Resolution No. 23/NQ-CP 2019 the regular meeting in March

RESOLUTION

The Government’s regular meeting on March 2019

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THE GOVERNMENT

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated June 19, 2015;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 138/2016/ND-CP dated October 01, 2016 promulgating the working regulation of the Government;

Based on the discussion of the Cabinet members and the conclusion of the Prime Minister at the Government’s regular meeting in March 2019, held on April 04, 2019,

RESOLVES

1. Regarding the socio-economic situation in March and the first three months of 2019, the implementation of the Government’s Resolutions No. 01/NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP

The Government agreed that the socio-economic situation in March and the first quarter of 2019 achieved positive results in the context the world and the country facing many difficulties. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2019 was estimated to increase by 6.79% over the same period last year. Industry and construction sector augmented by 8.95% compared with the same period last year, mainly fueled by processing and manufacturing growth. Total demand continued to rise; total retail sales of goods and consumer services increased by 12%; the number of international visitors to Viet Nam reached over 4.5 million people, a rise of 7% compared with the same period last year. Macroeconomic conditions were relatively stable; inflation was kept under control, the average consumer price index increased by 2.63% over the same period. Key economic balances were guaranteed; interest rates, exchange rates and foreign exchange markets were relatively stable; foreign exchange reserves continued to augment; the stock market witnessed positive developments. State budget revenue recorded decent results, up 13.2% compared with the same period last year. Total social investment capital upsurged by 8.8%; foreign direct investment inflows valued at US$ 10.8 billion, up 86.2% compared with the same period last year, reaching the highest recorded registered investment capital in the last three years, of which total contributed capital and/or share purchase reached US$ 5.68 billion. Export maintained growth momentum and trade surplus was maintained. Business investment environment continued to improve, the number of newly registered enterprises increased by 6.2%, total registered capital increased by 34.8%; the number of enterprises returning to operation increased by 78.1% compared with the same period last year. The fields of culture, society, labor, employment, poverty reduction, social security, sports, ethnic minorities affairs, and communication received due attention. Unemployment rate dropped to about 2%. People s lives continued to improve. Defense, security, social order and safety were maintained. Foreign affairs received due attention and were implemented effectively, affirming Viet Nam s position in the international arena.

In addition to the above positive results, there remained internal and external potential risks, difficulties and challenges, posing adverse impact on the socio-economic development of the country. Global economy was forecasted with lower growth than expected along with ongoing trade tension, complicated Brexit process, complicated developments of the world commodity prices, and sharp decline of the global trade, etc. In the country, the agricultural sector faced with diseases and unfavorable weather conditions, especially African swine fever, hot weather and droughts in the Central Highlands and Southeast region; slower growth of industrial and service sectors. Inflation was under great pressure; disbursement of public investment capital remained slow; business environment had many barriers; enterprises were subject to many informal costs; the number of dissolved or decommissioned enterprises was still large. A number of law provisions were still not close to reality, difficult to implement, and the promulgation was still pending. Some cadres and civil servants still lacked a sense of responsibility, creating delays and stagnation to their duties; many ministries and agencies had not yet either drastically implemented nor had specific solutions to implement the Resolutions No. 01/NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP of the Government; coordination among a number of ministries, branches, localities, agencies and units remained weak. There were no strong measures to promote the effective adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Traffic accidents, fire and explosion, false information and a number of outstanding cases in the fields of culture and education raised concerns among the people.

In the coming time, the Government required ministries, branches, localities, state-owned groups and corporations to drastically implement the objectives and tasks of the 2019 plan, continue to prioritize maintaining macro-economic stability, inflation control, ensuring achievements of growth targets; at the same time, attention must be paid to comprehensively solving social issues, especially issues related to moral behavior and culture; attach importance to synchronously and effectively implementing tasks and solutions set out in the Government s Resolutions No. 01/ NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP dated January 1, 2019; Directive No. 09/CT-TTg dated April 1, 2019 of the Prime Minister on measures to tackle obstacles for business and production to ensure the growth target in 2019; in which attention should be paid to the implementation of some of the following contents:

- Ministries, agencies and localities shall, according to their assigned functions and tasks, continue to step up economic restructuring in a practical and effective manner, promote science and technology innovation and application; drastically and effectively apply solutions to create a driving force for growth in 2019, and focus on: (1) Removing difficulties and promoting the production and export of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products; (2) Strengthening opportunities from free trade agreements, especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to diversify export markets and reduce trade deficit; (3) Promoting the processing and manufacturing sectors, closely monitoring the operation of large enterprises and projects to promptly resolve their obstacles; (4) Promoting service development, especially wholesale, retail, logistics, tourism, information technology, finance and banking services; (5) Speeding up and striving to disburse 100% of public investment capital; (6) Continuing to improve strongly and substantially the investment and business environment, especially the promulgation of a number of legal documents that are causing obstacles, affecting the development of businesses.

