training requirements in the new development period. To standardize teachers at each educational level or grade and educational administrators at different levels and in localities.

b/ Further renew teaching and learning programs and methods at general education levels.

c/ Continue the campaign against negative practices in exams and achievement-pursuing trend in training, especially in general education. Improve teachers ethics.

d/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in. renewing higher, collegial and professional secondary education and vocational training in terms of teaching and learning programs and methods as well as management mechanisms to ensure close association between training and social requirements. To closely combine training with base scientific research, application research and technology transfer.

e/ Coordinate with the Social Policy Bank in diversifying forms of providing poor pupils and students with loans for learning.

f/ Step up study promotion and talent promotion and build the whole country into a learning society.

g/ Step up the application of information technology to teaching and learning activities; encourage the development of foreign language teaching and learning. Renew and develop specialized schools nationwide as a fundamental solution to nurturing talents of school age.

h/ Submit to the Government for promulgation additional policies to encourage economic sectors, organizations and individuals to mobilize capital of different sources for investment in education and training development. Submit soon to the Government for promulgation documents guiding socialization of educational activities.

2. The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

a/ Complete the conversion of the vocational training system under the Education Law and the Law on Vocational Training; invest in forming vocational secondary schools and vocational colleges up to national standards, step by step reaching the international level.

b/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training in raising the quality and scale of vocational training from preliminary to collegia! degrees along the line of providing training based on labor market demands; combiningtheoretical teaching at vocational institutions with practice at enterprises, production establishments and craft villages; mobilizing engineers and skilled workers of enterprises and craft villages and artisans to coordinate with vocational institutions in providing on-spot vocational training for laborers; further experimenting the bidding for vocational training orders funded with the state budget.

c/ Submit to the Government for promulgation incentive policies and mechanisms for enterprises and investors to train and supply human resources that meet practical production and business requirements: encourage industrial parks and economic zones to organize on-spot vocational training in various forms. Step up socialization of vocational training.

d/ Invest in expanding the scale and raising the training quality of vocational teachers; develop technical pedagogical faculties in a number of vocational colleges and technical and technological universities. Adopt policies to attract technical universities students attending training to become vocational teachers.

e/ Provide job-learning support for rural laborers, young ethnic minority people, disabled people, and detoxified addicts; coordinate with the Social Policy Bank in providing soft loans for job learning at all degrees nationwide, and speedily increase the rate of trained laborers.

f/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs in proposing and renewing employment policies on recruitment, job assignment, payment promotion, commendation and discipline.

3. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in, formulating talent attraction policies; apply mechanisms to discover, nurture and train talents; encourage and promote talents, especially young talents; honor scientists who have made practical contributions to national development.

4. The Ministry of Health shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in, stepping up community healthcare. To raise the quality of medical examination and treatment at healthcare establishments. To well implement preventive medicine strategies, healthcare system plannings and national target programs on health and environmental sanitation. To enhance epidemic prevention and control. To integrate objectives of caring for, protecting and improving peoples health into development policies, programs and projects. To step up socialization of healthcare activities.

5. The Ministry of Culture, Sports andTourismshall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities- in, improving mechanisms and policies to encourage and create conditions for the entire society to participate in, and develop physical training and sport activities. To ensure the implementation of physical education programs in schools, especially at general education levels. To step up socialization of physical training and sport activities.

6. Ministries, branches and local Peoples Committees shall take the initiative in working out measures to raise the quality of human resources in their ministries, branches and localities; enhance coordination among ministries and branches in order to formulate and submit to the Government, the Prime Minister or the National Assembly mechanisms and policies to raise the quality of human resources.

V. PROPERLY SOLVING SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Ministries, branches and localities shall give priority to state budget investment in culture, social affairs, education, health, hunger elimination and poverty alleviation; associate economic development with better solving cultural and social issues; step up programs on investment in the construction of rural infrastructure and programs to support the production and life of the poor and the disadvantaged; increase the provision of loans from the Social Policy Bank for poverty alleviation.

