• An Giang
  • Binh Duong
  • Binh Phuoc
  • Binh Thuan
  • Binh Dinh
  • Bac Lieu
  • Bac Giang
  • Bac Kan
  • Bac Ninh
  • Ben Tre
  • Cao Bang
  • Ca Mau
  • Can Tho
  • Dien Bien
  • Da Nang
  • Da Lat
  • Dak Lak
  • Dak Nong
  • Dong Nai
  • Dong Thap
  • Gia Lai
  • Ha Noi
  • Ho Chi Minh
  • Ha Giang
  • Ha Nam
  • Ha Tinh
  • Hoa Binh
  • Hung Yen
  • Hai Duong
  • Hai Phong
  • Hau Giang
  • Khanh Hoa
  • Kien Giang
  • Kon Tum
  • Lai Chau
  • Long An
  • Lao Cai
  • Lam Dong
  • Lang Son
  • Nam Dinh
  • Nghe An
  • Ninh Binh
  • Ninh Thuan
  • Phu Tho
  • Phu Yen
  • Quang Binh
  • Quang Nam
  • Quang Ngai
  • Quang Ninh
  • Quang Tri
  • Soc Trang
  • Son La
  • Thanh Hoa
  • Thai Binh
  • Thai Nguyen
  • Thua Thien Hue
  • Tien Giang
  • Tra Vinh
  • Tuyen Quang
  • Tay Ninh
  • Vinh Long
  • Vinh Phuc
  • Vung Tau
  • Yen Bai

The Government’s regular meeting - February 2020

March 16, 2020 3:54 PM GMT+7

THE GOVERNMENT
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SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM
Independence - Freedom - Happiness
 
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No. 28/NQ-CP

Ha Noi, March 10, 2020

RESOLUTION

THE GOVERNMENT’S REGULAR MEETING – FEBRUARY 2020

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 delegates and the conclusion of the Prime Minister at the Government’s regular meeting in February 2020, held on March 03, 2020,

DECIDES

1. Regarding the socio-economic situation in February and the first 2 months of 2020, urgent measures to achieve socio-economic development goals in the current context

The Government unanimously assessed that: Thanks to the joint efforts made by the whole political system as well as the initiative and drastic implementation of the motto "fighting the epidemic is like fighting against the enemy" of all levels and branches, we have initially control the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak well through such measures like quarantine to staunch the spread of the pandemic, which was highly appreciated by the people and the international community. The Government acknowledged and highly appreciated the efforts of all levels, sectors, military and police forces, business community and people of the country, especially the health sector, doctors and nurses, as well as the actions made by the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and the local steering committees in the prevention and control of the COVID-19.

Although the pandemic created significant impacts on many sectors and fields, the country's socio-economic situation remained relatively stable. Consumer price index (CPI) in February decreased by 0.17% over the previous month. Exports increased; trade deficit was kept under control. State budget revenues increased by 9.3% over the same period. Disbursement of public investment was higher than that of the same period last year. Industry and agriculture sectors still maintained growth momentum. The African swine fever outbreak had been kept under control. The number of newly established enterprises increased by 9.1%; registered capital rose by 47.1%. Policies for people with meritorious services, social security, people's health care, labour, employment and poverty reduction continued to receive due attention and were properly implemented. People's living standard has been improved; the number of hungry households had decreased. Education sector actively implemented measures to prevent and control outbreak, prepare conditions and ensure safety for students’ returning to school. National security and defense, as well as social order and safety were maintained. Traffic order and safety witnessed positive improvement in all three criteria. Foreign affairs continued to be an important focus.

However, due to impacts of COVID-19 outbreak, along with drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta region, and adverse weather conditions in Northern region, many industries and fields encountered difficulties and clearly exposed their limitations. Growth rate was lower than that of the same period last year, especially in aviation, tourism, services, processing and manufacturing. Many businesses faced the risk of input material shortage ... Registered investment capital of the foreign invested sector and FDI disbursement decreased. Some ministries and agencies were late in allocating public investment plans. The disbursement rate of public investment remained low. Export of some agricultural products encountered some difficulties, prices dropped, affecting the production and life of a part of farmers.

