Circular No. 02/2013/TT-BKHĐT guiding the implementation of certain contents of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Implementing Certain Provisions of the Strategyfor Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020

Pursuant to Decree No. 116/2008/NĐ-CP dated November 14, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Planning and Investment;

Pursuant to Decision No. 432/QĐ-TTg dated April 12, 2012 of the Prime Minister approving the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020;

Pursuant to Decision No. 160/QĐ-TTg dated January 15, 2013 of the Prime Minister approving the National Action Plan on Sustainable Development during the Period 2013-2015;

The Ministry of Planning and Investment issues guidelines for implementing certain provisions of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020 as follows:

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. These Circulars guide the implementation of certain provisions of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020 approved by Decision No. 432/QĐ-TTg dated April 12, 2012 of the Prime Minister, including: Developing programs/plans of action for sustainable development; Integrating sustainable development contents into strategies, plans, and sectoral/field development plans; Organizing the implementation of sustainable development; Funding for implementation; Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.

2. These Circulars apply to Ministries, sectors, localities, organizations, social groups, and individuals related to the implementation of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

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

1. Ministries include Ministries, agencies equivalent to Ministries, and agencies under the Government.

2. Organizations and social groups refer to central agencies of political-social organizations, social-professional organizations; business communities.

3. Localities refer to provinces and centrally-administered cities.

4. National sustainable development indicators are the monitoring and evaluation indicators for Vietnam's sustainable development during the Period 2011-2020 issued by Decision No. 432/QĐ-TTg dated April 12, 2012 of the Prime Minister.

Chapter II
DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMS/PLANS OF ACTION FOR SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT OF MINISTRIES, SECTORS, LOCALITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND SOCIAL GROUPS

Article 3. Principles of Development

1. Ministries, sectors, localities, organizations, and social groups shall proactively develop programs/plans of action to implement the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020 with the aim of developing sectors/fields and localities in accordance with the national sustainable development orientation.

2. Programs/plans of action must ensure close and harmonious integration of the three pillars of sustainable development: economy, society, and environment, and be developed for each period from 2011-2015 and 2016-2020.

3. Programs/plans of action must be developed based on the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020 and the National Action Plan on Sustainable Development for each period.

4. The development process must involve coordination, participation, and consultation with relevant ministries, departments, and agencies; political-social organizations and social-professional organizations; scientists; representatives of the business community and residents.

Article 4. Contents of Programs/Plans of Action for Sustainable Development

1. Programs/Plans of Action of Ministries, Sectors, and Localities Include the Following Contents:

a) Determining the objectives of the program/plan of action;

b) Determining the monitoring and evaluation indicators for sustainable development of sectors/fields (for Ministries and Sectors) and localities (for provinces and centrally-administered cities);

c) Determining the main contents/tasks of sectors/fields and localities that need to be implemented to:

- Specificize the goals and priority directions of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020;

- Integrate the contents of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020 into policy formulation, strategy, planning, and implementation processes of Ministries, Sectors, and Localities.

d) Determining solutions, methods of organization and implementation, and mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating, and supervising the program/plan of action;

e) Proposing specific projects to implement the contents of the program/plan of action.

2. Programs/Plans of Action of Organizations and Social Groups Include the Following Contents:

a) Determining the objectives of the program/plan of action;

b) Determining the main contents/tasks related to the functions, tasks, and activities of organizations and social groups that need to be implemented to specificize the goals and priority directions of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam during the Period 2011-2020;

c) Determining solutions, methods of organization and implementation, and mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating, and supervising the implementation of the program/plan of action;

d) Proposing specific projects (if any) to implement the contents of the program/plan of action.

Chapter III
INTEGRATING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONTENTS INTO

STRATEGIES, PLANS, AND SECTORAL/FIELD DEVELOPMENT PLANS

ECONOMIC-SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND SECTORAL/FIELD DEVELOPMENT

Article 5. Principles of Integration

1. The viewpoints, objectives, and sustainable development orientations must be integrated into the contents of strategies, plans, and sectoral/field development programs.