2. The Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health shall coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment in studying and renewing mechanisms and policies, especially financial ones, to encourage rapid development of education and training and healthcare in the following direction:

a/ More state budget funds will be invested in the construction of material and technical foundations of public units, training of medical and educational workers, payment of all education and healthcare expenses according to regulations to policy beneficiaries and the poor, and payment of some expenses for people classified as living just above the poverty line; medium- or high-income earners should make contributions to the State and pay service charges on the principle of full payment of salaries and step by step all regular operating expenditures of educational and healthcare establishments.

b/ Public education and training establishments and healthcare establishments enjoy autonomy in using funds allocated from the state budget to pay regular expenditures and using service charges paid by the State and service users to pay wages to their cadres and employees and cover operating expenses; decide on their organization and payrolls suitable to their functions and tasks; contribute capital and appoint professional officials to join domestic and foreign investors in building new education and training or healthcare establishments to meet social demand.

c/ To adopt incentive land, credit and tax policies to encourage all economic sectors to invest in the development of education and training establishments and healthcare establishments with a view to meeting peoples increasing demands. Non-public establishments may decide on, and publicly post up, sen ice charge rates based on service quality.The State shall provide preferential loans for people classified as living just above the poverty line and the disadvantaged people to pursue education and receive healthcare.

d/ To properb implement master plans on policies and roadmaps for adjusting tuition and hospital fees on the common principle that, bised on the implementation of policies on exemj ion from and reduction of tuition and hospital fees for the poor, policy beneficiaries and the disadvantaged in society, new tuition and hospital fee rates must cover education and training as well as healthcare expenses and investment in gradually upgrading equipment and improving learning and healthcare conditions.

3. The Ministry of Health shall:

a/ Coordinate with concerned ministries and agencies in amending and supplementing the Health Insurance Regulation-promulgated together with the Governments Decree No. 63/ 2005/ND-CP in the direction of ensuring the revenue-expenditure balance of the health insurance fund.

b/ Finalize the Health Insurance Bill and report it to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for passage. In the immediate future, concentrate on solving problems in health insurance payment, develop specific mechanisms for using VND 700 billion in support of people classified as living just above the poverty line to be covered by health insurance, develop community-based health insurance, increase the coverage of health insurance so that the health insurance fund becomes a major financial source for healthcare, and gradually reduce financial sources from hospital fees.

c/ Improve healthcare policies for policy beneficiaries, the poor, under-six children and people classified as living just above the poverty line.

d/ Coordinate with provincial-level Peoples Committees in setting forth and implementing in a coordinated manner measures to upgrade the medical system, train health workers and introduce more appropriate treatment policies toward lower-level health workers in order to raise the quality of lower-level health services and reduce the overloaded work for healthcare establishments at the central level and in major cities.

e/ Enhance the control of infectious diseases in order to reduce morbidity and mortality rates and prevent major epidemics.

f/ Formulate synchronous mechanisms for controlling-the drug market; closely monitor drug price fluctuations on the market; apply coordinated and effective measures to control drug prices.

g/ Consolidate the Health Ministrys organizations engaged in family planning work from the central to grassroots level; enhance the leadership and direction of Party committees and administrations at all levels; step up propaganda and closely combine this work with the application of professional and technical measures, striving to reduce the birth rate as planned for the 2006-2010 period.

4. The Ministry of Finance shall:

a/ Guide the grant of tax, financial and state credit incentives to enterprises operating in the domains of education and training, health, culture, physical training and sports, science and technology, environment, social affairs, population, family, and child protection and care like non-public establishments as provided for in the Governments Decree No. 53/2006/ND-CP of May 25, 2006.

b/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Vietnam Development Bank in ensuring in the total 2008 state credit capital amount sufficient state credit capital for enterprises, units and organizations participating in the socialization process under the Governments Resolution No. 05/2005/NQ-CP and Decree No. 53/2006/ND-CP.

5. The Ministries of Health: Agriculture and Rural Development; and Science and Technology snail coordinate with concerned ministries and branches and local Peoples Committees in increasing measures to ensure food hygiene and safety and drafting the Law on Food Safety; inspecting the implementation of regulations on livestock and poultry slaughter; directing the building of clean production and food hygiene and safety zones; and not permitting the use of antibiotics and substances banned in the production and processing of agricultural and aquatic products.

