Directive No. 01/2005/CT-BBCVT on intensifying activities to serve negotiations for joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) and implementing commitments for integration in the postal, telecommunications, and information technology sectors.

DIRECTIVE

Regarding the promotion of activities to serve negotiations for joining

WTO and the implementation of commitments on integration concerning postal services,

express delivery, telecommunications and information technology

Negotiations regarding Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) have entered the final stage. The negotiating partners continue to set very high requirements for market opening in the postal and telecommunications (PT) and information technology (IT) sectors, as well as demands for transparency in the legal framework. The implementation of Vietnam's commitments with the WTO and the implementation of existing commitments under the Vietnam-U.S. Trade Agreement will have significant impacts on state management activities, trade in goods and services, investment activities, and intellectual property rights in the PT and IT sectors.

To consolidate and further develop previous integration achievements, quickly master integration work in the IT and express delivery sectors, ensuring national interests and industry interests when implementing the Vietnam-U.S. Trade Agreement as well as serving negotiations for joining the WTO, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications issues directives to all units within the sector:

1. Continue to disseminate at all levels the commitments of economic international integration, the opportunities and challenges these commitments present for the PT and IT sectors.

2. Proactively implement measures to enhance competitiveness in order to continue developing well in the face of foreign competition and move towards entering regional and global markets.

3. Proactively propose mechanisms and policies to maximize Vietnam's comparative advantages, fully exploit opportunities, and minimize negative impacts of market opening.

4. Study and develop specific plans to resolve and handle promptly any issues including potential trade disputes.

5. Develop plans for division of labor, training, and enhancing the capabilities of specialized staff for economic international integration.

For units and agencies under the Ministry, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications issues directives:

1. Strengthen the activities of the Sectoral Steering Committee for Economic International Integration.

2. Regularly review the consistency of issued documents, draft regulatory documents planned for issuance in 2005 and subsequent years with international commitments and prepare adjustment and supplementation plans as necessary.

3. Focus on guiding PT and IT enterprises to reform their production and business organization to quickly enhance competitiveness.

4. The Telecommunications Department, Postal Services Department, Planning and Finance Department, and Industry and Information Technology Department shall take the lead in coordinating with the Legal Affairs Department and the International Cooperation Department to urgently develop regulatory documents as assigned by the Sectoral Steering Committee for Economic International Integration.

To fully exploit development opportunities opened up by integration commitments already made and those yet to be made, while minimizing difficulties and challenges, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications requests that units act promptly and seriously, proactively and creatively, closely coordinate, and complete assigned tasks, reporting results by March 2005./.