Resolution 105/NQ-CP 2021 supporting enterprises, cooperatives amid COVID-19 pandemic

RESOLUTION

On support for enterprises, cooperatives and business households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic^[1]

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government, and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 30/2021/QH15 of July 28, 2021, on the first session of the XV^th National Assembly;

Pursuant to the National Assembly Standing Committee’s Resolution No. 268/NQ-UBTVQH15 of August 6, 2021, permitting the Government to promulgate a Resolution with a number of contents different from provisions of laws to meet requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 138/2016/ND-CP of October 1, 2016, promulgating the Working Regulation of the Government;

At the proposal of the Minister of Planning and Investment and based on unanimous opinions of the cabinet members,

RESOLVES:

Enterprises, cooperatives and business households¹ have always played a very important role and position in national socio-economic development; and made positive contributions to economic growth, state budget revenues, export turnover, job generation, increase of income for workers, hunger elimination and poverty reduction, and social stability; is an important link in the production network and value chain and serves as one of the major forces for creation of social wealth and materials. In the context that the COVID-19 pandemic has exerted extremely negative impacts on production and business activities, enterprises, cooperatives and business households still hold up the spirit of solidarity, self-reliance for self-improvement and resolvedness, and spare no effort to adapt to difficult circumstances so as to continue their production and business activities and ensure employment for their workers; at the same time, they uphold the sense of accountability, sharing and advocating all authorities and sectors in pandemic prevention and control, supporting the people and community, organizing relief and transportation activities, and carrying out voluntary charitable activities.

The Government acknowledges and appreciates joint efforts, consensus, sharing, active and responsible participation, and noble gestures of enterprises, cooperatives and business households with the Party, the State and the people for their practical and effective contributions in many aspects in pandemic prevention and control as well as socio-economic development.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the Party, National Assembly, Government and Prime Minister have given drastic instructions and promptly promulgated numerous mechanisms, policies and solutions in support of the people, enterprises, cooperatives and business households.² However, over the recent months, the COVID-19 pandemic in the country has seen extremely complicated developments as the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 has spread very fast with an extremely high virulence. Enterprises, cooperatives and business households used to be severely affected by the pandemic are now in even more difficult conditions; reserve resources are dwindling while the domestic and international markets are declining sharply and show no signs of revitalization or are revitalized very slowly; and the resilience of enterprises, cooperatives and business households is withering.

The Party’s and the State’s leaders clearly understand and share the difficulties and challenges currently confronting the community of enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

In order to promptly remove difficulties and obstacles caused by the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus helping enterprises, cooperatives and business households stabilize their production and business activities, be revitalized and gather a new momentum for development in the coming time, the Government requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and provincial-level People’s Committees (below referred to as localities) to expeditiously grasp and drastically and effectively perform the following tasks:

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. To uphold the spirit of self-reliance for self-improvement; to mobilize the strength of great national unity and the participation of the entire political system, the community of enterprises, cooperatives and business households, and the people; to expand international cooperation, and promote vaccine and medicine diplomacy to get vaccines and medicines for disease treatment as soon and as many as possible; to show high resolvedness, great efforts and drastic actions for the supreme goal of protecting the people’s lives and health and, at the same time, support and facilitate production and business activities of enterprises, cooperatives and business households while ensuring safety for pandemic prevention and control; not to let socio-economic crises occur, and adopt specific roadmaps and plans for enterprises, cooperatives and business households to resume their normal operation, thus bringing the country back to the new normal state; to focus on scientific research, analyze practical issues and learn from international experience for devising appropriate and effective solutions in order to step by step safely adapt to the pandemic.

2. To persistently and resolutely prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic under the motto “Fighting the pandemic like fighting the enemy”; to ensure harmony, rationality and effectiveness between pandemic prevention and control activities and production and business activities; to follow the mottos “Fighting the pandemic for production and carrying out production for fighting the pandemic”, “Harmonized benefits - shared risks”, “Carrying out production only when safety conditions are satisfied and ensuring safety in production”; to attach importance to efficiency, avoid ostentation, and do what is told; to take the people, enterprises, cooperatives and business households as the center for service and concurrently as participants in pandemic prevention and control.