The COVID-19 outbreak was forecasted to continue to be complicated, unpredictable, greatly affecting the world economy, the region and many major partner countries, thus it may continue to influence many sectors and fields of the country and needs to be closely monitored to ensure effective responses. The Government's spirit is to stay cautious, avoid neither subjectiveness nor pessimism. All levels and branches are requested to monitor and evaluate the situation properly in order to actively take specific, appropriate and timely solutions and policies for each branch and field, strongly mobilizing the involvement of the entire political system, all levels, sectors, business communities and the people of the whole country to realize the "dual goals" of: drastically preventing, combating and controlling the outbreak, and at the same time focusing on removing difficulties, promoting production and business, ensuring social security and people's life, making the best effort to achieve the set socio-economic development objectives and tasks.

- Concerned ministries, agencies, localities, medical establishments, organizations and individuals shall continue to strictly implement the guidance of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat in Official Dispatch No. 79-CV/TW dated January 30, 2020, Directives No. 05/CT-TTg dated January 28, 2020, No. 06/CT-TTg dated January 31, 2020, and No. 10/CT-TTg dated February 25, 2020 of the Prime Minister, conclusions of the Prime Minister at meetings on COVID-19 prevention and control. Accordingly, attention should be paid to strictly implementing measures to isolate passengers traveling from affected regions or having travel record to stricken regions into Viet Nam. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security and localities shall actively and promptly implement assigned tasks, coordinate to review and propose appropriate solutions to prevent and control COVID-19 outbreak in alignment with the situation and practical requirements.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Government Office in urgently collecting comments of the Government members and delegates attending the Cabinet meeting, urgently improving and submitting to the Prime Minister to sign and issue a Directive on urgent tasks and solutions to remove difficulties for production and business, and to ensure social security in response to COVID-19 outbreak in the direction of assigning specific tasks and solutions, providing timely support to those who were affected by COVID-19 outbreak while avoiding subsidizing weak agencies, eliminating the ‘asking-giving’ mechanism, ensuring openness and transparency in supporting mechanisms and policies.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, the Government Office and other ministries, agencies and localities in carefully preparing contents to organize a national online conference on promoting disbursement of public investment capital by the end of March 2020. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology and other ministries, branches and localities in adopting solutions and policies to create favourable conditions to attract foreign direct investment, effectively implementing policies to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the State Bank of Viet Nam shall review and update growth scenarios, plans and measures to cope with situations and developments of COVID-19 outbreak and the world and regional economic situation, avoid being passive and unprepared, closely monitor fluctuations of prices and markets, ensuring to achieve objectives on inflation control and macroeconomic stability.

- Ministries, agencies and localities shall closely monitor the international and domestic situation, improve the capability of forecasting and evaluating, devise appropriate solutions and measures to promote the growth of industries, domains and areas under their respective authority; focusing on removing difficulties and obstacles, cutting unnecessary expenses for businesses and the people, timely supporting and compensating for damage caused by COVID-19 outbreak to recover and boost manufacturing and business activities. Big cities and key economic regions need to make great efforts to contribute strongly to the country's economic growth, take initiative in removing difficulties and accelerating the equitization and/or divestment of state capital in enterprises, expeditiously complete investment procedures, complete the allocation of investment plans using the state budget capital in 2020, speed up the implementation and disbursement of public investment capital, ODA capital and strongly promote private investment to create motivation for socio-economic development.

- The State Bank of Viet Nam shall continue to proactively and flexibly implement monetary policy, stabilize interest rates, exchange rates, gold and foreign exchange markets, and consolidate the State foreign exchange reserves; direct credit institutions to continue balancing capital sources to meet the demand for loans for production and business activities, reducing operating costs and lending rates; instruct credit institutions to restructure loan repayment terms, exempt or reduce interest rates, maintain debt groups...for borrowers who were in difficulties due to COVID-19 outbreak. The State Bank of Viet Nam shall urgently submit to the Prime Minister to promulgate a Decision on piloting the use of telecommunications accounts to pay for small-value services (Mobile-Money).

- The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with other ministries and branches in urgently reviewing and proposing solutions to delay, postpone and extend time limit for tax and land rent payment for enterprises and those directly affected by COVID-19 outbreak. The Ministry of Finance was assigned to develop and submit to the Government for promulgation a Decree according to simplified order and procedures to promptly support affected enterprises and subjects. The Ministry was also requested to formulate appropriate solutions aligned with regulations to restore and develop the stock market effectively and sustainably.