- The State Bank of Viet Nam shall continue to regulate actively and flexibly monetary policies, contributing to inflation control, macroeconomic stabilization and growth support and promotion. It shall direct credit institutions to implement effective credit growth measures in parallel with credit quality control with focus on priority areas, promote business production, develop healthy consumption credit, and create favorable conditions to increase access to formal credit to contribute to limiting black credit. It was requested that the State Bank of Viet Nam step up the restructuring of credit institutions in association with bad debt handling according to the National Assembly s Resolution No. 42/2017/QH14 and the Prime Minister s Decision No. 1058/QD-TTg; accelerate the restructuring of weak credit institutions; and complete a National Financial Inclusion Strategy.

- The Ministry of Finance shall strictly enforce disciplines on the state budget and finance, restructure the state budget in the direction of increasing the proportion of domestic revenues, increasing the proportion of expenditures for development investment and reducing the proportion of regular expenditures; promote equitization and divestment of state-owned enterprises according to the set plan and roadmap; conduct specific assessment of tax policies, consider the expansion of tax bases in alignment with practical requirements; at the same time strengthen the communication of tax policies to create social consensus; actively apply electronic invoices and fortify the management and prevention of loss to tax collection, especially tax from the informal economic sector. The Ministry of Finance shall expeditiously coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to finalize and submit the draft Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 20/2017/ND-CP and Decree on the settlement of public assets paid to investors of Build-Transfer (BT) projects; and Decree on credit guarantee for small and medium enterprises.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall urgently update the second quarter, 6-month, 9-month and 2019 growth scenarios for ministries, branches and localities to adopt appropriate management solutions; quickly finalize the Scheme on Orientation to institutional and policy improvement and enhancing the quality and efficiency of foreign investment attraction and use till 2030, and a draft Decree guiding the organization and operation of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund (SMEDF). The Ministry shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with related ministries, branches and localities in reporting to the Prime Minister delays of public investment projects and proposing handling measures; assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with related ministries, branches and localities in proposing solutions to remove problems in the implementation of the Law on Planning, and reporting to the Prime Minister; coordinate with the Government Office to review, finalize and submit to the Government a draft Decree detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Planning.

- Ministries, agencies and localities shall speed up the implementation and investment capital disbursement of key projects and large-scale projects to create spill-over effects, positively contributing to the national growth. Ministries and agencies shall make lists of public investment projects in the fields of their authority and assign competent ministerial leaders and agencies in charge to urge the implementation of key projects in their fields of management. Provincial Party Secretaries, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen shall have to directly direct the removal of obstacles and difficulties, and accelerate the progress of each key projects and works in their respective localities, including projects invested by public and private sectors.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall continue to drastically implement Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW adopted at the 7th plenum of the 10^th Party Central Committee on agriculture, farmers and rural areas; promote sectoral restructuring in the direction of improving added value, efficiency and high technology application; focusing on the synchronous application of measures to prevent and control diseases, especially the African swine flu, prevent disease outbreaks on a large scale; regularly update the situation, report to the Prime Minister; and at the same time, identify solutions to restore livestock production, ensuring to meet the demand for food serving the people s life.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall direct the synchronous and effective application of measures to develop the domestic market and boost exports, coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement solutions to remove difficulties for agricultural exports, especially exports to big markets; focus on directing and speeding up the progress of large-scale industrial projects to create impetus for growth; continue to take measures to solve difficulties and obstacles, accelerate deficient and weak projects into operation; foster communication and information dissemination to localities, associations and enterprises about the opportunities and challenges of the CPTPP.

- The Ministry of Transport shall review their work, urgently accelerate the deployment progress and construction of important transport infrastructure projects and works to soon put them in use and promote socio-economic development; and inspect and urge the application of non-stop toll collection service.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall urgently finalize the report for the National Assembly s supervision on the application of policies and laws on urban land use planning and management since the adoption of the Law on Land in 2013 until the end of 2018; develop a draft Directive of the Prime Minister to strengthen the application of measures to prevent and fight plastic waste; launch the movement and mobilize the participation and action-taking of the whole society, especially the young generation; develop planning and orientation of waste treatment technology, select effective models for replication; coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, agencies and organizations to step up the mobilization of the people to participate in waste reduction movements and programs, especially plastic waste. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health to propose amendments and supplements to tax policies for products harmful to human health and the environment.