2. For new strategies, plans, and sectoral/field development programs: the viewpoints and objectives of sustainable development must be given priority, considered, and taken into account from the initial idea formation, development orientation, and consistently implemented throughout the process of drafting, reviewing, approving, organizing implementation, and monitoring and supervising these strategies, plans, and sectoral/field development programs.

3. For existing strategies, plans, and sectoral/field development programs: during the implementation process, it is necessary to review and assess the sustainability of these strategies, plans, and programs to propose necessary adjustments and supplements.

Article 6. Requirements for Integration

1. The content, procedures for building and implementing, reviewing, and adjusting strategies, plans shall be carried out according to current regulations.

2. Requirements for integration

a) For new strategies, plans:

- Study the contents of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020 to determine the viewpoints, objectives, and contents of the strategy, plan being developed to ensure that they are built in accordance with sustainable development orientations;

- Select national sustainable development indicators that have been issued to include in the strategies, plans being developed:

+ For economic and social development strategies, plans: national sustainable development indicators that have been issued must be included in the system of economic, social, and environmental indicators of the strategy, plan;

+ For sectoral/field development strategies, plans: select national sustainable development indicators that are appropriate to the sector/field to include in the sectoral/field development strategy, plan.

In cases where there are no relevant indicators in the set of national sustainable development indicators that have been issued, it is necessary to determine specific sustainable development indicators for the sector/field based on sustainable development requirements to include in the system of indicators of the sectoral/field development strategy, plan.

b) For issued strategies, plans:

- During the review and assessment of the implementation situation of approved and issued strategies, plans to propose adjustments, it is necessary to conduct reviews and assessments of their sustainability;

The review, assessment, and adjustment of approved strategies, plans shall be conducted by the state agency responsible for formulating the strategies, plans in accordance with current regulations.

- Study the contents of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020 to adjust the viewpoints, objectives, and contents of the strategy, plan to ensure sustainable development;

- Supplement appropriate sustainable development indicators into the strategies, plans:

+ For economic and social development strategies, plans: supplement national sustainable development indicators not included in the system of economic, social, and environmental indicators of the strategy, plan;

+ For sectoral/field development strategies, plans: select appropriate indicators from the set of national sustainable development indicators to supplement into the sectoral/field development strategy, plan.

In cases where there are no relevant indicators in the set of national sustainable development indicators that have been issued, it is necessary to develop specific sustainable development indicators for the sector/field based on sustainable development requirements to supplement into the strategy, plan.

Chapter IV
IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT MINISTRIES, SECTORS, LOCALITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS

Article 7. Permanent agency and lead unit for sustainable development

1. The planning/finance unit or specialized unit responsible for sustainable development under ministries, sectors, organizations, and mass organizations shall be the lead unit for sustainable development of those ministries, sectors, organizations, and mass organizations.

2. The Department of Planning and Investment of provinces and centrally governed cities shall be the permanent agency for sustainable development at the local level.

Article 8. Steering Committee for Sustainable Development in Sectors

1. Establishing the Steering Board

a) The steering committee for sustainable development in sectors shall be established under ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies.

b) The ministers of ministries, heads of ministerial-level agencies, and heads of government agencies shall decide to establish the steering committee for sustainable development in their respective sectors/fields of management.

2. Functions and tasks of the steering committee for sustainable development in sectors

The steering committee for sustainable development in sectors has the task of advising and assisting the ministers of ministries, heads of ministerial-level agencies, and heads of government agencies in directing:

a) Developing programs/actions plans of the sector to implement the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020;

b) Integrating the contents of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020 into the policy-making process; developing and implementing strategies, master plans, and action plans for sustainable development in the sector/field of management;

c) Establishing sustainable development indicators suitable to the conditions and characteristics of development of the ministry or sector based on the goals of sustainable development and national monitoring and evaluation indicators; organizing the monitoring and evaluation of sustainable development goals and indicators within the sector/field of management; building and implementing sustainable development models in the sector;

d) Organizing propaganda and education to raise awareness among officials, civil servants, and employees about sustainable development and the contents of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020;

đ) Annually reporting the results of implementing the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020, the situation of implementing sustainable development indicators in the sector/field, to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.

