Decision No. 02/2001/NQ-CP of the Government's regular meeting in February 2001

RESOLUTION

ON THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS IN FEBRUARY 2001

On February 26 and 27, 2001, the Council of Ministers held its regular meeting for February 2001 to discuss and adopt the following issues:

1. Regarding the draft Law amending and supplementing certain articles of the Land Law: The Council of Ministers heard the Director General of the Land Administration read the report on the draft Law amending and supplementing certain articles of the Land Law, and the Minister, Head of the Government Office reported on the consolidated opinions of the members of the Council of Ministers regarding the above draft. The Council of Ministers agreed that land policy is a complex and very sensitive issue, requiring time for research and summarization of practical experience, thus the comprehensive amendment of the Land Law must be carried out gradually in accordance with the reform of economic management mechanisms. In the short term, from the requirements of economic and social development in the current stage, some problematic issues such as authority to allocate land, lease land, reclaim land, issue certificates of land use rights, valuation of land, compensation for land clearance... need to be amended and supplemented promptly to remove bottlenecks and difficulties in management and operation by the Government and local authorities, creating favorable conditions for land users.

- Entrust the Land Administration to take the lead, coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office, and related ministries and sectors to incorporate the opinions of the Council of Ministers' members, supplement and perfect the draft; submit it for comments from the Council of Ministers' members, consolidate and report to the Prime Minister before submitting to the National Assembly.

- Entrust the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to prepare a report on solutions to urgent land issues currently not included in the draft Law amending and supplementing certain articles of the Land Law, to be submitted to the Council of Ministers at its March 2001 session..

2. Adopted the draft Law on Road Traffic Management presented by the Minister of Transport. Entrust the Ministry of Transport to take the lead, coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Public Security, the Government Office, and related agencies to incorporate the opinions of the Council of Ministers' members, supplement and perfect the draft, and report to the Prime Minister before submitting to the National Assembly.

3. Adopted the draft Ordinance on Food Safety and Hygiene presented by the Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment. Entrust the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment to take the lead, coordinate with the Government Office and the Ministry of Justice to incorporate the opinions of the Council of Ministers' members, perfect the draft Ordinance, and report to the Prime Minister before submitting to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

4. Adopted the draft Ordinance on Fees and Charges presented by the Minister of Finance. Entrust the Ministry of Finance to take the lead, coordinate with the Government Office, the Ministry of Justice, and related agencies to perfect the draft Ordinance, and report to the Prime Minister before submitting to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

5. Adopted the Decree detailing the implementation of the Ordinance on Entry, Exit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam presented by the Ministry of Public Security. Entrust the Ministry of Public Security to take the lead, coordinate with the Government Office and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Justice to incorporate the opinions of the Council of Ministers' members, perfect the draft, and have the Prime Minister sign and promulgate it in March 2001.

6. Adopted the Decree on Travel Agency Operations and Tour Guide Services. Entrust the Tourism General Department to take the lead, coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and the Government Office to incorporate the opinions of the Council of Ministers' members, perfect the draft, and have the Prime Minister sign and promulgate it in March 2001.

7. At this meeting, the Minister of Transport reported to the Council of Ministers on urgent measures to ensure traffic safety.

The Council of Ministers agreed with the content of the report. In the short term, request relevant ministries, sectors, and People's Committees of provinces and cities to further intensify measures to address traffic accidents and congestion, focusing on implementing urgent measures such as strengthening inspection and supervision, strictly handling violations, resolutely preventing racing, severely punishing drivers addicted to drugs and alcohol, schools checking and immediately prohibiting underage students from riding motorcycles; mandating helmet use for all motorbike and scooter riders starting June 2001 (state officials must set an example by doing so earlier); enhancing vehicle safety inspections, linking inspection agencies' responsibilities with inspection quality; allocating additional funds to eliminate "black spots" on accident-prone roads; resolutely addressing encroachment on roadways, sidewalks, and traffic protection zones.

Entrust the Ministry of Transport to take the lead, coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and related agencies to draft and promptly submit specific decisions to the Prime Minister for issuance to organize implementation.

8. The Council of Ministers heard the Minister of Trade report on some measures to boost rice and coffee exports in 2001 and the Minister of Planning and Investment report on the implementation of the plan in February and the first two months of 2001.