3. To continue accompanying the community of enterprises, cooperatives and business households on the principle that the authority or locality that faces difficulties or problems shall proactively and promptly remove or resolve such difficulties or problems; to uphold personal responsibility, and strictly handle violations causing difficulties in production and business or congestion in goods circulation; an authority shall take the initiative in reporting issues falling beyond its competence to its immediate superior authority for consideration and handling; to focus on immediately taking measures to remove bottlenecks and congestion in “the earliest and most effective manner” with a view to minimizing damage and negative impacts on enterprises, cooperatives, business households and the people.

4. To promote proactivity and creativity in applying efficient production and business models that are safe for pandemic prevention and control; to strengthen coordination between ministries, sectors, agencies, localities and units for effectively and substantially dealing with difficulties and obstacles facing enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

5. To expand and closely protect disease-free zones so as to promote production and business activities; to control the pandemic for soon stabilizing production and business activities in key economic regions, economic zones, hi-tech parks, industrial parks, industrial clusters, and regions and areas for production, trading and processing of agro-fisheries products, thereby resolutely preventing manufacturing supply chain and labor supply chain from breaking.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. To focus on restoring and developing production and business activities of enterprises, cooperatives and business households associated with ensuring safety of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control.

2. To support and promptly remove difficulties, obstacles and bottlenecks that hinder production and business activities, and reduce the number of enterprises, cooperatives and business households that are forced to suspend their operation or dissolved or fall bankrupt under impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. By the end of 2021, to strive for achievement of the following objectives and targets:

- At least 1 million turns of customers being enterprises, cooperatives and business households will be entitled to credit policies as support for pandemic response.

- The majority of enterprises, cooperatives and business households that have had to suspend business activities can resume their operation.

- To fully and timely implement policies on extension of tax payment time limits; tax, charge and land rental exemption or reduction; and reduction of electricity, water and telecommunications charges, and policies on support for employees and employers and employee training, etc., for enterprises, cooperatives and business households that face difficulties due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

III. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

Based on the abovementioned viewpoints, objectives and practical situation, the Government decides on the following groups of major tasks and solutions:

1. Drastically and effectively implementing the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures, while creating favorable conditions for enterprises, cooperatives and business households to revitalize, maintain and develop production and business while ensuring pandemic prevention and control safety

a/ The Ministry of Health shall, as the responsible agency and in coordination with ministries, sectors, localities, agencies and units:

- Rationally and effectively distribute COVID-19 vaccines according to the Government’s resolutions, adding persons entitled to vaccination priority, including workers of enterprises, cooperatives and business households in key economic regions, economic zones, hi-tech parks, industrial parks, industrial clusters, and regions and areas for producing, trading in and processing agro-fisheries products, enterprises in the supply chain that receive orders for production, are engaged in export or import activities or labor-intensive activities; enterprises, cooperatives and business households operating in the fields of goods circulation and seaports; persons working in national strategic works and localities; and persons working in high risk-prone sectors; and continue to add persons entitled to vaccination priority to meet production and business development requirements in other essential industries and sectors.

- Review and revise regulations on health insurance toward allowing payment for charged telehealth services with sources from social insurance premiums, then submit them to the Government for reporting to the National Assembly Standing Committee according to the fast-track order and procedures in September 2021.

- Issue in September 2021 a document providing guidance on enterprises’, cooperatives’ and business households’ purchase of biologicals and test equipment, performance of self-testing, and recognition of test results.

- Study and formulate mechanisms, provide guidance on, and create conditions for and encourage enterprises to import vaccines; the State shall carry out quality control, licensing, preservation and organization of free vaccination for all citizens; purchase machinery, equipment and medical supplies for pandemic prevention and control, and COVID-19 curative drugs; and organize domestic production of COVID-19 vaccines and curative drugs.