6. The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

a/ Concentrate on improving documents guiding the implementation of the Law on Social Insurance, the Law on Vocational Training, the Law on Vietnamese Guest Workers, and the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of .Articles of the Labor Code regarding settlement of labor disputes.

b/ Coordinate with ministries, branches and provincial-level Peoples Committees in implementing in a coordinated and effective manner projects and policies under the national target program on poverty alleviation. Concentrate resources for investment in hunger- and poverty-hit subjects and localities; focus on solutions to raise awareness and change working methods together with training in and handing down jobs based on plant varieties and animal breeds so that poor households can improve their living standards; support households that do successful business and expand their business models to provide guidance and support for poor households in localities.

c/ Coordinate with concerned agencies in studying and establishing a new poverty line suitable to current conditions.

d/ Closely monitor the hunger situation in the between-crop period and damage caused by natural disasters in order to guide and carry out in time relief activities in localities and propose remedies; improve the work of calling for aid and donations, the receipt, distribution, management and use of aid money and goods for natural disaster victims.

e/ Concentrate on directing the rapid development of vocational training and job creation, especially for young laborers; step up labor export, closely manage, and protect lawful rights of, Vietnamese guest workers.

f/ Properly implement policies on social insurance, labor safety and sanitation, reduction of labor accidents and occupational diseases; set up compensation funds for labor accidents and occupational diseases.

g/ Coordinate with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, provincial-level Peoples Committees and functional agencies in enhancing the dissemination of the labor law among labor users and laborers; inspect and guide the implementation of labor policies and laws at enterprises; guide the establishment of harmonious labor relations between laborers and labor users; promote negotiations in the settlement of labor disputes in order to limit strikes.

h/ Fully implement preferential-treatment policies and regimes under the Ordinance on Preferential Treatment of Persons with Meritorious Services to the Revolution; step up the movements of Gratitude, Taking proper care of Vietnamese heroic mothers, and Building communes and wards that well implement policies towards war invalids, fallen heroes and persons with meritorious services.

i/ Promote communication, education and counseling on child protection and care: apply the model of protecting and caring for children in special circumstances, especially HIV/AIDS-infected children.

j/ Enhance the work of rehabilitation detoxification and post-detoxification management.

7. Ministries, branches and provincial-level Peoples Committees shall mobilize resources for remedying natural disaster and flood consequences, restoring infrastructure and ensuring production and daily life of people in natural disaster-hit areas.

8. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and provincial-level Peoples Committees in;

a/ Developing the personality and promoting cultural and spiritual values of Vietnamese people for increasing our resistance against depraved culture. Actively carrying out the campaign All the people unite to build a cultured life.

b/ Promoting the conservation, renovation and promotion of the values of national cultural heritages and world cultural and natural heritages, preventing the deterioration of historical and cultural relics in association with tourism development in order to effectively promote the values of national cultural heritages.

c/ Stepping up mass physical training and sport movements, especially among ethnic minority people and those living in deep-lying and remote areas; launching the campaign All people do physical exercises following the example of great Uncle Ho nationwide. Attaching importance to the development of amateur and national sports and traditional games, especially among young people. Stepping up socialization of physical training and sport activides.

d/ Concentrating on the implementation of the Governments program of action, formulating, and integrating the implementation of, national target programs, projects and schemes with a view to stepping up cultural, sport and tourist activities.

9. Ministries, branches and local Peoples Committees shall step bv step integrate issues of gender, child rights, youth development, religion and ethnicity into socio-economic development policies, plans, programs and projects for implementation.

10. The Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall coordinate with provincial-level Peoples Committals in increasing measures to prevent and combat wweial evils and build a healthy and safe environment in grassroots units, wards, communes enterprises, schools and residential areas, etc.

11. The Ministry of Public Security shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in, drafting, and reporting to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for passage, a Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Artie les of the Law on Drug Prevention and Fighting

12. The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for drafting, and reporting to the Government for submission to the National Assembly, a Law on State Compensation.