- The Committee for Management of State Capital (CMSC) shall urgently complete the organizational structure, recruit staff, actively deploy the assigned functions and tasks, promote the equitization and divestment of state capital, dealing with weak enterprises creating loss to the state budget; focus on comprehensive restructuring, improving the operational efficiency of economic groups and state corporations in accordance with the Party s guidelines, policies and laws of the state.

- The Ministry of Labor-Invalids and Social Affairs shall study and propose solutions to improve the quality of vocational training, promote autonomy of vocational training institutions; encourage vocational training and certificate granting for workers; allow the transition from general education to vocational training for students in vocational training institutions to speed up the training scale and the number of certified workers. The Ministry of Labor-Invalids and Social Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training in examining and taking measures to prevent and strictly handling acts of violence and abuse of children; urgently formulate a child protection network at grassroot level and adopt solutions concluded by the Chairman of the National Committee for Children at the meeting of the Committee on March 22, 2019.

- The Ministry of Education and Training shall coordinate with localities in reviewing, re-arranging school sites, enumerating the total number of teachers, re-determining the number of students per class and arranging a suitable number of teachers by each level of education and practical conditions of localities and regions; develop a project and submit to the Ministry of Home Affairs for appraisal, ensuring an adequate number of classroom teachers. The Ministry of Education and Training shall direct the compilation of new textbooks according to the roadmap passed by the National Assembly; organize the national high school graduation examination to ensure its earnest, honesty and objectiveness, prevent the recurrence of negative practices; promote moral and cultural education and skill building for students; promulgate rules of behavior at school; strengthen the inspection and supervision of localities, ensuring school security and safety, and school violence prevention; rearrange pedagogical schools to ensure their lean operation and efficiency. Localities, according to management authority, shall hold responsibility for ensuring school security and safety, preventing school violence in the locality; actively inspecting, reviewing and strictly punishing heads of educational establishments where violations occurred.

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall promote the communication and promotion of tourism in key markets; synchronously adopt measures to diversify tourism products, improve tourism quality, ensure to reach the growth targets in the number of tourists as planned. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall coordinate with ministries, branches and localities to identify specific solutions to promote social moral and cultural values, paying attention to promoting a civilized lifestyle valuing environmental sanitation and public behaviors, especially when travelling abroad. The Ministry shall promptly propose a mechanism to promote the synchronous development of Vietnamese football, in which attention shall be paid to a mechanism for professional clubs to be facilitated with stadiums in close proximity to models of developed football countries.

- The Ministry of Health shall focus on directing vaccination activities, disease prevention and control, especially periodic epidemics; strengthen direction to improve drug distribution, connect pharmacies in association with prescription drug selling; concentrate on directing the application of information technology in medical examination and treatment, making health records, and dissemination of medical knowledge on the digital Vietnamese Knowledge System.

- The Ministry of Science and Technology shall complete and promote the implementation of the Scheme on the digital Vietnamese Knowledge System; bring into play the role of the Science and Technology Development Fund to support and promote technological innovation and the innovation spirit of enterprises, clear up investment resources of enterprises for scientific and technological activities and innovation.

- The Ministry of Home Affairs shall promote the arrangement and organization of a practical and effective apparatus; renovate mechanisms on staff recruitment and appointment, salary and remuneration by position and employment as well as staff evaluation. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Health and local authorities to arrange an appropriate number of staff and workers in education and health care fields.

- The Ministry of Public Security shall speed up the development of a national population database; assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Information and Communications in, proactively taking specific measures to ensure network safety and security; and at the same time monitoring, providing and updating information for international organizations while ensuring publicity and transparency.

- The Ministry of Information and Communications shall strengthen the adoption of solutions to attract investment of leading technology companies; coordinate with ministries, branches and localities to identify solutions to enhance the application of information technology in management and development of the e-Government; completely resolve the situation of telecommunication enterprises deliberately causing difficulties to subscribers in switching provider without changing their number; coordinate with the State Bank of Viet Nam in developing plans for telecommunications enterprises to pilot the e-payment service not through bank accounts; organize the auction for licensing the 2.6 GHz band; complete the National Mobile Phone Number Transform Project; the Viet Nam e-Government Architecture Framework (version 2.0); and properly organize the Viet Nam Forum on Technology Enterprise Development 2019.

- Ministries, branches and localities shall strictly comply with and organize the stringent application of the Prime Minister s Decision No. 362/QD-TTg dated April 03, 2019 on approving the national planning on press development and management by 2025, ensure to attach journalism development to management in a revolutionary and professional manner. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall collaborate with press management agencies to actively direct information and communication about good people, good deeds, national pride, traditional and moral values, orientation of ideologies and aesthetics, improving intellectual standards, encouraging beliefs, encouraging labor; fighting and denying harmful information, preventing the spread of violent information, deviant and barbarous lifestyles; study and take measures to handle online communication of false information, and report to the Prime Minister before August 2019.