The Council of Ministers noted that the country's economic and social situation in the first two months continued to develop positively: agricultural and industrial production continued to grow well, export efforts showed significant progress, and services continued to increase. However, difficulties in selling agricultural products persist; investment development has not shown much change; mass complaints continue in some areas and require timely resolution.

The Government requests ministries, sectors, and localities to continue implementing measures to fulfill tasks set forth at the Government's meeting with provincial chairmen early in February 2001 to successfully complete economic and social development tasks for subsequent months. Major issues that need focused guidance to effectively accomplish the 2001 tasks include promptly addressing difficulties and supporting enterprises; resolving consumption and development issues for certain important products; addressing investment development difficulties; concentrating on key tasks related to science and technology and education and training; and strengthening administrative discipline and order.

Specifically, rice and coffee consumption issues are urgent problems that require immediate measures. Therefore, the Government decides:

Regarding rice and grain consumption in the Mekong Delta:

1/ To continue intensifying trade promotion activities, seeking long-term export markets for rice based on additional government agreements. The Ministry of Trade shall consult with businesses to address specific market issues within their respective jurisdictions, reporting matters beyond their authority to the Prime Minister for decision. The Government will implement necessary incentives to develop new markets.

2/ To instruct the Southern Foodstuff Corporation and foodstuff companies in Mekong Delta provinces to purchase approximately one million tons of rice from the 2000-2001 winter-spring crop temporarily from March 10 to May 10, 2001, focusing on purchasing large quantities in March 2001 to increase paddy prices. The state budget will support 100% interest rates on bank loans for this temporary storage from March 10, 2001 to September 10, 2001.

3/ To instruct the State Bank of Vietnam to direct the Vietnam Agricultural and Rural Development Bank to negotiate with provincial People's Committees to implement debt deferral and continued new lending to rice producers and rice exporting enterprises.

4/ To instruct the Ministry of Trade to consult with the Vietnam Food Association and rice exporting enterprises to establish a rice export trading center to unify trading activities, ensuring common benefits and individual enterprise rights.

5/ To instruct the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to direct the Southern Foodstuff Corporation to consult with provincial People's Committees to build pilot agricultural product central markets initially in provinces with significant rice production to assist farmers in selling rice and providing other agricultural production services.

6/ To reduce input costs for farmers, to instruct the Ministry of Finance to adjust import tax rates and abolish price differential charges for fertilizers. Implement land use tax exemptions for rice fields according to the spirit of Resolution No. 09/2000/NQ-CP of the Government.

The Ministry of Finance shall revise and supplement some financial policies to facilitate rice exporting enterprises.

- Regarding coffee consumption in the Central Highlands:

1/ To instruct the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to urgently complete the purchase of 150,000 tons of coffee for temporary storage as decided by the Prime Minister to boost domestic and export coffee prices.

The Ministry of Trade shall closely monitor international coffee market conditions to timely direct sales when prices are favorable. The Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association shall closely cooperate with coffee-exporting countries' associations to unify actions to raise coffee export prices.

2/ To urgently implement the provision of 70% interest rate subsidies on bank loans for coffee exports made during the first nine months of 2000 as decided by the Prime Minister. Implement land use tax exemptions for coffee-growing land according to the spirit of Resolution No. 09/2000/NQ-CP of the Government.

3/ To urgently report to the Prime Minister the outstanding loan balances of farmers who borrowed for coffee garden care in 2000; plan support for these loans to continue coffee care, especially for ethnic minority coffee-growing areas.

4/ Regarding some financial measures proposed by the Ministry of Trade, to instruct the Ministry of Finance to work with Central Highland provincial People's Committees to handle specifically; matters exceeding jurisdiction shall be reported with proposals to the Prime Minister for decision in the first quarter of 2001..

Regarding long-term measures to improve rice and coffee production and business efficiency, and investment in crop structure transformation, to instruct the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to work with relevant ministries and sectors to develop comprehensive plans and specific solutions for each province, coordinating with ministries and sectors to implement them. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall lead, coordinating with the Coffee Corporation, the Southern Foodstuff Corporation, and relevant provincial People's Committees to develop investment projects on post-harvest technology and processing industries to enhance rice and coffee quality, to be submitted to the Prime Minister in the second quarter of 2001.