13. The Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Security shall coordinate with the National Traffic Safety Committee and local Peoples Committees in taking various measures to prevent and minimize traffic accidents:

a/ To draft, and report to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for passage, a Law on Road Traffic.

b/ To concentrate on directing the strict implementation of urgent measures for controlling traffic accidents and congestions under Directive No. 22/CT-TW of February 24, 2003, of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, the National Assemblys resolutions, and the Governments Resolution No. 32/2007/NQ-CP of June 29, 2007.

c/ To further step up the traffic safety law propagation and education. To resolutely implement regulations on compulsory safety helmet wearing.

d/ To increase the numbers of traffic policemen and inspectors and mobilize peoples volunteers to inspect and supervise the observance of traffic rules. To severely penalize violations of the traffic law.

14. The Government Inspectorate shall coordinate with local Peoples Committees in resolutely settling mass complaints.

VI. EFFICIENTLY UTILIZING NATURAL RESOURCES, ENSURING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches and localities in:

a/ Drafting a government resolution on a number of urgent solutions in the state management of natural resources and the environment.

b/ Finalizing the draft Law on Biodiversity and reporting it to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for passage: promoting the elaboration of legal documents on management of marine resources and environment.

c/ Formulating plannings and plans on management of total natural resources and environment, paying special attention to master plans on water resources in river basins and key economic regions.

d/ Step by step consolidating and modernizing the natural resources and environment observation network, focusing on the hydro-meteorological observation network to serve tropical low pressure, typhoon and flood forecasts.

e/ Organizing the proper implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection and the national environmental protection strategy up to 2010 and orientations to 2020, considering it an urgent task for sustainable development and improvement of the quality of peoples life. Encouraging, and taking measures to expand typical sustainable development models; including the environmental protection task in socio-economic development plans and each project and activity of each enterprise.

f/ Closely controlling wastes, especially hazardous ones. Encouraging investment in the environmental protection, and waste collection, treatment and reprocessing, and application of new technologies to cleaning the environment. Stepping up the protection of biodiversity; dealing with a number of hot spots of environmental pollution, especially those contaminated with agent orange/dioxin.

g/ Raising the effectiveness of state management of the environment. Promoting public information about environmental protection. Inspecting and strictly handling acts of polluting or harming the environment, especially in residential areas, urban centers, industrial parks, head-water areas, coastal areas and craft villages.

h/ Guiding and assessing the implementation of environmental criteria under the 2008 plan.

i/ Implementing the national strategy on water resources up to 2020; inventorying and assessing water resources nationwide and, on that basis, formulating mechanisms and policies for rational exploitation and protection of water resources.

j/ Properly planning and efficiently exploiting mineral resources. Reorganizing mineral exploitation and processing activities; restricting the export of crude minerals, then stopping the export of minerals important to the economy.

k/ Raising the quality of forecast and warning work serving prevention and combat of natural disasters and remedy of storm and flood consequences. Stepping up climate change response-related activities; formulating and implementing a national target program on climate change.

l/ Implementing the strategy on development of Vietnams topography and cartography up to 2020; improving the systems of maps and geological information in urban centers, industrial parks and key economic regions nationwide.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in:

a/ Formulating mechanisms and policies to support the elaboration and implementation of Agenda 21 in ministries, branches and localities and, at the same time, working out a plan of action for implementation of Agenda 21 nationwide.

b/ Formulating mechanisms and policies to encourage investment in the protection of natural resources and the environment.

