Directive 11/CT-TTg on remove difficulties for production, business in Covid-19 epidemic

DIRECTIVE

On urgent tasks and solutions to remove difficulties for production and business, ensure social security in response to the Covid-19 epidemic

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With the fierce participation of both the political system and the efforts and determination of the entire Party, the entire people and our army, the prevention and control of acute respiratory infections caused by new strain Coronavirus (hereinafter referred to as the Covid-19 epidemic) has achieved important initial results.  The Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, the Government, the Prime Minister have timely directed all levels and sectors to focus on drastically, synchronously and effectively implementing many tasks and solutions to prevent and combat epidemics with the spirit "fighting against epidemic as fighting against enemy”, restoring treatment to all infected people, not letting them spread, highly appreciated by the people of the country and the international community.

However, the Covid-19 epidemic continues to be complicated, unpredictable, and increasingly widespread, at risk of outbreaks in many countries and regions around the world and has a great impact on the global economy and many countries and major partners of Vietnam. In our country, the Covid-19 has been affecting to many aspects of economic and social life. Activities of import, export, circulation and transportation of goods and passengers and many service sectors such as health, education, catering, accommodation, entertainment and especially tourism are clearly affected. Some industries and sectors of production are initially affected, with temporary labor shortages, disruption of supply chains of input materials, causing disruptions in production and business activities. Many enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and enterprises in localities where having epidemic have to narrow their production and business or suspend their operations.

In this context, given the situation of many returning Vietnamese and international visitors from the epidemic areas and from many countries without clear information about the epidemic, we must not be subjective, continue to highly concentrate and drastically implement measures to prevent and control the epidemic, do isolation work, keep the epidemic from spreading, affecting the health and life of the people. At the same time, having immediately specific and effective solutions to remove difficulties for production and business, ensure social security, and make the best effort to achieve the set socio-economic development targets.

In order to focus on preventing and minimizing the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, removing difficulties for production and business, performing socio-economic development tasks, ensuring social security, security and safety for the entire life and health of the people, the Prime Minister requests ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, Chairpersons of the People s Committees of provinces and centrally run cities, Chairperson of the Members Council, General Directors of economic groups and State-owned corporations (hereinafter referred to as ministries, central agencies and localities) and asks the business community and people of the whole country:

I. SPIRIT OF ACTION DIRECTION

1. To thoroughly grasp the guiding spirit of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee in the Official Dispatch No. 79-CV/TW dated January 30, 2020, the Prime Minister s Directive No. 05/CT-TTg dated January 28, 2020 January 2020, the Directive No. 06/CT-TTg dated January 31, 2020, the Directive No. 10/CT-TTg dated February 25, 2020 and the Official Notices of the Prime Minister; drastically implement measures to prevent and control epidemics in the steering documents of the Government, the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee, and the local Steering Committees for the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic.

2. To concentrate to implement the "dual task" which is both prevention of the epidemic and achieving socio-economic development. Not to be subjective, neglected and irresponsible in directing the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic in the context of this dangerous disease out breaking and wide spreading in many countries today. There must have appropriate plans and solutions to cope with all situations, not to be passive. Concurrently, to immediately implement measures to support subjects and enterprises that are affected by the epidemic; contribute to remove difficulties for the production and business, ensure social security; effort to implement targets and tasks of the socio-economic development in 2020 set out under the Conclusion of the Central Government and Resolutions of the National Assembly and the Government.

3. To focus on analyzing and assessing the limitations and inadequacies of the economy, of each industry, field and enterprise sector of various economic sectors to accelerate the process of restructuring, re-arranging, re- organizing and to recover, promote production and business activities, to offset and minimize the losses caused by the Covid-19 epidemic, towards an independent, autonomous and more sustainable development economy, have resistance and ability to adapt to external and internal fluctuations, especially non-traditional security challenges, climate change, natural disasters and epidemics. At the same time, to well prepare necessary conditions to seize the opportunities, attract investment and external resources from many countries and regions for the country s development.

II. SPECIFIC TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

1. To remove difficulties, facilitate to access the capital, credit, finance, tax, commerce and electronic payment

a) The State Bank of Vietnam shall:

- To timely direct and guide credit institutions to balance, adequately and promptly meet capital needs for production and business, accelerate administrative procedure reform, shorten the time for loan application approval, improve access to loans of customers; promptly apply supportive measures such as rescheduling time limit of payment, exemption and reducing of paying interest rate, keeping the debt group, reducing fees... for customers who are in difficulties due to the effects of the Covid-19 epidemic (firstly, the credit support package is about VND 250 trillion).