- Ministries and agencies, based on their assigned roles and responsibilities, shall actively prepare proposals for the 10th Party Central Committee and the seventh session of the 14th National Assembly. Leaders of ministries, branches and localities shall focus on directing and urgently handling and resolving comments, proposals and concerned issues of the National Assembly deputies, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, voters and people throughout the country, especially pressing issues affecting production and people’s life.

2. Regarding the Report on additional assessment of the implementation results of the socio-economic development plan in 2018 and the implementation of the socio-economic development plan in 2019

The Ministry of Planning and Investment acknowledged the Government members comments and had completed the Report on additional assessment of the implementation results of the socio-economic development plan in 2018 and the implementation of the socio-economic development plan in 2019. The Minister of Planning and Investment was authorized by the Prime Minister to act on behalf of the Government to report to the National Assembly’s agencies and the National Assembly according to regulations and hold responsibility for the reported data.

3. Regarding the Report on additional assessment of the state budget disbursement in 2018, and the state budget disbursement in 2019

The Ministry of Finance acknowledged the Government members’ comments and had completed the Report on additional assessment of the state budget disbursement in 2018 and the state budget disbursement in 2019. The Minister of Finance was authorized by the Prime Minister to act on behalf of the Government to report to the National Assembly’s agencies and the National Assembly according to regulations and hold responsibility for the reported data.

4. Regarding the State Budget Final Report in 2017

The Ministry of Finance acknowledged the Government members’ comments and had completed the State Budget Final Report in 2017. The Minister of Finance was authorized by the Prime Minister to submit the Report on behalf of the Government and hold responsibility for the reported data.

5. Regarding the Report on the inspection results of the Prime Minister s Working Group

Ministries and agencies were requested to strictly adopt recommendations of the Working Group; in which attention must be paid to deploying some of the following contents:

a) Regarding the implementation of the Government s Resolutions No. 01/NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP

- Ministers and Chairmen of the People s Committees of provinces and cities shall radically deploy the tasks assigned in Resolutions No. 01/NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP, considering this a top priority; continue to direct to review and report to the Government to abolish and/or simplify unclear, unspecific and unfeasible business conditions.

- Ministries specialized in managing and inspecting import and export goods shall promote reforms in an actual and comprehensive manner and the connection of the Portal of the National Single Window; there should be only one focal point to carry out specialized inspection procedures for a product or goods.

- The Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Viet Nam Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and business and industry associations shall monitor, evaluate, provide independent opinions and timely report and propose to the Government and the Prime Minister measures to effectively implement Resolutions No. 01/NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP of the Government.

b) Regarding the promulgation progress of documents detailing regulations

- Ministries and agencies shall immediately overcome delays, especially delays due to subjective causes; urgently finalize, submit and promulgate according to its competence; strictly adopt the Working regulations of the Government in coordination and handling of interdisciplinary work. Upon receiving requests, they are requested to provide answers in due time and in a straightforward and clear manner, not to give a general answer nor pushing responsibility to the Government and the Prime Minister.

c) Regarding problems in production, trading and development in the agricultural sector

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Health to urgently issue regulations on Minimum Required Performance Limit (MRPL) of chemicals and antibiotics used in aquatic products for domestic consumption in June 2019.

- The Ministry of Science and Technology shall urgently issue a Circular guiding Decree No. 43/2017/ND-CP on labelling in the second quarter of 2019.

d) Regarding the sending and receiving of electronic documents

- Ministers, heads of agencies, Chairmen of the People s Committees of provinces and cities shall focus on directing the allocation of resources, ensuring technical infrastructure, improving the document management system, integrating digital signing service solutions of the Government Cipher Committee in sending and receiving of electronic documents with digital signatures on the National Document Axis.

- Ministries, branches and localities shall adopt digital signatures for documents sent and received on the National Document Axis (except for documents on the list of state secrets); piloting the application of paperless for digitally signed electronic documents. The pilot period is from April 03, 2019 to March 03, 2019; the implementation situation shall be reported to the Government Office before May 10, 2019 for synthesis.

- The Ministry of Home Affairs shall provide training on and deploy Circular No. 01/2019/TT-BNV and 02/2019/TT-BNV before April 15, 2019.

- The Government Office was assigned to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Home Affairs and concerned agencies in, reviewing, studying and proposing amendments and supplements to relevant legal provisions on sending and receiving electronic documents with digital signatures, not sending paper documents, and reporting to the Prime Minister before May 15, 2019.