VII. STEPPING UP ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM AND PROMOTING THE EFFECT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE STATE APPARATUS TO MEET DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS

1. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with ministries, branches and local Peoples Committees in:

a/ Further stepping up the implementation of the master program on administrative reform up to 2010. Strongly decentralizing the state management of economic and social affairs to localities in parallel with enhancing the inspection, examination and handling according to law. Associating the decentralization of management responsibilities with the decentralization of state payrolls and state budget funds. Decentralizing more powers to heads of agencies in the recruitment, rank promotion, appointment and employment of employees. Conducting soon the final review of the implementation of the mechanism of package state payroll and administrative management fund.

b/ Elaborating and reporting to the Government a draft Law on Public Duties for submission to the National Assembly for passage.

c/ Scrutinizing and finalizing regulations on functions and tasks of ministries and branches along the line of eliminating tasks unnecessary to be performed by the State and avoiding overlap in their functions.

d/ Continuing reforming the regime of public employee and public duty. Strictly abiding by the single-leader regime in administrative agencies; clearly determining responsibilities of leading individuals and collectives at all levels. Further providing professional and ethical training for cadres and public employees in association with the campaign Studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minn. Further implementing the program on wage reform for cadres and public employees, retired persons and social insurance beneficiaries. Improving the sense of responsibility and professional ethics of cadres and public employees.

e/ Raising the quality of recruitment, employment, training and re-training of public employees; intensifying the examination and inspection of the performance of public duties by public employees under their management; strictly and promptly handling cadres and public employees who abuse their assigned functions and powers to harass or trouble citizens and enterprises.

2. The Ministry of Justice shall:

a/ Coordinate with National Assembly agencies in finalizing soon the draft Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents (amended) for submission to the National Assembly for passage in order to renew the process of elaborating legal documents.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for elaborating and reporting to the Government an Ordinance Amending and Supplementing a Number of .Articles of the Ordinance on Handling of Administrative Violations (including acts of obstructing adjudication activities of peoples courts) for submission to the National Assembly Standing Committee for promulgation.

3. The Government Office shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in, organizing the implementation of the scheme on simplification of administrative procedures in state management domains during 2007-2010.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Public-Security and other ministries, branches and provincial-level Peoples Committees in, reporting to the Government on the draft Law on Administrative Procedures for submission to llic National Assembly for comment.

c/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in, stepping up administrative procedure reform, focusing on domains and matters which arc troublesome to citizens and enterprises. Carry out the final review of the administrative procedure reform in investment licensing, business registration, construction management, land, residence and civil status registration, notarization, passport grant and tax collection and payment Expand the implementation of the inter-agency one-stop shop mechanism in state administrative agencies at all levels.

4. The Ministry of Finance shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for stepping up the reform of administrative procedures in state budget appraisal, assignment, allocation and payment.

b/ Renovate public finance, formulate and implement a scheme on modernization of tax and customs management systems.

5. The Government Inspectorate shall concentrate on directing the settlement of citizens complaints and denunciations; work out reasonable and effective solutions for settling complicated and prolonged complaints; and promptly setde newly arisen complaints. It shall set up central inspection teams to work with administrations in localities where numerous complaints are lodged in completely resolving them. Heads of Party committees and administrations at all levels shall take responsibility for directing the settlement of citizens complaints in their localities.

6. The Ministry of Information and Communication shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, branches and local Peoples Committees in. continuing the modernization of the administrative system, step by step implementing the e-government program, renewing administration methods and applying information technology in the operation of the administrative system.

VIII. ENHANCING CORRUPTION PREVENTION AND COMBAT, THRIFT PRACTICE AND WASTE COMBAT

Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and provincial-level Peoples Comminees shall, within the scope of their functions and tasks:

1. Organize the implementation of Resolution No. 04/NQ-TW of the Xth Party Central Committee, the 3rd plenum, on enhancing Party leadership over corruption and waste prevention and combat, laws, ordinances and government programs of action on corruption prevention and combat, thrift practice and waste combat. Improve the operational effect and effectiveness of steering committees for corruption prevention and combat and specialized anti-corruption units. Resolutely fight corruption, waste and negative practices, first of all, in the domains of land administration, state budget spending, capital construction investment, management of capital and assets of the State and state enterprises, and personal appointment and arrangement. Promptly and strictly handle violations. Uphold the personal responsibility of heads of agencies and units from the central to grassroots level in corruption combat, thrift practice and waste combat. Enhance management and supervision of incomes of cadres and public employees, especially those holding high positions and powers. Implement the strategy of rotation of cadres and public employees.