- To preside, coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies to urgently propose appropriate credit policies to remove difficulties for those affected by the Covid-19 epidemic and report to the Prime Minister in March 2019.

- To continue to deploy solutions to promote non-cash payment; programs of reduction and exemption of electronic payment service fee to directly support service users, especially online payment fees for public administrative services.

- To submit the Prime Minister for a special decision on the pilot use of telecommunications accounts to pay for small-value services (Mobile Money service).

b) The Ministry of Finance shall:

- To submit the Government to promulgate the Decree on the extension of tax payment and land rent for subjects affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, report to the Government and the Prime Minister in March 2020.

- To urgently submit the Government about the exemption and reduction of tax, fee and charge to remove difficulties for subjects affected by the Covid-19 epidemic.

- To review, propose the competent agencies about measures of tax and State budget spending, foremost the support package of about VND 30 trillion to help solve difficulties for production and business, ensure social security to respond to the Covid-19 epidemic, and submit to the Prime Minister in March 2020.

c) The Ministry of Information and Communications shall focus on researching, and soon having measures to promote digital technology enterprises to develop products in the fields of e-commerce - digital economy, shipping, delivery, fintech, and electronic payment... in a digital environment. At the same time, to request all levels and sectors and requires enterprise community and the people to apply them in the socio-economic life.

d) The Vietnam Social Insurance shall preside and coordinate with relevant agencies to guide the suspension of contribution of social insurance for subjects affected by the Covid-19 epidemic until the end of June or December, 2020 according to its competence and regulations of law and the interest of such late payment shall not be applied.

dd) To propose the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, within its competence, to consider and guide the appropriate time of payment of the union dues in order to remove difficulties for enterprises and organizations affected by the Covid-19 epidemic.

2. To review and cut administrative procedures and reduce expenses for enterprises

a) The Ministry of Transport shall preside and coordinate with relevant agencies to direct and guide business units to cut administrative procedures reduce logistics costs for maritime, aviation, road, inland waterway and railway, etc. and report the Prime Minister in March 2020.

b) The Ministry of Finance shall:

- To direct tax agencies and customs agencies to not organize periodical examination in 2020 for an enterprise showing no sign of violation in order to facilitate such enterprise to focus on settling difficulties, maintain production and business activities; concurrently, do not let enterprises take advantage of this policy to break the law.

- To urgently report the Government in March 2020 to submit the National Assembly Standing Committee the draft Resolution on adjusting the level of family income tax deduction, contributing to reducing tax obligations for the people.

- To formulate the project dossier of the National Assembly s Resolution on some policies on corporate Income tax, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and submit the Government in March 2020.

c) The Government Inspectorate, Inspectorates of Ministries, sectors and localities shall strictly follow the Prime Minister s Directive No. 20/CT-TTg dated May 17, 2017, without inspection outside the plan, except for special cases as assigned.

To propose the State Audit and functional agencies to facilitate localities, enterprises and the people in such difficult context.

d) Ministries, sectors and localities shall:

- Within its scope and management fields, to review and promulgate according to its competence the reduction of charges and fees for those affected by epidemic, or propose the plan of reduction of fees and charges and send them to the Ministry of Finance before March 15, 2020 for consolidation and processing.

- Not to raise price in the Quarter I and Quarter II of 2020 with goods which are inputs to production of enterprises with prices set by the State in the field of management.

- To focus on re-structuring the professional administrative procedures at levels 3 and 4 integrated with the National Public Service Portal in the direction of drastically cutting costs and creating favorable conditions for people and enterprises.

3. To facilitate for production and business and promote import and export

a) The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall:

- To preside and coordinate with Ministries of: Agriculture and Rural Development, Construction and relevant agencies to review and report on the current situation and demand for input materials, propose solutions to diversify and ensure sufficient supply for domestic production activities; forecast the demand of domestic and international market; take measures to ensure raw materials for production and business and plans to organize production, distribution, circulation and supply of goods to meet consumer demand; consolidating the domestic market, supporting removing difficulties for retail activities; and report to the Prime Minister in March 2020.

- To have measures to promote import and export, improve the effectiveness of trade promotion, diversify import and export markets and find new markets; actively exploit opportunities of free trade agreements (FTA); prepare necessary conditions, proactively deploy plans and solutions to export goods to the EU market after the EVFTA Agreement takes effect (from mid-2020), and report to the Prime Minister in March 2020.

