Legal Document Updates in English (39/2011)

TO REDUCE TIME OF INTERNATIONAL MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT BUSINESS LICENSES
 

On October 10, 2011, the Government issued the Decree No. 89/2011/ND-CP amending, supplementing some articles of the Decree No. 87/2009/ND-CP dated October 19, 2009 of the Government on multimodal transport.

Accordingly, time for granting a multimodal transport business license to the applicant is reduced from 10 to 07 working days. An international multimodal transport business license is valid for 5 years from the date of its grant.

The Decree also supplements more regulations: In the case that a dossier of application for international multimodal transport business licenses is not fully in accordance with regulations, the Ministry of Transport shall have document answering enterprises with stated reasons within 03 working days after receiving direct dossiers or receiving date on post stamp.

These amends and supplements take effect on November 25, 2011.

TO 2015, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PATENT PROTECTION APPLICATIONS BY 1.5 TIMES
 

On July 25, 2011, the Prime Minister issued the Decision No. 1244/QD-TTg approving  the major scientific and technological directions, goals and tasks in the 2011-2015 period.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister advocates creating an innovative change in  investing and developing scientific and technological potentials, enhancing the source of investments from society for developing science and technology, creating a favorable condition for enterprises to promote innovation, technology transfer and commercialization activities, supporting registration and exploitation of patents at universities, institutes, and enterprises.

The target for this period is to increase the number of patent protection applications by 1,5 times compared with that of the 2006 – 2010 period, building 4000 national standards, of which 45% will be harmonious with international standards,  promulgating 1000 technical regulations.

Besides, The Decision also set a goal to develop 3000 scientific and technological enterprises, of which about 70% are formed from universities, institutes. The value of successful technology transactions in the science and technology market increases by 15-17 percent. 30 research and development (R&D) organizations are established with modern material facilities and high research ability to deal with national major problems and reach regional and global levels.

Also, in the Decision, The Prime Minister assigns the Ministry of Science and Technology which shall have responsibility in building the plan for developing the strengths of several major science and technology organizations, strong research groups; developing potentials of science and technology achievement application centers, and centers for standards and quality control in centrally-governed provinces and cities.

955 BILLION FOR NATIONAL PROGRAM ON GENDER EQUALITY IN THE 2011-2015 PERIOD
 

With a view to creating a strong shift in the awareness in order to encourage the whole society to change behaviors on gender equality; step-by-step, bridge the gender gap, and raise the status of women in several fields confronted with inequality. On July 22, 2011, the Prime Minister signed the Decision No. 1241/QD-TTg approving national program on gender equality for the 2011-2015 period.

The program will be implemented nationwide with the total cost of VND 955 billion, most of which will be sourced from the State budget, local budget, international aids, mobilization from society and community, and other legal sources.

The program includes five projects, of which objectives of the first project is to step up information, propaganda in order to raise the awareness on gender equality to 70 per cent of the State's employees, laborers, servicemen, students at all levels and residents.

The content of the second project is to improve management capacity for management staff and officials specializing in gender equality, policy makers; supporting pilot model at some central agencies, People’s Committees of centrally-governed provinces and cities on implementing completely steps of gender equality mainstreaming on the process of building legal documents.

The third project will help female representatives of the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels, female managers, female leaders at all levels,  female candidates for representatives of  National Assembly and People’s Council for the 2016-2020 term improve their qualifications and skills.

The fourth project will support the implementation of gender equality in fields, sectors, regions, localities where gender inequality is high at the moment or highly expose to gender inequality. Five pilot models will be established to address and reduce gender inequality including: models supporting women to get jobs or establishing and developing businesses at 10 job-training establishments offices and vocational centers; Models on preventing and mitigating domestic violence impacts in 63 communes…

The fifth projects will be implemented in some districts, towns, provincial cities which are representatives of areas, regions nationwide by supporting to build and develop counseling services on gender equality. The project aims to establish and operate four Social work centers providing many supporting services related to promoting gender equality activities.

THE PRIME MINISTER APPROVES THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO 2020
 

On July 22, 2011, the Prime Minister signed the Decision No. 1216/QD-TTg approving the master plan on development of Vietnam’s human resources for the 2011 – 2020 period. 

The plan aims to rapidly increase the rate of trained human resources in the economy in various forms and at different levels from 40% in 2010 to 70% by 2020; comprehensively develop human resources with increasing quality and strong in all sectors, at the same time, giving priority to sectors in which Vietnam has the competitive edge.

Regarding the structure of training grades, by 2020, the number of laborers receiving elementary vocational training will be around 24 million, accounting for some 54% of the total trained human resources, the number of laborers receiving intermediate, collegial, tertiary and postgraduate are around 12 million, 3 million, 5 million and 300,000 respectively.

Human resources in the industry and construction sectors increase from 10.8 million in 2010 to around 20 million by 2020; The number of laborers in the service sector will rise to around 17-19 million and the number of laborers in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sector decrease to around 22 - 24 billion. 

Besides, the Prime Minister advocates increasing the number of civil servants and public employees nationwide to around 6 million, including 3.8 million employees having a bachelor, master or doctoral degree, accounting for some 63 % of the total civil servants and public employees.

By 2020, there will be 2.5-3 million entrepreneurs nationwide, with 80% of whom holding a bachelor, master or doctoral degree. It is estimated that there will be around 154,000 scientists and technologists; the numbers of teachers and lecturers of colleges and universities will be around 75,800, with 30% of whom holding a doctorate.

Also, in this plan, there are objectives, orientations for the development of human resources in regions and some specific economic sectors such as Transport, Natural resources and environment, Tourism, Banking, Finance, Information technology, Nuclear energy, Training guest workers.

Total investments in human resource development during 2011-2020 are estimated at VND 2,135 trillion, accounting for 12% of the total investment of the whole society; Total investments in education-training and vocational training are estimated at VND 1,225-1,300 trillion.

LOANS SECURED BY GOLD HAS THE MAXIMUM RISK COEFFICIENT OF 250%
 

On October 08, 2011, the State Bank of Vietnam issued the Circular No. 33/2011/TT-NHNN amending, supplementing some articles of the Circular No. 13/2010/TT-NHNN dated May 20, 2010 of the State Bank of Vietnam stipulating prudential ratios in operations of credit institutions and Regulations on lending by credit institutions to clients issued with the Decision 1627/2001/QD-NHNN dated December 31, 2001 of the Governor of the State Bank.

Within that, the Circular supplements point (d), clause 5.6, Article 5 of the Circular No. 13/2010/TT-NHNN that loans secured by gold has the maximum risk coefficient of 250%.

Besides, to buy gold, except for the case of being accepted by the Governor of the State Bank to fund for buying gold to produce gold bar, produce and handle golden jewelry, fine arts and lend for importing gold materials in accordance with license of the State Bank.