2. Determinedly decentralize powers to public employees in association with specifying responsibilities of each authority, branch and unit, especially heads of agencies. Promote the peoples right to mastery, closely coordinate with the Fatherland Front, social associations and mass media agencies in corruption prevenrion and combat, thrift practice and waste combat.

3. Srricdy implement regulations on grassroots democracy, ensuring publicity and transparency in economic and financial activities of administrative agencies and public non-business units.

4. Intensify the inspection, examination, investigation and handling of negative and corrupt cases. Concentrate on directing the strict handling of the discovered negative and corrupt cases in accordance with law and publicizing the handling results to the people. At the same time, enhance inspection in the four key domains stated in the Governments program of action for tire implementation of the Law on Corruption Prevention and Combat, i.e. capital construction investment land use management budget revenue and expenditure management and public asset management. Inspect the performance of public duties in some domains of public concern.

5. Raise the quality of recruitment, employment, training and re-training of public employees; intensifying the inspection of the performance of public duties by public employees under their management; promptly and strictly handle cadres and public employees who abuse their assigned positions and powers to harass or trouble citizens and enterprises; expel from the apparatus degraded cadres and public employees who commit corrupt or negative acts. Take measures to protect those who detect and denounce corruption. Improve coordination between state management agencies at all levels and mass organizations, non-governmental organizations and population communities in order to effectively prevent corruption. Strictly implement the decision on property declaration by all party members, public employees, employees and state enterprise executive officers in accordance with law.

IX. FIRMLY MAINTAINING NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND ASSURING POLITICAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL ORDER AND SAFETY

1. The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Public Security shall coordinate with ministries, branches and local Peoples Committees in:

a/ Effectively implementing strategies, programs and plans on defense, security, prevention and combat of crimes, drug and trafficking of women and children.

b/ Further mobilizing people and. by appropriate methods, frustrating all plots of hostile forces which abuse religious freedom, democracy and human rights to cause socio-political disorder.

c/ Increasing the effectiveness of cooperation in defense and security with other countries for national construction and defense.

d/ Paying attention to the settlement of social affairs and properly settling citizens complaints and denunciations in order to ensure social order and safety.

e/ Developing marine economy in association with protecting sovereignty in sea areas, islands and continental shelf. Maintaining security and stabilizing the situation in border areas in association with implementing the plan on boundary demarcation and border marker placement with bordering countries.

f/ Conducting communication and propagation in order to raise Vietnamese womens self-respect. Perfecting legal provisions on marriage with foreigners, ensuring voluntary marriage in conformity with Vietnamese fine custom and traditions and protecting lawful interests of women after marriage; strictly handling those who abuse marriage brokerage to commit illegal acts.

2. The Ministry of Public Security shall assume the prime responsibility for working out specific measures to raise the operational quality of judicial agencies, especially the quality of investigation activities and at-court argument; to promptly and lawfully settle criminal, civil and administrative cases; to attach importance to finding out causes and conditions for the occurrence of violations, crimes and other disputes for timely handling and prevention.

3. The Ministry of Justice shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for elaborating a Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Criminal Code to meet the requirements of crime prevention and combat in the new situation.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in, drafting and reporting to the Government a Law on Enforcement of Civil Judgments for submission to the National Assembly for passage. Elaborate a scheme to soon unify the state management of the enforcement of civil and criminal judgments.

c/ Elaborate and report to the Government a Law on Judicial Records for submission to the National Assembly for comment; study the elaboration of a Law on Civil Status.

d/ Study and propose amendments to the Ordinance on Judicial Examination, ensuring prompt and objective support for courts trial activities.