- To strengthen inspect and strictly handle cases of smuggling, commercial fraud and speculation on goods, causing artificial scarcity, counterfeit goods and pirated goods in the market, especially essential commodities in epidemic prevention and control such as masks, dry hand sanitizers, and medical supplies.

- To preside and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies to continue ensuring customs clearance, promptly removing difficulties in the import and export of goods; cooperate and support border provinces to facilitate goods clearance activities.

- To coordinate with localities to develop production areas, industrial parks and economic zones to be more proactive in supplying raw materials in the country; propose appropriate preferential policies, firstly for the textile, footwear and sectors heavily affected by the Covid-19 epidemic; have mechanisms to encourage production of domestic accessories and intermediate products to replace imports.

b) The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall preside and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant agencies to direct to promote the production and processing of agro, forestry and seafood; have specific measures to reduce pork price; propose measures to enhance traceability for agricultural products to promote official export to China and other countries; study opportunities and transform business modes of consumption and export of key agricultural, forestry and fishery industries; and submit to the Prime Minister before March 20, 2020.

c) The Ministry of Finance shall direct tax agencies and customs agencies to speed up the implementation, reform and simplify administrative procedures for those affected by the Covid-19 epidemic such as customs clearance, tax refund, and extension of tax payment deadline, etc.; promptly rectify and strictly handle acts of taking advantage of disease control policies to cause difficulties for enterprises in customs clearance, import and export of goods, and report to the Prime Minister in March 2020.

d) The President of Council members, General Directors of groups and State-owned corporations shall proactively implement solutions to overcome difficulties, encourage to innovate, creative and effort to successfully implement production and business tasks and targets in 2020, promote relevant sectors and industries and perform socio-economic development tasks. The State Capital Management Committee in enterprises and related Ministries and branches shall step up, direct, guide, inspect and urge the implementation of the 2020 plans of State-owned corporations in the spirit of create all favorable conditions to promote production and business development.

4. Expeditiously recover and develop tourism and aviation

a) The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall promote to deploy national tourism promotion activities; coordinate with professional associations in tourism to develop and implement a program to stimulate inland tourism; strengthen communication, promotion, marketing and development of new products to attract international tourists, especially tourists from regions not affected by the epidemic; at the same time, to focus on developing strongly domestic tourism in regions of the country.

b) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall preside and coordinate with Ministries of: Culture, Sports and Tourism, Public Security, Finance and relevant agencies to expand the review and improve electronic visa procedures, propose visa-free travel for tourists traveling under the Package Travel Program by the end of 2020, first of all, regions and countries that do not have the epidemic and report to the Prime Minister in March 2020.

c) The Ministry of Transport shall preside and coordinate with relevant Ministries and branches to have specific measures to remove difficulties for aviation; review and handle according to laws on reduction of price, fee, charge and expense of the aviation; coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to speed up the direct connection between aviation with key markets.

d) The Ministry of Finance shall preside and coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in urgently putting the Tourism Development Assistance Fund into operation.

dd) The Ministry of Information and Communications shall preside and coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Ministries, branches, localities, news agencies and press agencies in promoting communication on safe tourism and a friendly, responsible country with positive results in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, highly appreciated by international organizations and the international community.

5. To speed up the implementation, disburse investment capital and improve the business environment

a) Ministries, central agencies and localities shall urgently complete investment procedures, distribute investment capital plans from the State budget of 2020 in March 2020; accelerate the implementation and disbursement of the remaining public investment plan for 2019 and 2020 (including ODA); focus on directing and soon completing and putting into use large and important infrastructure works, maximizing design capacity and socio-economic efficiency. To request Ministries, branches, localities, State-owned corporations to regularly examine and have solutions to remove difficulties in order to ensure the schedule, volume and quality of construction works.

b) The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall:

- To preside and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies to organize the National online Conference of the Government on promote to disburse public investment capital in March 2020, which clearly stating responsibility of each organization and individual, especially the leader in implementation, disbursement according to plans.

- To regularly examine, evaluate the implementation of public investment plan for 2002, promptly guide to solve difficulties in order to accelerate the implementation, disbursement, ensure to disburse the remain public investment capital for 2019 and the planning capital for 2020; strictly handle if there s delay.