- Ministries and agencies shall urgently review and propose exemption and reduction of fees and charges to support and remove difficulties for those affected by COVID-19 outbreak and send them to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance shall promptly issue legal documents according to its competence or report to the Government and the Prime Minister for cases beyond its authority.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises shall direct to accelerate the progress of investing, deploying and putting into operation key projects and works of the sector, especially energy projects and works such as Thai Binh 2, Long Phu I, Quynh Lap 1 Thermal Power Plant Projects...

- The Ministry of Transport shall concentrate on directing, removing obstacles, and speeding up investment and disbursement of key transport projects and works, especially the Eastern section of the North-South Expressway Project, and the Long Thanh International Airport Project; coordinating with Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and concerned ministries and branches to speed up the implementation of Terminal T3 at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. The Ministry was requested to strongly restructure the aviation industry, coordinate with the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises and concerned ministries and branches to urgently complete procedures to upgrade and renovate runways of Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai airports, review and provide specific solutions to support and reduce costs for enterprises in fields and sectors under its management authority, which was affected by COVID-19 outbreak, continue to effectively implement the Government's Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP stipulating administrative sanctions in the field of road and rail transport and Directive No. 03/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on strengthening the implementation of the Law for Prevention and Control of Alcohol Related Harm.

- The Ministry of Construction shall propose measures to be taken immediately to promote social housing development, and report to the Government at its regular meeting in March 2020.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance shall urgently consider adjusting oil and gas prices in line with global market movements to support domestic production and consumption in the context of COVID-19 outbreak.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall urgently review and report to the Prime Minister on results of the revised retail electricity price list for daily-life customers, paying attention to developing the domestic market, properly organizing distribution channels, promoting consumer demand, closely monitoring market movements, preparing sufficient supplies of goods, ensuring there shall be no shortage of goods, especially essential consumer goods at retail establishments. The Ministry was requested to focus on maintaining important export markets and expanding new markets, urgently complete procedures to submit to the National Assembly to approve the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) at the 9th session of the 14th National Assembly and submit to the Prime Minister an action plan to implement the Agreement, promote communication and guiding businesses to exploit advantages and opportunities from the Agreement, and formulate a plan to penetrate the European agricultural and fishery market. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to accelerate official market opening for a number of export agricultural products while ensuring disease prevention and control.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall focus on directing the synchronous implementation of urgent measures to prevent and combat drought and saltwater intrusion, as well as prevent forest fire. The Ministry was requested to urgently submit to the Government an overall plan to boost agricultural exports and reduce costs for agricultural production, promote production and processing of agricultural products, create linkages, control diseases in cattle and poultry production, organize repopulation of the herd with an appropriate structure and devise solutions to ensure sufficient food supply for consumption, especially pork supply. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in, taking effective measures to reduce pork prices, and implement synchronously and effectively the recommendations of the European Commission (EC) to remove the "yellow card".

- The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall review and assess the situation and labour demand of enterprises, propose solutions to support labour supply, overcome temporary labour shortage due to COVID-19’s effects. The Ministry was assigned to instruct businesses to address workers’ rights in case of demand shortage, business halt or firing due to COVID-19’s impact in accordance with provisions of laws on labour, social insurance and related documents. The issuance of new work permits to foreign workers from COVID-19 afflicted countries and territories shall be temporarily suspended. The Ministry was assigned to monitor and provide specific plans and solutions to timely support Vietnamese workers working abroad to prevent and control COVID-19.

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall foster tourism communication and promotion, demonstrating that Viet Nam is a safe and well-controlled destination amid global COVID-19 outbreak. At the same time, the Ministry shall review, take specific measures or propose competent authorities to minimize damage to businesses in the field due to COVID-19’s impact to create the most favourable conditions to attract tourists from tradition markets and seek new markets after announcing the end of the outbreak.

- The Ministry of Education and Training shall proactively continue to guide the whole sector and departments of education and training to implement measures to control, cleanse and disinfect classrooms, ensuring safety for students going to school.

- The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the concerned ministries and agencies in continuing to review and assess problems and shortcomings of law provisions and propose competent authorities for appropriate addressing.

