Circular No. 01/2024/TT-BNG detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Competition and Rewards in the Foreign Affairs Sector

CIRCULAR

Detailed Implementation of Certain Provisions of the Law on Encouragement and Reward
in the Foreign Affairs Sector

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Pursuant to the Law on Encouragement and Reward No. 06/2022/QH15 dated June 15, 2022;

Pursuant to Decree No. 98/2023/NĐ-CP dated December 31, 2023 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Encouragement and Reward;

Pursuant to Decree No. 81/2022/NĐ-CP dated October 14, 2022 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

At the proposal of the Director of the Office of the Ministry;

The Minister of Foreign Affairs promulgates this Circular detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Encouragement and Reward in the Foreign Affairs sector.

 

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

2. Applicability:

Detailed implementation of Clause 4 Article 24, Clause 3 Article 26, Clause 3 Article 27, Clause 3 Article 28, Clause 2 Article 71, Clause 6 Article 74, Clause 2 Article 75, and Clause 6 Article 84 of the Law on Encouragement and Reward 2022.

第二条 组织和实施奖励工作的支出水平，如政府第152/2025/NĐ-CP号决定关于分级授权和奖励领域的分权规定

a) Individuals and collectives under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

b) Individuals and collectives, domestic and foreign organizations, overseas Vietnamese who have contributed to diplomatic work and foreign affairs.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Individuals under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include civil servants, public officials, employees, and workers of units within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese representative offices abroad.

2. Collectives under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include units within the organizational structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as prescribed in Decree No. 81/2022/NĐ-CP dated October 14, 2022 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, public service units under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs according to Decision No. 1642/QĐ-TTg dated December 29, 2022 of the Prime Minister, Party and Mass Organizations Office according to Decision No. 4086/QĐ-BNG dated December 27, 2019 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

3. Specialized agencies under the People's Committee at provincial level implementing foreign affairs work include Provincial Departments of Foreign Affairs under the People's Committees at provincial level, and the People's Committee Offices at provincial level for localities that do not establish Provincial Departments of Foreign Affairs.

Chapter II

OBJECTS AND CRITERIA FOR AWARD TITLES IN ENCOURAGEMENT ACTIVITIES SOCIALIST FORMS OF REWARD

Article 3. Criteria for Awarding the Title "Advanced Worker"

1. The title "Advanced Worker" is awarded annually to individuals under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who meet the following criteria:

a) Completing tasks satisfactorily or better.

b) Adhering well to the policies, guidelines, regulations of the Party and State, and regulations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Being cooperative and supportive towards colleagues; actively participating in encouragement campaigns.

2. Individuals who bravely save people or state property leading to injury requiring treatment or convalescence shall have their treatment or convalescence time counted towards the awarding of the title "Advanced Worker."

3. Individuals sent for training or development for one year or more shall have their training or development time counted towards the evaluation period for awarding titles. In addition to general criteria, during the training or development period, individuals must comply with the rules of the training or development institution, complete the program, and achieve satisfactory grades (for programs that grade results).

4. Individuals sent for training or development for less than one year, who comply with the rules of the training or development institution, shall have their study time counted towards their working time at the unit for evaluation of titles.

5. Time off for maternity leave as provided by law shall be counted as working time at the unit for evaluation of titles.

6. For individuals transferred or seconded to another agency, organization, or unit for a specific period, the evaluation for the title "Advanced Worker" shall be conducted by the agency, organization, or unit with the authority to assess the degree of completion of tasks (for civil servants, public officials, and public employees) or by the new unit (for individuals who are not civil servants, public officials, or public employees). If the individual has worked at the previous unit for six months or more, there must be an assessment opinion from the previous agency or unit.

7. The title "Advanced Worker" shall not be awarded in any of the following cases:

a) Having been employed for less than six months.

b) Taking non-working leave as provided by law for three to less than six months during the year (except as provided in Clause 6 of this Article).

c) Individuals currently under consideration for disciplinary action or investigation, audit, inspection when there are signs of violation, or whose complaints or reports are being verified.