-To preside and coordinate with Ministries, branches, central agencies and localities to urgently submit the Government to promulgate the program of cutting down regulations, conditions, procedures that cause difficulties and hinders production and business activities in the period of 2021-2025; to deploy measures to improve business environment, attract domestic and foreign investors to make good use of development opportunities, especially to seize the opportunity to shift investment flows from other countries.

c) The Ministry of Transport shall:

- To preside and coordinate with: The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies to study and propose the competent authorities the transition from public-private partnership investment to public investment for key projects, such as the My Thuan - Can Tho highway project, component projects of a construction investment project on some sections of the North-South Eastern expressway in the 2017-2020 period; consider the application of investor designation, contractor appointment, strictly comply with law provisions to accelerate the project implementation, and report the Government before March 15, 2020 to report to the competent authorities as prescribed.

- To urgently complete the procedures and promote the disbursement and implementation of large-scale, important public investment projects which have spillover effects, create motivation for socio-economic development like projects of expansion of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Noi Bai Airport, the construction project of Long Thanh International Airport, North - South Eastern Expressway in the 2017-2020 period, etc.; do not be late as the past.

d) The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall focus on directing to complete large-scale industrial projects, contribute to promote the growth, in which there are the Thai Binh 2 thermal power plant project, Long Phu I thermal power project, Hau River I thermal power project and projects of electricity, gas, recycled energy, power transmission systems; accelerate the planning of national electricity development in the period 2021 - 2030 with a vision to 2045; handle according to its competence or promptly report to competent authorities to handle problems in the course of implementation. It is prohibited to lack electricity for production and life in the 2021-2025 period.

dd) Ministries, branches and localities shall continue to promote the simplification, cut down administrative procedures, business conditions, immediately solve difficulties and problems, create favorable conditions for production and business, especially in terms of land, investment, construction, credit, tax, customs, etc.; have specific plans to accelerate the implementation of solutions to improve the business investment environment, enhance competitiveness in the spirit of the Government s Resolution No. 02/NQ-CP of January 01, 2020; publicize the settlement of administrative procedures for people and enterprises to know and supervise.

6. To focus on handling problems on labor

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall preside and coordinate with agencies and localities to urgently focus and handle, solve problems on labor, and report the Prime Minister in March 2020 about the following problems:

- Labor and employment situation in enterprises; take measures to diversify forms of propaganda and solutions to motivate employees morale; have plans to support appropriate labor training and support workers who are laid off, lose their jobs due to the effects of the Covid-19 epidemic.

- The situation and solution of the management of foreign employees who are working in Vietnam in each locality, especially employees from or traveling to the epidemic areas; have plans to support enterprises to find alternative labor sources in case of shortage of shortage and foreign experts.

7. To promote communication information

The Ministry of Information and Communications shall preside and coordinate with the Central propaganda and Ministries and localities:

- To direct media agencies to timely provide official, public, transparent and objective information on the results of the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic in Vietnam; promote the propagation of solutions of the Government, Ministries, branches and localities in proactively, synchronously and drastically preventing and controlling the evolution of epidemic and focusing on removing difficulties and promoting production and business, ensuring social security, health and life of the people.

- To enhance communication on topics of "Safe living" and "Safe Vietnam", which affirms that Vietnam is a safe destination and always creates favorable conditions for tourists and domestic and international investors.

III. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Ministries, central agencies and localities shall focus on thoroughly and urgently having specific programs and action plans and directing agencies, units, cadres, civil servants, officials and employees under the scope of management to immediately implement the tasks stated in this Directive; to well carry out the work of guiding, propagating and mobilizing the enterprise community and people on mechanisms, policies, solutions to support and remove difficulties for production and business, ensure social security to cope with the Covid-19 epidemic in the spirit of this Directive; absolutely avoid asking for, causing difficulties and troubles for the people and enterprises; actively coordinate with relevant Ministries and agencies in handling arising problems, report monthly on the implementation status, propose solutions, send them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Government Office before 20th every month to synthesize and report to the Government and the Prime Minister.

The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, the Chairpersons of the People s Committees of provinces and municipalities, the Chairpersons of the Council members, General Directors of State-owned corporations are directly responsible to the Government and the Prime Minister for the implementation and results of the implementation of this Directive.

2. To propose the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, the professional associations, the social organizations and the people s union to have measures to encourage all economic sectors and people of all strata to enthusiastically overcome difficulties, emulate production labor, strive to successfully fulfill their tasks by 2020.

3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall preside and coordinate with Ministries, branches and localities to follow, urge and synthetize the implementation of the tasks and solutions stated in this Directive; report the Government at the monthly Government meeting and promptly report to the Prime Minister arising problems.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministries, branches and localities shall regularly follow the socio-economic status; examine and assess the impact and affect and the extent of damage caused by epidemic in all fields and recommend, propose the Government and the Prime Minister to have appropriate and timely solutions and measures./.