- Based on the reality of pandemic control and the level of vaccine coverage in localities, guide such localities to implement the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 16 with specific roadmaps and plans for enterprises and cooperatives to resume their operation.

- Provide localities with specific instructions on testing and necessary conditions for workers of enterprises, cooperatives and business households to soon participate in goods circulation and production and business activities.

b/ The Ministry of Information and Communications shall:

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Security and related ministries, sectors, localities and agencies in expeditiously disseminating, training in, and promoting the connection of telehealth counseling platforms to all district- and commune-level authorities; issue an e-handbook on response to COVID-19 pandemic; build a portal providing updated documents on pandemic fighting direction and administration which  is expected to be inaugurated in September 2021, thus facilitating pandemic prevention and control activities of enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

- Assume the prime responsibility for building a digital technology platform to integrate information on COVID-19 prevention and control and guide the synchronous and unified implementation thereof at all levels, including vaccination, testing, medical declaration, grant of green channel permits and green certificates, etc., with a view to ensuring the fast, convenient and safe provision of official information to enterprises, cooperatives, business households and the people, which shall be completed in September 2021.

- Direct press agencies and radio and television stations to promptly provide information about the pandemic situation, guidelines, policies and regulations of the Party and the State and instructions of agencies on pandemic prevention and control; consolidate trust for enterprises, cooperatives and business households to stabilize their production and business activities; and expand efficient production and business models and valuable experience associated with ensuring pandemic safety.

- Intensify public communication about effects and effectiveness of vaccination; support enterprises, cooperatives and business households in accessing information technology infrastructure to facilitate online work and work from home; handle in accordance with law acts of reporting inaccurate, unverified and misrepresented information causing public anxiety.

c/ The Ministry of Science and Technology shall coordinate with the Ministry of Health and related ministries, sectors, agencies and enterprises in formulating mechanisms to promote the research and transfer of technologies for production of COVID-19 vaccines and curative drugs in Vietnam.

d/ Localities shall take the initiative in directing and creating favorable conditions for enterprises, cooperatives and business households in pandemic prevention and control while maintaining safe, efficient and stable production and business; and mobilize all social resources to provide practical and effective assistance, thus contributing to ensuring social security and improving lives for workers.

2. Ensuring production stability and smooth, efficient and safe circulation of goods, and overcoming supply chain disruption

a/ The Ministry of Transport shall:

- Guide localities in uniformly applying “green channel” permission in national, inter-provincial and inter-regional transport by road and waterway in order to ensure safe and smooth cargo transport on the principles of simplification of procedures, quickness and convenience; take advantage of railway transport in the product supply chain; refrain from imposing additional conditions or permits that might impede the circulation of goods, particularly essential goods serving the people’s lives as well as supplies and raw materials for production; and not let negative practices occur, thereby increasing production or business costs of enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and related ministries, sectors, localities and agencies in, providing guidance on freight forwarding in the context of COVID-19 prevention and control, then report it to the Prime Minister in September 2021.

b/ The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall, as the responsible agency and in coordination with related ministries and agencies and localities:

- Intensify market surveillance, and ensure the balance of supplies and goods that are important and essential for production and life, not letting price increase.

- Increase the provision of information about markets and demands of other countries for goods export and import; help enterprises, cooperatives and business households join in online trade promotion programs; connect supply and demand and organize fairs and exhibitions in the digital environment; continue supporting localities in promoting the sale of agricultural products in the domestic market and boost exports to markets with large potential.

c/ The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall:

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, localities and trade associations in, reviewing the production and sale by and operation of enterprises, processing cooperatives and business households in the agro-forestry-fisheries sector; proactively and promptly apply solutions for removing difficulties, not letting production disruption occur and ensuring the supply and sale of goods, particularly food and essential consumer products when social distancing measures are applied for pandemic prevention and control.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade in, proposing measures to support enterprises, cooperatives and business households in switching to production and distribution of agricultural products by the method of placing future orders to supply goods to the domestic market and for export through summing up information about and forecasting output and quality of goods and coordinating with partners in making offers.