X. ENHANCING EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES, PROACTIVELY INTEGRATING IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, AND ELEVATING THE STATUS OF OUR COUNTRY IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in:

a/ Further intensifvi ng and stabilizing established international relations. Expanding relations with other partners in order to take advantage of cooperation opportunities in all aspects. Strongly developing external activities of the people. Proactively participating in the common fight for peace, stability and equal cooperation among countries and legitimate human rights.

b/ Urgently preparing conditions and striving to fulfill the role of a non-standing member of the United Nations Security Council. Promoting the role of Vietnam in enhancing ASEAN cooperation and actively participating in other international and regional forums and organizations.

c/ Strictly and effectively implementing international commitments on trade, investment, services and other domains. Branches, authorities and units should base themselves on WTO commitments to formulate their own programs of action, aiming to take advantage of opportunities brought about .by, and redress adverse impacts of. the integration process. Actively implementing programs on cooperation in the Sub-Mekong River region, trans-Asia road and economic corridors and belts.

d/ Further studying orientations for renovation of economic institutions and completion of the legal system, ensuring national interests and compliance with international regulations and practice; at the same time, accelerating the review of legal documents, mechanisms and policies in all domains and working out plans on amending and supplementing these documents to meet renewal requirements and international commitments. Studying, elaborating and reporting to the Government a draft Anti-Dumping Law for submission to the National Assembly; amending and supplementing non-tariff regulations as appropriate.

e/ Pursuant to relevant opening commitments and roadmaps, elaborating integration plans, ensuring proactive integration and restricting to the utmost adverse impacts of integration on the development of branches and domains under state management

f/ Continuing improving the investment environment to receive a new wave of investment from transnational companies and groups; perfecting mechanisms, policies and administrative procedures in order to attract foreign investment along the line of elaborating clearer and simpler regulations and adopting mechanisms and policies to diversify sources of investment capital and forms investment. Raising the effectiveness and capacity of receiving ODA and speed up the disbursement of ODA capital.

g/ Taking measures to raise the competitiveness of the economy, industries and products; accelerating technology renewal and improvement, reducing input costs of industries, especially direct and indirect charges for transport telecommunications, raw materials, land, etc; cutting expenses for export services in order to increase the exportability and export volume of Vietnamese goods.

h/ Concentrating state support on market expansion and development, introduction of exported products, goods and services and protection of trade marks and lawful interests of exporting enterprises. Establishing and raising awareness about the mechanism for settlement of commercial disputes at home and abroad.

i/ Publicizing the process of export licensing and standards and technical regulations applicable to exported goods and properly protecting intellectual property.

j/ Enhancing external activities for economic purposes, effecting coordination between functional state agencies and enterprises in investment, trade and tourism promotion. Advocating other countries to recognize our economy as a market economy in order to ensure that our enterprises will not be discriminated in international commercial disputes.

k/ Further implementing the Political Bureaus Resolution on the community of overseas Vietnamese. Enhancing international relations with foreign countries in order to create favorable conditions for overseas Vietnamese to live and study in these countries, well integrate themselves into local communities, unite and assist one another and preserve national fine cultural identities. Well implementing regulations on visa exemption, purchase of homes and investment in the country. Encouraging and creating favorable conditions for scientists to return to the country to research, lecture and work.

1/ Further renewing the contents and forms of public information and culture in external relations, coordinating and effectively serving foreign trade and international integration.

2. The Ministry of Justice shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in, urgently studying and proposing to the National Assembly for consideration the mechanism of dual nationality for overseas Vietnamese.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme Peoples Court and the Supreme Peoples Procuracy in, elaborating documents guiding, and a regulation on coordination in, the implementation of die Law on Judicial Aid.

XI.OBGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Based on this Resolution and the Governments 2008 working program, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and provincial-level Peoples Committees shall elaborate their action plans specifying every objective and task, setting implementation schedules and assigning persons responsible each task; and monthly and quarterly, evaluate and make reports on the implementation results as prescribed.

2. The Government shall organize workshops with localities in order to promptly settle problems arising in the course of implementing this Resolution and, at the same time, hold monthly briefings in order to review the situation and set forth measures to accelerate the implementation of the 2008 plan and state budget.

3. Before November 15, 2008, ministries, branches and provincial-level Peoples Committees shall review the implementation of this Resolution in their respective ministries, agencies and localities and send reports thereon to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Government Office.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall sum up the results of implementation of this Resolution, evaluate the fulfillment of tasks by each ministry, agency and locality and report evaluation results to the Government at its December 2008 meeting.