- The Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises and related ministries and branches shall focus on removing obstacles and promptly settling proposals of State-owned Groups and Corporations strictly complying with law provisions, promote production and business, strive to accomplish assigned tasks and plans, and organize a preliminary assessment after more than 01 year of the Committee’s operation.

- The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security shall continue to closely monitor and follow up with the situation, and take initiative in coping with arising situations, ensuring national defense, security and social order and safety; as well as proactively coordinate to control immigration at border gates to create favourable conditions for review and entry procedures for tourists from non-affected areas. The 2 Ministries shall coordinate with the Ministry of Health and localities to carry out the task of COVID-19 prevention and combat.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall coordinate with the concerned ministries and agencies in properly preparing the organization of the 36th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, fulfil tasks on citizen protection, especially for Vietnamese citizens in COVID-19 afflicted areas.

- The Ministry of Information and Communications shall urgently propose and report to the Prime Minister the amendment of the Decree on management and use of radio frequencies licensed via auctions following simplified procedures. The Ministry was requested to urgently complete and submit to the Prime Minister draft Decision on electronic identification codes of agencies and organizations, and draft Decision on a number of preferential regimes and specific financial mechanisms for technical staff and cyber information security incident response forces of the Ministry of Information and Communications. The Ministry was assigned to direct the media to intensify the communication on examples of good people and/or good deeds in education, labour, production and prevention of COVID-19, contributing to creating social consensus, strengthening trust in people, as well as resolutely handling cases of posting false information. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall urge ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and localities to urgently complete the implementation of development planning and press management by 2025 in June 2020.

2. Regarding the implementation of Resolution No. 468/NQ-UBTVQH14 of the National Assembly Standing Committee and the proposal on the use of outstanding Government bond capital in the 2014-2016 period, which had been transferred to the 2016-2020 period according to the Resolution No. 26/2016/QH14 for implementing additional items of some projects

The Government agreed with the proposal of the Ministry of Planning and Investment stated in Report No. 1292/BC-BKHDT dated March 2, 2020.

The Minister of Planning and Investment was authorized by the Prime Minister to act on behalf of the Government, to report to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly as prescribed. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall be responsible for reporting information and data.

3. Regarding solutions to problems in payment for Hue-Danang three-way crossroad project

The Government agreed with the proposal of the Ministry of Planning and Investment stated in Report No. 1288/BC-BKHDT dated February 28, 2020.

The Minister of Planning and Investment was authorized by the Prime Minister to act on behalf of the Government, to report to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly as prescribed. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall be responsible for reporting information and data.

4. Regarding the performance of assigned tasks and inspection results in February of the Working Group

a) Performance of assigned tasks:

Ministers and Heads of ministerial-level agencies shall focus on directing drastically and promptly pending projects before March 10, 2020; at the same time, they were requested to proactively develop projects according to the assigned work program in March 2020 (63 projects), and prevent occurrence of any pending tasks.

b) Regarding detailing documents:

- Ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies shall rigorously implement the Prime Minister's direction in Document No. 228/TTg-PL dated February 13, 2020, directly held responsibility for directing construction progress, as well as submitting and promulgating detailed regulations, be accountable to the National Assembly, the Government, and the Prime Minister for any delay, considering this one of the criteria for evaluating their fulfilment of assigned tasks, and a criterion for emulation and commendation titles in 2020 for heads of ministries, agencies and individuals concerned.

- For pending detailing documents: Ministries and agencies assigned to assume the prime responsibility for document drafting shall urgently submit them to the Government right after the meeting for consideration and promulgation before April 15, 2020.

- For documents detailing laws and ordinances effective from July 1, 2020: Ministries and agencies assigned to assume the prime responsibility for drafting shall submit to the Government draft Decrees before April 15, 2020, and issue Circulars according to their authority before May 15, 2020.

- The Ministry of Justice shall intensify monitoring, inspection and urging the drafting and submission of detailed documents of ministries and agencies, promptly review and propose the Prime Minister to assign ministries and agencies to assume the prime responsibility for drafting detailing documents as soon as laws and ordinances are passed. The Ministry of Justice was requested to integrate contents to be specified in a document to minimize the promulgation of many documents detailing a Law or an Ordinance.

c) Regarding the task of e-government building:

- Ministry of Information and Communications - the standing body to build e-government - and related ministries and agencies shall urgently complete and submit to the Government for promulgation of relevant legal documents on e-Government before April 30, 2020.

