Legal Document Updates in English (17/2022)

EXTEND DEADLINE FOR EXCISE TAX PAYMENT OF DOMESTICALLY ASSEMBLED CARS

This noticeable content is prescribed in the Government’s Decree No. 32/2022/ND-CP dated May 21, 2022, on extension of deadlines for excise tax payment for domestically manufactured or assembled automobiles.

Accordingly, to extend the deadlines for payment of the payable excise tax amounts for the tax periods of June, July, August and September of 2022 for domestically manufactured or assembled automobiles to the end of November 20, 2022. During the extension period, tax offices shall not calculate late-payment interests on the excise tax amounts eligible for extension of payment deadlines.

A taxpayer entitled to extension of excise tax payment deadlines shall submit a written request for extension of excise tax payment deadlines to the managing tax office

once for all tax periods eligible for payment extension simultaneously with excise tax declaration dossiers in accordance with the law on tax administration (by using electronic means or sending the request in paper form directly to the tax office or by post).

In case the written request for extension of the excise tax payment deadline is not submitted simultaneously with the excise tax declaration dossier, such written request shall be submitted no later than November 20, 2022. Tax offices are not required to notify taxpayers of the acceptance of the requests for extension of deadlines for excise tax payment.

This Decree takes effect from the date of its signing to the end of December 31, 2022.

BY 2030, PUBLIC DEBTS WILL NOT EXCEED 60% OF GDP

On April 14, 2022, the Prime Minister issues the Decision No. 460/QD-TTg on approving the Public Debt Strategy toward 2030.

Accordingly, specific targets by 2030 include: Public debts will not exceed 60% of GDP, government debts will not exceed 50% of GDP; The Government’s obligation of direct debt payment will not exceed 25% of total state budget revenues; National foreign debts will not exceed 45% of GDP. In the 2021-2025 period, to control the state budget deficit target approved by the National Assembly in the state budget estimate and the 5-year national financial plan for the

2021-2025 period, ensure debt safety targets including ceiling, threshold within the approved limits.

Besides, tasks and solutions include: Completing the debt management policies and equipment; Actively and flexibly combining debt instruments, and domestic and foreign mobilization channels under market conditions to ensure the Government debt portfolio in compliance with the set risk management objectives; Increasing the publicity, transparency in public debt mobilization, management and use, and enhancing the national credit rating, etc.

This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

HOSPITALS SHALL ACTIVELY REGULATE
THE BODY TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT AND SAFE DISTANCE ASSURANCE

This highlight content is prescribed in the Ministry of Health’s Decision No. 1226/QD-BYT dated May 17, 2022, on promulgating the Guidelines on adjusting a number of provisions on screening, testing and distributing the flow of patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection, and receiving, treating COVID-19 patients in medical examination and treatment establishments.

In accordance with this Decision, at the gates of receiving patients of public and private hospitals with one or many gates, a signboard of “Way for patients suffering cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat, chest pain, dyspnoea, myalgia and loss of taste” must be placed. Such signboard may contain other contents such as other symptoms, hotlines, etc.; and lights for a clear view at night. After the signboard, there must be an instruction on the area for COVID-19 screening.

Besides, hospitals must request and instruct patients and visitors to wear face masks and disinfect their hands; the body temperature measurement and keeping a safe distance shall actively be regulated by the hospitals according to their physical foundations and the number of patients and visitors to the hospitals.

Hospitals shall focus on assessing the risk and detecting symptoms of COVID-19 infection to designate testing for patients before performing surgery, patients in high-risk departments such as intensive care, stroke, haemodialysis (artificial kidney), postoperation departments and other patients at professional requirements on the principles of protecting people at high risk, minimizing infection.

This Decision takes effect on the signing date.

CHANGE THE FORMER NATIONAL ROUTE 8’S SECTION IN HA TINH TO THE LOCAL ROAD

On May 16, 2022, the Ministry of Transport promulgates the Decision No. 626/QD-BGTVT on changing the former National Route 8’s section from Km9+300 to Km10+070 in Ha Tinh province to the local road.

Accordingly, changing the section from Km9+300 to Km10+070 with a length of 1.023 km of the former National Route 8 (that is replaced with another route) to the local road and hand over it to the People’s Committee of Ha Tinh

province for operation management and maintenance in accordance with regulations.

Additionally, the Finance Department and the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam are assigned to coordinate with the functional agencies of Ha Tinh province in carrying out the procedures for transferring road infrastructure facility assets in accordance with regulations; organize the handover, solve related problems, ensure the continuous operation management and the traffic on the route.

