Decision No. 1041/QD-TTg dated July 01, 2011 of the Prime Minister approving the project on elaboration and application of Standards and Technical Regulations under the National Program on improvement of productivity and quality of products and goods of Vietnamese enterprises through 2020

DECISION

APPROVING THE PROJECT ON ELABORATION AND APPLICATION OF STANDARDS AND TECHNICAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE NATIONAL PROGRAM ON IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF PRODUCTS AND GOODS OF VIETNAMESE ENTERPRISES THROUGH 2020

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 712/QD-TTg of May 21, 2010, approving the national program on improvement of productivity and quality of products and goods of Vietnamese enterprises through 2020;

At the proposal of the Minister of Science and Technology,

DECIDES:

Article 1.To approve the project on elaboration and application of standards and technical regulations under the national program on improvement of productivity and quality of products and goods of Vietnamese enterprises through 2020, with the following principal contents:

I. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

1. For the 2011-2015 period:

a/ Four thousand new national standards (TCVNs) will be elaborated for key products and goods of the national economy, of which 80% will be harmonious with international standards, reaching the rate of 45% of TCVNs of the national standard system harmonious with international or regional standards;

b/ All products and goods which are likely to be unsafe (products and goods of group 2) will be managed under national technical regulations (QCVNs);

c/ Five thousand enterprises will be guided in applying TCVNs and QCVNs, and in elaborating and applying sets of basic standards;

d/ To plan and build a network of conformity assessment organizations (including accrediting, testing, inspecting and assessing organizations) up to international standards and accredited within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to meet the needs for assessment of products and goods of group 2 and key products and goods;

e/ To conclude and implement agreements on mutual recognition of conformity assessment results with foreign countries, giving priority to exported products and goods of high value;

f/ To train a contingent of experts to play as the core for standard, technical regulation and conformity assessment activities in the country and to participate in regional and international standard and conformity assessment activities.

2. For the 2016-2020 period:

a/ Two thousand new TCVNs will be elaborated for key products and goods of the national economy, of which 90% will be harmonious with international standards, reaching the rate of 60% of TCVNs of the national standard system harmonious with international or regional standards;

b/ To complete the system of QCVNs for products and goods of group 2;

c/ Five thousand enterprises will be guided in applying TCVNs and QCVNs, and in elaborating and applying sets of basic standards;

d/ To expand the network of conformity assessment organizations up to international standards and accredited by the European Union (EU), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) and other economic regions;

e/ All laboratories for testing quality of key products and goods will reach the world level;

f/ To conclude and implement agreements on mutual recognition of conformity assessment results with foreign countries, giving priority to exported or imported products and goods which Vietnam has no condition for assessing their conformity;

g/ To provide training in standards, technical regulations and quality control of products and goods in universities, colleges, vocational training schools and schools related to science and technology management and operations.

II. MAJOR TASKS OF THE PROJECT

1. Elaboration of standards and technical regulations

a/ To elaborate plans on elaboration of TCVNs and QCVNs for econo- technical sectors to achieve the objectives and meet the requirements of improvement of productivity and quality of products and goods of group 2 and key products and goods during the 2011-2020 period;

b/ To elaborate, supplement or amend TCVNs and QCVNs under planning;

c/ To disseminate standards and technical regulations; to provide guidance and consultancy to enterprises for elaboration and application of sets of basic standards.

2. Standard and technical regulation conformity assessment:

a/ To elaborate the master plan on the network of conformity assessment organizations for the 2011-2020 period;

b/ To build and develop the network of conformity assessment organizations to meet the needs for assessment of products and goods of group 2 and key products and goods, which will reach international standards and be accredited in the region and the world;

c/ To formulate and implement investment projects, build international- level laboratories for product and goods quality testing; to build capacity of the network of conformity assessment organizations to reach international standards and be accredited in the region and world.