- Heads of ministries, branches and localities shall exemplify the use of personal digital signatures in processing work files in the cyber environment. They were requested to closely coordinate in connecting and interconnecting document management and administration software to ensure 100% of electronic documents sent and received at all 4 levels of government, and 80% of units under the Ministry, 60% of units of provincial-level People's Committees, and 30% of units of district-level People's Committees handle documents and work files (except confidential documents) online.

- Completing the construction and operation of the Reporting and Information System of ministries, branches and localities in connection with the Government’s Reporting and Information System to form a National Reporting and Information System in the second quarter of 2020, and ensuring that by the end of 2020, at least 30% of the reporting regime within the scope of management shall be implemented in the Reporting and Information System of ministries, branches and localities.

- The ministries and agencies selected to conduct pilots shall urgently accelerate the progress, ensuring the completion of connection and interconnection with the Government’s Reporting and Information in March 2020.

d) Regarding the working results with the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises:

- The Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises shall continue to accompany enterprises, urgently handle each problem and/or shortcoming under its authority, and at the same time proactively propose the competent authorities handling plans.

- Ministries and agencies shall actively coordinate with the Committee in resolving outstanding tasks of enterprises before transferring rights and obligations of owner’s representative to the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall urgently submit to the Government for promulgation a Resolution to remove obstacles in investment activities of State-owned enterprises under the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises in March 2020.

- The Ministry of Home Affairs shall promptly expose and propose to the Prime Minister specific mechanisms on recruiting controllers at State-owned enterprises under the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises.

- The Working Group of the Prime Minister shall review problems and weaknesses affecting production and business activities of Corporations and Groups to propose the Government and the Prime Minister solutions to handle them. It was assigned to urge and inspect the reorganization, equitization, divestment and restructuring of State-owned enterprises that had not transferred their representative to the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises.

5. Regarding the funding for management and maintenance of national railway infrastructure

The Ministry of Justice shall preside over and reach an agreement with the Ministry of Transport, the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises, the Ministry of Finance, and other related ministries and agencies to urgently consider two options reported by the Ministry of Transport to the Government in Document No. 1805/BC-BGTVT dated March 3, 2020 to propose solutions for funding for management and maintenance of national railway infrastructure, and report to the Government’s Standing Committee.

6. Regarding adjustments to tasks assigned in Resolution No. 137/NQ-CP dated December 30, 2017

The Government agreed as follows:

- Ministries, agencies and localities shall coordinate closely with the Ministry of Health in strictly implementing the Government's Resolution No. 137/NQ-CP dated December 31, 2017 promulgating the Government's Action Program for implementation, Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017 on population work in the new situation, and periodically report to the Government and the Prime Minister on the implementation results.

- To transfer 03 tasks from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Ministry of Health, including: "building a model and organizing a specialized apparatus in charge of population work at all levels", "developing a Project on inter-sectoral coordination mechanism related to population and development", "formulating a Project piloting a network of collaborators performing population, family and children work in the community" to integrate them into the Project "Studying organizational models on State management of population and development in the 2021 - 2030 period" into a Project named "Study and build a model on organizational structure, network and inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms for population and development at all levels" to submit to the Prime Minister in 2020.

7. Regarding the determination of salary fund in 2018, 2019 of 06 Groups and Corporations

The Government agreed to waive the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises from approving salary plans in 2018 and 2019, and allow it to review the salary plans in 2018 and 2019, which had been approved by Construction Groups and Corporations in accordance with current regulations to determine data on wages made in 2018, 2019. On that basis, the Committee for Management of State Capital shall direct the development and approval of salary plan in 2020 and subsequent years according to current regulations.