PROMOTE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION
TO RAISE THE EFFICIENCY OF POSTGRADUATE TRAINING MANAGEMENT

On May 11, 2022, the Prime Minister issues the Directive No. 03/CT-TTg on improvement of the quality of highly qualified human resources training.

Specifically, the Ministry of Education and Training shall strengthen the synchronous implementation of solutions to improve the quality of postgraduate training up to international training standards, especially disciplines capable of meeting the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Particular attention will be paid to the development of a higher education quality assurance and accreditation system of Vietnam with quantity and quality up to regional and international standards and practices.

Accordingly, to promote the application of information technology and improve databases for raising the efficiency of state management of postgraduate training. Concurrently,

to direct postgraduate training institutions to promote the association of training with scientific research; to carry out joint postgraduate training with reputable foreign training institutions to improve the training quality according to regional and international standards, etc.

Besides, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and provincial-level People’s Committees - agencies directly managing postgraduate training institutions, shall attach importance to highly qualified human resources training to meet requirements of the development of sectors, fields and localities; and prioritize investment to ensure the quality of postgraduate training at their affiliated training institutions.

PROVIDE AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE PREMIUM SUPPORT UNTIL THE END OF 2025

The Decision No. 13/2022/QD-TTg on the implementation of agricultural insurance support policy is issued on May 09, 2022 by the Prime Minister.

Accordingly, insured objects eligible for agricultural insurance premium support include: Crop (rice, rubber, pepper, cashew and coffee); Livestock (buffaloes, cows and pigs); Aquatic animals (black tiger shrimps and white leg shrimps and pangasius). Insured risks eligible for agricultural insurance premium support (for rice) include storm, tropical

low pressure, cyclone, lightning, heavy rain, flood, flash flood, inundation, landslide due to flood or water flow, land subsidence due to flood or water flow, water level rise, etc.

The period of provision of agricultural insurance premium support shall be from June 24, 2022, to the end of December 31, 2025.

This Decision takes effect from June 24, 2022 to December 31, 2025.

FORMULATE A RESOLUTION ON EXTENDING THE TIME LIMIT FOR PILOT HANDLING OF NON-PERFORMING LOANS

On April 21, 2022, the National Assembly Standing Committee issues the Resolution No. 19/2022/UBTVQH15 on adjusting the 2022 law- and ordinance-making program.

Specifically, to add the following draft resolutions to the 2022 law- and ordinance-making program and submit them to the National Assembly for opinions and adoption at its 3^rd session according to the 1- session process:

Firstly, the National Assembly’s resolution providing extension of the time limit for the whole application of the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 42/2017/QH14 of June

21, 2017, on pilot handling of non-performing loans of credit institutions (The Economic Committee in charge of verification).

Secondly, the National Assembly’s resolution on pilot implementation of a number of special mechanisms and policies for development of Khanh Hoa province (the Finance and Budget Committee in charge of verification).

This Resolution takes effect on the date of its adoption.

MORE CASES WHERE A CONVICT IS ENTITLED TO SUSPENDED SENTENCE

The Judicial Council of the Supreme People’s Court issues the Resolution No. 01/2022/NQ-HDTP amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Resolution No. 02/2018/NQ-HDTP dated May 15, 2018, of the Judicial Council of the Supreme People’s Court, guiding the application of Articles 65 of the Penal Code regarding suspended sentence on April 15, 2022.

Accordingly, the Resolution stipulates more cases where a convict is entitled to suspended sentence as follows: In case of using the circumstance of “having been disciplined” or “having been administratively sanctioned” or “having been convicted” when determining crime for a convict and other conditions are fully satisfied, such convict may also be entitled to suspended sentence; A convict who is tried and convicted for 2 less serious crimes, or person who is helper playing an insignificant role in a complicity case shall be entitled to suspended sentence, etc.

Besides, the time already in custody or detention of a convict who is entitled to suspended sentence shall not be included

in the period of serving the imprisonment penalty to place the probation period. During his/her probation period, if such person commits new crime or violates his/her obligations and is coerced to serve the imprisonment sentence already suspended, the court may include the time already in custody or detention into the period of serving an imprisonment sentence already suspended or serving a new imprisonment sentence.

Also in accordance with this Resolution, in case the first-instance court entitles a convict suspended sentence but the appellate court quashes the first-instance judgments for re-investigation or re-trial and, through re-trial according to the first-instance procedures, the first-instance court upholds the ruling entitling the convict to suspended sentence, the probation period shall be counted from the date the latter first-instance judgment is pronounced.

This Resolution takes effect on May 10, 2022.