d/ The Ministry of Finance shall direct the General Department of Vietnam Customs:

- To apply Article 50 of the 2014 Customs Law regarding customs procedures for goods to meet urgent demands for quick customs clearance for goods as aid, donations or gifts from abroad or goods imported by domestic organizations and individuals for use as support, aid or donation to the Government, Ministry of Health, and provincial-level People’s Committees and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees to serve pandemic prevention and control and medical examination and treatment.

- To permit enterprises, cooperatives and business households to submit scanned copies bearing digital signatures for certification of documents for which paper documents/notarized copies/certified copies of originals are required under regulations of ministries and agencies to get rid of congestion upon customs clearance for goods; enterprises, cooperatives and business households shall submit such originals later after their goods are customs-cleared for post-customs clearance inspection.

- To guide Customs Departments and Customs Branches to allocate sufficient resources to organize continuous, timely and safe customs clearance to promptly meet requirements of enterprises that manufacture or process electronic and hi-tech parts; and enterprises, cooperatives and business households that import essential goods for disease prevention and treatment, nutrition food and milk for children.

dd/ The State Bank of Vietnam shall direct, monitor and urge credit institutions to implement solutions to support, and provide loans to, traders, enterprises, cooperatives and business households for the latter to purchase and store paddy and rice, especially in the Mekong River Delta region.

e/ Localities:

- Together with enterprises, cooperatives and business households, to take the initiative in studying and reach agreement on plans and conditions for organizing safe production and business activities in adaptation to pandemic developments in localities and practical conditions of enterprises, cooperatives and business households; to decide on and take responsibility for allowing enterprises, cooperatives and business households to resume operation when they meet conditions on pandemic prevention and control safety; to avoid to the least the closure of factories, cooperatives and business households while ensuring disease prevention and control safety; to mobilize all existing resources, particularly those from public-private cooperation, to support workers in enterprises, cooperatives and business households, thus contributing to ensuring social security and safety for workers.

- To fully evaluate the ability of enterprises, cooperatives and business households to meet requirements on pandemic prevention and control safety when applying the models: “One route, two destinations”, “Three on-the-spot” (on-the-spot production, on-the-spot quarantine and on-the-spot accommodations), “Three together” (eat together, live together and work together), etc., and apply other appropriate models when safety conditions are met as suitable to local realities.

- To creatively and flexibly apply good methods and effective models in conformity with local realities; to promptly report to the National Steering Committee for Pandemic Prevention and Control and the Prime Minister’s Special Working Group on removal of difficulties for businesses and the people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in order to provide support and address difficulties and arising problems.

- To focus on thoroughly removing bottlenecks and disruption in goods supply chains and transportation due to shortcomings in the implementation of regulations and procedures on the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control, ensuring compliance with regulations and guidelines of central authorities; neither to impose “sub-licenses” or conditions that hinder the circulation of goods nor to let negative practices occur, thereby preventing hikes in production or business costs of enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

- To intensify coordination in organizing trade exchange activities, connecting supply and demand, and supporting enterprises, cooperatives and business households in promoting and introducing their products and increase the sale of products, particularly agricultural products.

3. Providing support in terms of cost reduction and removal of financial and cash flow difficulties for enterprises, cooperatives and business households

a/ The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and agencies in, expeditiously proposing to competent authorities and the National Assembly Standing Committee the promulgation of policies related to reduction of social insurance premium rates or provision of support from the balance of short-term social insurance funds in order to promptly support workers, enterprises, cooperatives, business households and other employers, which shall be completed in September 2021.