8. Regarding the Scheme of criteria for delineating ethnic minority and mountainous areas by development levels in the 2021-2025 period

In principle, the Government agreed with the proposal of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities stated in Report No. 236/TTr-UBDT dated February 29, 2020 on the Scheme of criteria for delineating ethnic minority and mountainous areas by development levels in the 2021-2025 period. The proposal requested to:

a) Identify ethnic minority and mountainous areas which are communes and villages with ethnic minority households accounting for 15% or more.

b) Delineate ethnic minority and mountainous areas according to their development levels into 3 categories of difficult areas and villages to implement policies and tasks under the National Assembly's Resolution No. 88/2019/QH14 and the National Target Program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the 2021-2025 period, specifically:

- Extremely difficult areas (Communes of Region III, extremely difficult villages): are communes and villages with high poverty rate, underdeveloped socio-economic conditions, low human resource quality, weak infrastructure, especially in transportation, difficult conditions for medical examination and treatment...The above-mentioned communes and villages shall be given priority by the State for infrastructure investment to create livelihoods and develop human resources and policies to ensure social security for people to access basic services, gradually narrowing gaps with developed region.

- Difficult areas (Communes of Region II): are communes with a large number of ethnic minorities living in communities, lacking one or a number of conditions on infrastructure and access to basic social services. For Region II communes, the State shall support to create livelihoods, making investment in a part of the missing infrastructure, mainly to implement policies for the people.

- Areas with some existing initial development (Communes of Region I): are communes that have reached new rural standards; communes with poverty rate below 10%. For communes of Region I, policies for people of poor and near-poor households shall be implemented.

c) The Prime Minister was assigned to decide the criteria to delineate ethnic minority and mountainous areas. The Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs was assigned to urgently complete the dossier to submit to the Prime Minister in accordance with the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.

d) On the basis of the Prime Minister's decision, criteria for delimitation shall be issued and the Committee for Ethnic Minorities was assigned to assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with ministries and branches in guiding provincial-level People's Committees in identifying communes under Region III, Region II, and Region I and extremely difficult villages to submit to the Committee for Ethnic Minorities’ appraisal. The Prime Minister shall consider and decide to recognize the list of communes of Region III, Region II and Region I. The Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs shall decide to recognize the list of extremely difficult villages.

9. Regarding the proposal to formulate a Law on mutual legal assistance on civil matters

In principle, the Government agreed with the contents of the Proposal to develop a Law on mutual legal assistance on civil matters.

The Ministry of Justice shall collect comments from the Government Members and the verification of the Government Office in the course of elaborating and finalizing the Law on mutual legal assistance on civil matters; and put this Law project into the 2021 law- and ordinance-making program to submit to the 15th National Assembly for consideration and comment at its 2nd Session, for adoption at the 3rd Session.

10. Regarding the proposal to develop a Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 83/2014/ND-CP on oil and gas trading

The Government unanimously approved the proposal to develop a Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 83/2014/ND-CP on oil and gas trading.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade was assigned to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and concerned ministries and agencies in, urgently elaborating and finalizing a draft Decree to submit to the Government for consideration and promulgation according to the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.

11. Regarding the draft Law of International Agreements

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office and relevant agencies in collecting comments from the Ministry of Justice, opinions of the Government Office and opinions of Government members to finalize the draft Law on International Agreements, and reporting to the Prime Minister before March 15, 2020 before submitting it to the National Assembly.

12. Regarding the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Environmental Protection

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office and concerned ministries and agencies in collecting comments from the Government Members, the Ministry of Justice's appraisal opinions and the Government Office’ verification opinions to finalize the draft Law, and reporting to the Prime Minister before March 15, 2020 before submitting it to the National Assembly.

13. Regarding the draft (revised) Law on Vietnamese workers working abroad under contract

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Government Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and concerned ministries and agencies in studying and collecting the Ministry of Justice’s appraisal opinions and opinions of relevant ministries, branches, localities, agencies and organizations, as well as those of the Government Members at the meeting to finalize the (revised) Law on Vietnamese workers working abroad under contract, to report to the Prime Minister before March 15, 2020 before submitting it to the National Assembly.

14. Regarding the drafting of the National Assembly's Resolution on resolving a number of problems in organizing the implementation of the Law on Land

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Government Office, the Ministry of Justice and relevant ministries and agencies in collecting comments from the Government Members, the Ministry of Justice's appraisal opinions and the Government Office’s verification opinions to finalize the draft, and reporting to Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung before March 15, 2020.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung was assigned to directly direct the completion of the National Assembly’s draft Resolution resolving a number of problems in organizing the implementation of the Law on Land and reporting to the Prime Minister before submitting it to the National Assembly./.

For reference only