Article 4. Recipients and criteria for awarding the title "Flag of Excellence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs"

Clause 1. The title "Flag of Excellence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" shall be awarded annually to collectives that are units under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provincial Departments of Foreign Affairs under provincial People's Committees, and specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees participating in the competition groups, which have achieved the following standards in foreign affairs work:

Point a) Exceeding all assigned targets and tasks for the year; being outstanding and exemplary collectives within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, leading the competition movement among units, representative offices, and specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees in foreign affairs work.

Point b) Internal solidarity; clean and strong organization of state administration, party, and mass organizations; taking the lead in implementing the policies, regulations of the Party and State, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; practicing thrift, combating waste, corruption, and other social evils.

Clause 2. The title "Flag of Excellence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" shall be awarded to leading collectives in thematic competition movements launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lasting three years or more.

Article 5. Recipients and criteria for awarding the title "Outstanding Labor Collective"

The title "Outstanding Labor Collective" shall be awarded annually to collectives under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that meet the following standards:

Clause 1. Excellently completing assigned tasks.

Clause 2. Actively participating in regular, practical, and effective competition movements.

Clause 3. All individuals in the collective are rated as "Completing Tasks" or higher in terms of quality, with at least 70% of individuals achieving the title "Advanced Worker."

Clause 4. Having an individual who has received the title "Model Worker at the Base Level."

Clause 5. Internal solidarity; setting a good example in adhering to the guidelines, policies, and regulations of the Party and State, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There should be no individual or collective violating the guidelines, policies, and regulations of the Party and State, or those of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the extent of being disciplined according to the regulations of the Party and State (based on the time of discovery of the violation or issuance of the disciplinary decision).

Article 6. Recipients and criteria for awarding the title "Advanced Labor Collective"

Shall be awarded annually to collectives under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that meet the following standards:

Clause 1. Rated as "Completing Tasks Well" or higher; actively participating in regular, practical, and effective competition movements.

Clause 2. At least 70% of individuals in the collective achieve the title "Advanced Worker."

Clause 3. Internal solidarity; adhering well to the guidelines, policies, and regulations of the Party and State, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There should be no individual disciplined from a warning or higher according to the regulations of the Party and State (based on the time of discovery of the violation or issuance of the disciplinary decision).

Article 7. Name, recipients, and criteria for awarding Commemorative Medals

Clause 1. The Commemorative Medal "For the Cause of Vietnam's Diplomacy" is a form of reward by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Clause 2. The Commemorative Medal "For the Cause of Vietnam's Diplomacy" shall be awarded annually on the occasion of the anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic sector or awarded exceptionally according to the decision of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to individuals who have contributed to implementing the tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, building, and developing the diplomatic sector.

Clause 3. The Commemorative Medal "For the Cause of Vietnam's Diplomacy" shall be awarded to individuals working in the diplomatic sector who meet one of the following criteria:

Point a) Leaders and former leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are not counted for service tenure when considering for the Commemorative Medal.

Point b) Individuals with a total service period of 20 years or more for men and 15 years or more for women at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and/or representative offices, completing assigned tasks during their service period.

Point c) Individuals transferred from other agencies to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if they do not meet the service tenure requirements for the Commemorative Medal as stipulated in Point b, Clause of this Article, may be considered for the award before retirement if they have worked continuously for 30 years or more for men and 20 years or more for women, including at least 10 years working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and/or representative offices.

Point d) Service tenure for consideration for the Commemorative Medal is calculated as follows:

- Service period is calculated from the date of employment or transfer decision to the date of application for the Commemorative Medal or the retirement decision date; short-term contract service periods are not included in the service tenure.

- Individuals sent to study, perform military service, or temporarily assigned to other agencies and then return to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are considered to have continuously served in the diplomatic sector.

- Individuals who bravely save people or national property, resulting in injury requiring treatment or convalescence, have the treatment or convalescence period counted towards service tenure.