6. Regarding the selection of a plan to complete the Long An Paediatric Gynaecology Hospital Project

The Government agreed to:

- Assign Long An Provincial People s Committee to take full responsibility for investing in the Long An Paediatric Gynaecology Hospital Project and deciding on the option to complete the Long An Paediatric Gynaecology Hospital Project in the form of leasing infrastructure exploitation rights.

- Assign the Chairman of Long An Provincial People s Committee to approve and be responsible for the approval and implementation of the Project on leasing property rights on medical infrastructure exploitation of the Long An Paediatric Gynaecology Hospital; collect comments of relevant ministries and agencies during project approval and implementation. In the process of approving and implementing the project, compliance with legal provisions, publicity and transparency must be ensured (including the selection of investors and determination of fall-back prices); ensuring the people’s rights in medical examination and treatment and rights to access and use high-tech medical services at a reasonable costs and in a convenient manner, especially for those with health insurance and policy beneficiaries as set by the Project’s target; preserve the state capital, property and ownership; ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of health officials and workers voluntarily transferring from the Department of Paediatric Gynaecology of the Provincial General Hospital to the new Hospital.

- Assign the Ministry of Finance to guide Long An province in the process of approving and implementing the Project. The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health in studying and proposing the Government to elaborate legal documents on the use of public properties for the purposes of leasing and/or investment in joint ventures and associates in the health domain.

- Assign Ministries of Health, Planning and Investment, Justice and related ministries and agencies to, based on their functions, tasks and authority, actively guide Long An province and handle any problems arising in the process of approving and implementing the Project.

7. Regarding the proposal to develop a Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Government s Decree No. 59/2012/ND-CP on law enforcement monitoring

The Government agreed to approve the proposal to develop a Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 59/2012/ND-CP of the Government on law enforcement monitoring to improve the legal framework, overcome its current obstacles and shortcomings, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state management on law enforcement monitoring. The Ministry of Justice was assigned to preside over the development of this Decree and submit it to the Government in September 2019.

8. Regarding lease of land with coastal water surface of Van Phong 1 BOT Thermal Power Plant

The Government agreed with the proposal of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on the application of regulations on land use and relevant regulations on leasing of land and land with coastal water surface to the marine area of ​​the Van Phong 1 BOT Thermal Power Plant. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was assigned to collect comments of the Government members, guide Khanh Hoa Provincial People s Committee in the implementation and ensure the project’s compliance with related legal regulations.

9. Regarding the draft Report on the implementation of the Law on Thrift Practice and Waste Prevention in 2018

The Ministry of Finance shall collect comments of the Government members and complete the Report on the implementation of the Law on Thrift Practice and Waste Prevention in 2018. The Minister of Finance was authorized by the Prime Minister to submit the Report to the National Assembly on behalf of the Government according to regulations.

10. Regarding environmental protection tax for coal coke and regenerating oil

The Government agreed that coal coke and regenerating oil are not subject to environmental protection tax under the Law on Environmental Protection Tax; the paid environmental protection tax amounts for coal coke and regenerating oil (if any) from the effective date of the Law on Environmental Protection Tax is determined as the overpaid tax amounts, and shall be processed according to current regulations on tax administration, as proposed by the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of Finance was assigned to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in conducting a comprehensive assessment and proposing in detail the additional lists of goods which could cause environmental pollution when using and disposing, to taxable subjects under the revised Law on Environmental Protection Tax, in which additional review and study on the case of coal coke and regenerating oil shall also be required.

11. Regarding Reports on the implementation of Resolution No. 35/NQ-CP and Directive No. 26/CT-TTg on enterprise support and development by 2020; inspection, complaints and denunciations resolve and fighting against corruption; the implementation of the Program on law-and ordinance-making of the Government and the issuance of documents detailing laws and ordinances; administrative reform in the first quarter of 2019.

Leading ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Government Inspectorates, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Home Affairs were assigned to, according to their assigned functions and tasks, develop Reports, collect the Government members comments, complete and issue the aforementioned Reports according to their authority, and organize the effective fulfilment of assigned tasks.

12. Regarding the Law on Insurance Business and the Law on Intellectual Property

The Government agreed to approve the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Insurance Business and the Law on Intellectual Property. The Ministry of Industry and Trade was assigned to assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance and the Government Office in studying and collecting comments of the Government members; and revise and complete the draft Law. The Minister of Industry and Trade was authorized by the Prime Minister to report this Law to the National Assembly on behalf of the Government./.

For the Government

The Prime Minister

Nguyen Xuan Phuc