- Direct and guide the Vietnam Social Security to study and propose exemption from fines for late payment of social insurance premiums in 2020 and 2021 under regulations, which shall be completed in September 2021.

b/ The Ministry of Transport shall:

- In September 2021, assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and agencies in, considering and deciding according to its competence or proposing competent authorities to decide on aviation service price policies in order to provide support for airlines when they suffer negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Request ocean shipping enterprises to publicly and transparently list ocean freight rates; enhance the state management of ocean shipping enterprises, put an end to the reality of taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to unreasonably increase freight rates, thus worsening the cost burden on enterprises, cooperatives and business households; at the same time, coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and related associations and units in improving the negotiation capacity, ensuring publicity and transparency in freight rates and surcharges in addition to freight rates.

c/ The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and related agencies in, expeditiously organizing the implementation of the Government’s Resolution No. 97/NQ-CP of August 28, 2021, on the support plan to reduce electricity bills and electricity prices (the  5^th time) for electricity consumers according to the law-specified order and procedures and regulations, ensuring strict compliance with regulations and provision of support to proper beneficiaries, preventing abuse of support policies for personal gain.

d/ The Ministry of Finance shall:

- Expeditiously organize the implementation of policies on extension of payment deadlines and reduction of taxes, charges, fees and land rentals after such policies are promulgated by competent authorities; implement preferential tax policies for imported goods to finance the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control activities after they are approved by the Government.

- Consider and propose the Government and Prime Minister to continue extending excise tax payment deadlines for domestically manufactured and assembled cars through the end of 2021; study and assess impacts of the pandemic before to consider reduction of registration fee for domestically manufactured and assembled cars as suitable to the pandemic situation.

dd/ The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and related ministries and agencies in, early allowing tour operators to be entitled to 80% reduction of deposits for tour operation through the end of 2023, and reduction of the period for settlement of requests for refund of deposits for tour operation from 60 days to 30 days.

e/ The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall:

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Justice in, reporting to the Government in September 2021 on the extension of deadlines for payment of charges for grant of mining rights for enterprises, cooperatives and business households that are exploiting minerals in accordance with the law on tax administration.

- Report to the Government in September 2021 on the application of post-licensing inspection to administrative and licensing procedures in the field of environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the grant of licenses on the basis of examining dossiers of application for licenses and consents of local specialized management agencies without having to organize inspection and survey at establishments, enterprises, cooperatives and business households (inspection shall be carried out after localities can control the pandemic); and immediately revoke licenses in case enterprises, cooperatives or business households violate laws.

g/ The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, agencies and localities in, intensifying the application of legal assistance solutions, including the settlement of disputes in production and business activities in accordance with law.

h/ The State Bank of Vietnam shall:

- Continue to administer proactively and flexibly the monetary policy in close combination with fiscal and other macro-policies so as to curb inflation, stabilize the macro-economy, support growth, contribute to promoting the recovery and development of production and business activities; encourage credit institutions to reduce costs to further reduce lending rates for existing and future loans with a view to supporting production and business activities.

- Urgently study revising policies on debt rescheduling, exemption from or reduction of loan interest rates, and maintenance of classified loan groups for customers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic toward increasing beneficiaries and expanding the scope and period of application of such policies to suit the actual developments of the pandemic, which shall be completed in September 2021.

- In September 2021, assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and agencies in, considering, deciding according to its competence or requesting competent authorities to decide on, credit support mechanisms to help airlines settle liquidity and ensure resources for maintenance and development.

i/ The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor shall:

- Consider giving exemption from trade union dues for members of trade unions at enterprises and cooperatives affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and 2022 so that workers can overcome difficulties and commit to work for a long term for enterprises and cooperatives.

- Report to the National Assembly Standing Committee for the latter to permit enterprises and cooperatives affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to enjoy reduction of trade union dues in 2021 and 2022 according to the fast-track order and procedures.

- In the process of revising the Trade Union Law, study and assess the impacts so as to consider reducing trade union dues.