- Individuals who serve at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representative offices intermittently have their service tenure calculated by accumulating the total working time at units under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representative offices; 12 months of work is counted as one year of service in the diplomatic sector.

Point đ) Individuals who have been awarded commendations or honors during their service period can be considered for the Commemorative Medal earlier than the specified time. The earlier time is applied once according to the highest commendation or honor as follows:

- Being recognized as a National Model Worker or receiving the Labor Medal or higher allows early consideration for the Commemorative Medal by five years.

- Being recognized as a Ministry-level Model Worker or receiving a Prime Minister's Commendation allows early consideration for the Commemorative Medal by three years.

- Being recognized as a Base-level Model Worker or receiving a Minister of Foreign Affairs' Commendation allows early consideration for the Commemorative Medal by two years.

Point e) Other cases as decided by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Clause 4. Criteria for awarding to individuals not working in the diplomatic sector:

Point a) Leaders of the Party and State are not counted for service tenure when considering for the Commemorative Medal.

b) Leaders of departments, ministries, sectors, provinces, and centrally governed cities, and political-social organizations within the political system who have held leadership positions for at least one five-year term; have made positive contributions to the implementation of the political tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the development and enhancement of the foreign affairs sector.

c) Heads of divisions and equivalent positions in departments, ministries, sectors, and central-level political-social organizations; Heads of Provincial Departments of Foreign Affairs, and Heads of People's Committee Offices in provinces that do not establish Provincial Departments of Foreign Affairs, who have held these positions for at least one term; have performed their assigned tasks well during their tenure; have made positive contributions to the implementation of the political tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the development and enhancement of the foreign affairs sector.

d) Officials, civil servants, and employees working in foreign affairs agencies, international cooperation agencies under departments, ministries, sectors, and central-level political-social organizations, and specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees engaged in foreign affairs work with at least twenty years of service in the field of foreign affairs and international integration for males, and fifteen years for females (short-term contract periods are not counted towards seniority); have made positive contributions to the implementation of the political tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the development and enhancement of the foreign affairs sector.

đ) Individuals appointed as Heads of Vietnam's representative offices abroad who have served at least one term as Head of a Representative Office.

e) Individuals within the country, overseas Vietnamese individuals, and foreigners who have made outstanding contributions to the implementation of the political tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the development and enhancement of the foreign affairs sector, or to strengthening and developing friendly relations and cooperation between Vietnam and other countries, international partners, or cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international partners.

5. The Commendation Medal may be awarded multiple times to individuals in different positions (except for cases specified in Clause 2 of this Article); it shall not be awarded multiple times to the same individual for the same position.

Article 8. Criteria for awarding or posthumously awarding the Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

1. The Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs is awarded or posthumously awarded to individuals under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; individuals working in foreign affairs agencies, international cooperation agencies under departments, ministries, sectors, and political-social organizations; individuals performing tasks related to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' areas of work; individuals in specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees engaged in foreign affairs work who conscientiously follow the Party and State's policies, guidelines, regulations, and achieve one of the following criteria:

a) Outstanding achievements recognized in competition movements initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

b) Achievements in one of the fields under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' management, or outstanding achievements in performing important tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with influence within the foreign affairs sector;

c) Contributions to economic and social development, application of scientific and technological progress, social work, humanitarian aid;

d) Consistently achieving the title of "Model Worker" for two consecutive terms, or being recognized as having excellently completed tasks for two consecutive years, during which time two recognized and effectively applied initiatives were implemented at the unit level or higher, or two scientific research topics, projects, and technological works that have been accepted and effectively applied at the unit level or higher.