3. Training and international cooperation:

a/ To provide domestic and overseas training for secretaries and members of the Technical Board for National Standards so that they will be able to elaborate national standards and participate in elaborating international standards; and for testing, accrediting, inspecting and assessing experts of conformity assessment organizations to reach international standards;

b/ To develop training programs and course books and organize training in standards, technical regulations and quality control in universities, colleges, vocational training schools and schools related to science and technology management;

c/ To intensify international cooperation in the fields of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment;

d/ To conclude and implement agreements on mutual recognition of conformity assessment results with foreign countries, giving priority to groups of products and goods of high export value and imported goods which Vietnam has no condition for assessing their conformity.

III. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Method of project implementation

a/ Annually, based on the project’s objectives, the Ministry of Science and Technology shall sum up and elaborate a plan and an estimate of state budget expenditures of the project, then send them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (for investment expenditures) and the Ministry of Finance (for non-business expenditures). The state budget expenditure estimate for the project’s tasks shall be incorporated in annual state budget expenditure estimates of ministries and sectors, which shall implement their plans and estimates after they are approved by competent authorities;

b/ Mechanisms for implementing some principal contents of the project

- Planning: Ministries and sectors shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology in, elaborating plans on technical regulations in the fields assigned to them for management; the Ministry of Science and Technology shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and sectors in, elaborating plans on national standards and the network of conformity assessment organizations, and setting orientations for these ministries and sectors to implement relevant contents in these plans;

- Elaboration of TCVNs and QCVNs: Ministries and sectors shall elaborate draft TCVNs, then send them to the Ministry of Science and Technology for appraisal and announcement. Ministries and sectors shall elaborate and promulgate QCVNs within sectors or fields assigned to them for management;

- Investment in developing the network of conformity assessment organizations: Ministries and sectors shall formulate and approve investment projects on development of the network of conformity assessment organizations in the fields assigned to them for management under current regulations on development investment; and reach agreement with the Ministry of Science and Technology before approving the projects;

- Dissemination of standards and technical regulations; guidance on enterprises’ elaboration and application of sets of basic standards: Ministries and sectors shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology and provincial- level People’s Committees in, disseminating standards and technical regulations and guiding enterprises in elaborating and applying sets of basic standards in their assigned fields.

The Ministry of Science and Technology shall review, monitor and urge the implementation of projects of ministries and sectors.

2. Financial solutions

Funds for the project implementation come from the following sources:

a/ State budget funds for planning work and elaboration of TCVNs and QCVNs; investment in developing the network of conformity assessment organizations to serve the state management; training of experts specializing in standards, regulations, quality control and conformity assessment and core consultants; communication and dissemination of and professional guidance on application of standards and technical regulations; and participation in standardization and conformity assessment activities in the region and the world;

b/ Funds of enterprises for investment in raising the testing capacity to directly serve their production and business activities; elaboration of basic standards; application of standards; professional training and retraining in standards, technical regulations, quality control and conformity assessment for leaders and employees of enterprises;

c/ Other lawful funding sources: Financial supports of organizations and individuals for the training of experts and elaboration and application of standards and technical regulations.

3. Human resource solutions

a/ Increasing training in standards, technical regulations and quality control; developing training programs and course books of universities, colleges, vocational training schools and schools related to science and technology management;

b/ Selecting and appointing staffs to attend international training courses and seminars; sending staffs for training in developed countries; exchanging experts, organizing international conferences and seminars to improve qualifications of staffs and experts in standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment;

c/ Coordinating with professional organizations and associations in disseminating knowledge on and mobilizing the community to participate in performing the project’s tasks.

4. International cooperation solutions

a/ Intensifying international cooperation for exchanging experiences in standard, technical regulation and quality control activities; raising the capacity of laboratories for testing quality of products and goods up to the international level to serve the performance of conformity assessment activities;

b/ Stepping up the negotiation on and conclusion of agreements on mutual recognition of conformity assessment results with foreign countries.

IV. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries, sectors and provincial-level People’s Committees in, carrying out and managing all activities of the project.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology shall allocate funds for the project implementation under the law on the state budget.

3. Ministries, sectors and provincial-level People’s Committees shall coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology in performing their assigned tasks.

Article 2.This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3.Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall implement this Decision.-