- Propose additional solutions to practically support workers, share difficulties with and accompany businesses and cooperatives so as to help them overcome difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

k/ Localities shall:

- Based on the fund-balancing capacity of local budgets and voluntary contributions of organizations and individuals for the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control activities, decide on payment of partial or whole costs of COVID-19 testing for workers in enterprises, cooperatives and business households based in localities through testing facilities.

- Consider reducing the rates of charges for use of infrastructure facilities and public service works within border gates and seaports of grade I and grade IA in localities for enterprises, cooperatives and business households engaged in export and import activities depending on actual developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, and delaying the commencement of collection of charges at the above border gates and seaports for localities that do not plan to collect charges with a view to reducing costs for enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

4. Creating favorable conditions for workers and experts

a/ The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

- In September 2021, direct localities to flexibly implement and loosen a number of regulations on and conditions for the grant, extension and certification of work permits for foreign workers working in Vietnam as suitable to the new context, while ensuring absolute safety for COVID-19 prevention and control, specifically as follows:

+ For the case specified at Point a, Clause 3, Article 3 of Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP: Possessing a university or equivalent or higher degree and having at least 3 years’ working experience in a discipline relevant to his/her expected job assignment in Vietnam;

+ For the case specified at Point a, Clause 6, Article 3 of Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP: Having been trained in a technical or another discipline for at least 1 year and having at least 3 years’ working experience in a discipline relevant to his/her expected job assignment in Vietnam;

+ For the case specified at Point b, Clause 4, Article 9 of Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP: A paper proving that the foreign worker is an expert or a technical worker as defined in Clause 3 or 6, Article 3 of this Decree, which may be a diploma or certificate of the expert or technical worker; or written certification of his/her working experience calculated in year, issued by the overseas agency, organization or enterprise, or his/her granted work permit proving his/her working experience;

+ For the case specified at Point d, Clause 3, Article 8; in Clause 7, Article 9; or in Clause 5, Article 17, of Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP: A copy of the foreign worker’s valid passport as prescribed by law.

+ Foreign workers who possess valid work permits may be sent, transferred or seconded to work in other provinces or cities for no more than 6 months without having to have their work permits renewed, provided that their employers report such to labor management agencies in such provinces or cities.

- In September 2021, study and propose competent authorities according to the fast-track order and procedures to allow enterprises and cooperatives to reach agreement with employees to increase overtime working hours per month as suitable to the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic provided that the total overtime working hours per year do not exceed 300.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and agencies in, expeditiously submitting the Government’s Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP of July 1, 2021, and the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 23/2021/QD-TTg of July 7, 2021, to the Government for revision according to the fast-track order and procedures toward reducing conditions, simplifying procedures, increasing support beneficiaries, shortening the time of processing dossiers, creating favorable conditions for employees and employers to approach support policies, which shall be completed in September 2021.

b/ The Ministry of Health shall guide in September 2021 the process of quarantine for uniform implementation by localities, facilitating the receipt of workers from other localities.

c/ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall:

- Continue to resolutely implement “vaccine diplomacy”; mobilize and urge partners to supply vaccines with quantities and deadlines as committed, early transfer technology for production of COVID-19 vaccines and curative drugs, and provide support in terms of equipment, supplies, and biologicals.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, agencies and localities in, reporting to the Prime Minister in September 2021 on the application of a special mechanism on post-entry health control and pandemic prevention for consideration and decision for some special cases, while ensuring safety for pandemic control.

- Accelerate the negotiation and mutual recognition of “vaccine passports” with countries, territories and partners in order to open the economy when the law-specified conditions are met, and report such to the Prime Minister in September, 2021.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the ministries in the Working Group of 5 Ministries and related agencies and localities in, continuing to review the process and facilitate the entry of foreign experts and investors and their relatives into Vietnam while ensuring total safety for pandemic prevention and control.

d/ The Ministry of Education and Training shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in, providing guidance on degrees of foreign teachers who teach at short-term training institutions, general education institutions, vocational education institutions and higher education institutions in conformity with international practices and regulations of the Education Law, Law on Higher Education and Law on Vocational Education.

dd/ The Ministry of Construction shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and related agencies in, studying, proposing and reporting to the Prime Minister on mechanisms and policies on planning of and investment in building accommodations for workers and employees working in economic zones, hi-tech parks, industrial parks, industrial clusters, and agro-forestry-fisheries production facilities, etc.

e/ Localities shall:

- Uniformly apply regulations on concentrated quarantine for persons on entry under the Ministry of Health’s guidance.