2. The Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs is awarded or posthumously awarded to business leaders, intellectuals, and scientists who conscientiously follow the Party and State's policies, guidelines, regulations, and achieve one of the criteria stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article, or have made contributions to the development of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

3. The Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs is awarded to groups under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; groups in foreign affairs agencies, international cooperation agencies under departments, ministries, sectors, and political-social organizations; groups performing tasks related to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' areas of work; groups in specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees engaged in foreign affairs work who conscientiously follow the Party and State's policies, guidelines, regulations, and achieve one of the following criteria:

a) Outstanding achievements recognized in annual competitive movements, or movements initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

b) Outstanding achievements with influence in the fields under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' management;

c) Consistently achieving excellent completion of tasks for two consecutive years or receiving the title of "Outstanding Labor Group," actively practicing democracy at the grassroots level, organizing competitive movements well; caring for the material and spiritual life of group members; practicing thrift, combating waste; preventing corruption and negative practices.

4. The Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs is awarded to businesses and other economic organizations that conscientiously follow the Party and State's policies, guidelines, regulations, and achieve one of the criteria stipulated in Clause 3 of this Article, or have made contributions to the development of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

5. The Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs is awarded to organizations and overseas Vietnamese individuals who have made positive and outstanding contributions to building their homeland and protecting the country, or to building and developing overseas Vietnamese communities, or to developing friendly relations and cooperation between Vietnam and other countries, international partners; and who conscientiously follow the laws of the host country and Vietnamese laws.

6. The Minister of Foreign Affairs's Certificate of Merit shall be awarded to foreign organizations and individuals, international organizations that demonstrate a spirit of friendship and solidarity, respect for Vietnam’s independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, political and social system, reform process, laws, customs, and traditions; have made significant and outstanding contributions to the country's development and national defense; or to the development of friendly relations and cooperation between Vietnam and other countries and international partners; or to the development of cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international partners; or have contributed positively to enhancing Vietnam's international image, status, and reputation, or protecting the rights and interests of the Party, State, or protecting Vietnamese citizens abroad; and comply well with the laws of the host country and Vietnamese laws.

Article 9. Criteria for Awarding the Minister's Commendation

The Minister's Commendation shall be awarded to individuals or collectives under the management authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who meet one of the following criteria:

1. Achieving remarkable results in performing the tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the achievements do not yet meet the conditions and criteria for awarding the Minister's Certificate of Merit.

2. Achieving remarkable results in Party and State competition movements, or competition movements initiated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or major campaigns of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the achievements do not yet meet the criteria for awarding the Minister's Certificate of Merit.

Article 10. Criteria for Awarding Certificates of Commendation by Heads of Units with Legal Personality under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

1. Certificates of Commendation by Heads of Units shall be awarded to collectives under units with legal personality under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who meet one of the following criteria:

a) Making significant contributions to competition movements initiated by the Head of the Unit or major campaigns of the Unit.

b) Completing tasks at a good level or higher; maintaining internal unity and setting a good example in complying with the Party's guidelines, State policies, and laws, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' regulations.

2. Certificates of Commendation by Heads of Units shall be awarded to individuals who meet one of the following criteria:

a) Completing tasks at a good level or higher; setting a good example in complying with the Party's guidelines, State policies, and laws, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' regulations.

b) Making significant contributions to the Unit's competition movements or major campaigns.

3. Certificates of Commendation by the head of educational institutions under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be given to individuals or collectives studying at such institutions according to the regulations of the Minister of Education and Training.

Article 11. Number of Files for Proposing Awards of Competition Titles and Forms of Reward within the Authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The files for proposing awards of competition titles and forms of reward within the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include one set (original) and electronic documents of the reward file, except for documents containing state secrets.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 12. Responsibility for Implementation

1. Heads of units under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic missions, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

2. The Office of the Ministry is responsible for guiding, inspecting, and urging the implementation of this Circular; taking the lead and coordinating with relevant units to advise the Minister of Foreign Affairs on issuing relevant regulations to ensure the implementation of this Circular.

Article 13. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from August 29, 2024.

2. Circular No. 03/2018/TT-BNG dated November 1, 2018, issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on guiding the implementation of competition and commendation work in the Foreign Service, shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect./.