- Study and take solutions to support local enterprises to attract their employees back to industrial parks, economic zones, and agro-forestry-fisheries production facilities; and proactively formulate plans to support job generation for employees returning from other localities, thus helping ensure welfare for employees and social order and safety.

IV. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Within the ambit of their assigned functions and tasks, ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall:

a/ Directly instruct and expeditiously organize the timely and effective implementation of this Resolution, upholding individual responsibility of heads of units; promptly encourage and commend those who dare to think, dare to do, dare to bear responsibility, take the initiative in innovative activities, and show flexibility in taking measures of pandemic prevention and control, associated with removing bottlenecks in production and business activities of enterprises, cooperatives and business households; disseminate, guide and mobilize the people, enterprises, cooperatives and business households to comply with regulations, and strictly handle those failing to comply with regulations, ensuring the prevention, combat and prohibition of corruption and negative practices.

b/ Direct the suspension, extension and postponement of examinations and inspections of enterprises, cooperatives and business households that are included in the 2021 plans but seem to be unnecessary, and organize them in an appropriate time as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled.

c/ Take responsibility for timely and effective performance of their assigned tasks on schedule, and regularly inspect, urge and supervise the organization of the implementation of this Resolution.

d/ Arrange a specialized and professional focal points to promptly deal with difficulties, problems and petitions of enterprises, cooperatives and business households within the sectors, fields or areas assigned to them for management or request competent authorities to do so.

dd/ Strictly handle under regulations cases in which cadres and civil servants cause difficulties and harassment to enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

e/ After promulgating policies and removing difficulties for enterprises, cooperatives and business households, send them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for summarization and reporting to the Government and Prime Minister.

2. The Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, business associations, and trade associations shall promptly grasp and summarize difficulties, problems and petitions of enterprises, cooperatives and business households, send them to competent agencies for consideration and settlement, and at the same time send them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for summarization.

3. Organizations, business associations, trade associations, and cooperative alliances shall continue to more actively promote their role in supporting enterprises, member cooperatives and business households; protect legitimate and lawful rights and interests of enterprises, cooperatives and business households; promote information connection and sharing; strengthen trade and investment promotion, human resource training, and provide consultancy and support for enterprises, cooperatives and business households to overcome difficulties and develop production and business.

4. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall:

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Government Office, and related ministries, agencies and localities in, urging, inspecting and supervising the implementation of this Resolution; and promptly report arising problems to the Government and Prime Minister.

- Preliminarily review and assess the implementation of this Resolution through the end of 2021, and report such to the Government and Prime Minister in January 2022.

5. The Government calls on the community of enterprises, cooperatives and business households to promote the spirits of patriotism, bravery, aspiration and the values of “Mindfulness - Talent - Intellect - Trust” of businesspeople who are self-reliant for self-improvement to overcome difficulties and challenges, promote production and business, ensure sustainable development, show solidarity and joint efforts with all authorities, sectors and localities and the people across the country to fight the pandemic, contributing to successful implementation of the set socio-economic development objectives and tasks.

6. In the course of implementation of this Resolution, if arising problems fall beyond their competence, ministries, agencies and localities shall promptly report them to the Government, Prime Minister and competent agencies in accordance with regulations.

V. EFFECT

1. This Resolution takes effect on the date of its signing.

2. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall personally take responsibility before the Government and Prime Minister for the organization and results of implementation of this Resolution.-

On behalf of the Government
Prime Minister
PHAM MINH CHINH