3. Organizational structure and working regulations of the steering committee for sustainable development in sectors

a) Organizational structure

The steering committee for sustainable development in sectors includes:

- Chairperson of the steering committee: Leader of the ministry, ministerial-level agency, or government agency;

- Deputy Chairperson of the steering committee: Head of the lead unit for sustainable development under the ministry, ministerial-level agency, or government agency;

- Members of the steering committee: leaders of related units under the ministry, ministerial-level agency, or government agency.

b) Working regulations

Members of the steering committee for sustainable development in sectors work on a part-time basis. The working regulations of the steering committee are developed based on referencing the organizational and operational regulations of the National Council for Sustainable Development and Enhancing Competitiveness and approved and issued by the Chairperson of the steering committee.

Article 9. Steering Committee for Sustainable Development at the Local Level

1. Establishing the Steering Board

a) The steering committee for sustainable development at the local level shall be established in provinces and centrally governed cities.

b) The Chairman of the People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city decides to establish the steering committee for sustainable development at the local level.

2. Functions and tasks of the steering committee for sustainable development at the local level

The steering committee for sustainable development at the local level has the task of advising and assisting the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city in directing:

a) Developing programs/action plans of the locality to implement the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020;

b) Integrating the contents of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020 into the policy-making process; developing and implementing comprehensive plans for socio-economic development and socio-economic development plans of the locality;

c) Organizing extensive propaganda and raising awareness among officials, civil servants, employees, businesses, and various strata of the people about sustainable development, the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020, and the program/action plan of the locality to implement the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020;

d) Organizing the monitoring and evaluation of sustainable development goals and indicators in the province or city;

đ) Building and implementing sustainable development models at the local level (ecological village model; eco-tourism; sustainable economic development; organic agriculture; integrated pest management; community participation in planting and protecting forests; production of ecological products; use of recycled materials; implementation of sustainable production and consumption; energy-saving and efficient use of energy; sustainable community development and other sustainable development models) suitable to the customs and level of understanding of the people to promote and replicate;

e) Annually reporting the results of implementing the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020, the situation of implementing sustainable development indicators in the province or city, to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.

3. Organizational structure and working regulations of the steering committee for sustainable development at the local level

a) Organizational structure

The steering committee for sustainable development at the local level includes:

- Chairperson of the steering committee: Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city;

- Deputy Chairperson of the steering committee: Director of the Department of Planning and Investment;

- Members of the steering committee: representatives of leaders of relevant departments, agencies, and organizations; some organizations and mass organizations at the local level.

b) Working regulations

Members of the steering committee for sustainable development at the local level work on a part-time basis. The working regulations of the steering committee are developed based on referencing the organizational and operational regulations of the National Council for Sustainable Development and Enhancing Competitiveness and approved and issued by the Chairperson of the steering committee.

Article 10. Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development

1. Establishment of the Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development

a) The Ministers of Ministries, Heads of agencies at the ministerial level, agencies under the Government, and organizations and associations specified in this Circular shall establish the Sustainable Development Office or Task Force for Sustainable Development based on their functions, tasks, powers, organizational structure, and activities, located at the main unit responsible for sustainable development; they shall arrange staff to work concurrently or exclusively at the Office/Task Force according to the actual conditions of the Ministry, sector, organization, or association.

b) The Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees and Municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government shall establish the Sustainable Development Office or Task Force for Sustainable Development at the Planning and Investment Departments of provinces and centrally governed cities based on their tasks, powers, and local activities; they shall arrange staff to work concurrently or exclusively at the Office/Task Force according to the actual conditions of the locality.

2. Tasks of the Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development

a) The Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development at Ministries, sectors, organizations, and associations shall assist the main unit responsible for sustainable development and the Sectoral Steering Committee for Sustainable Development in performing the tasks stipulated in Clause 2, Article 8 of this Circular.

The Ministers of Ministries, Heads of agencies at the ministerial level, agencies under the Government, and organizations and associations shall specify the tasks of the Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development.

b) The Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development at the Planning and Investment Departments of provinces and centrally governed cities shall assist the permanent office and the Local Steering Committee for Sustainable Development in performing the tasks stipulated in Clause 2, Article 9 of this Circular.

The Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees and Municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government shall specify the tasks of the Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development.

3. Organizational Structure of the Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development

a) The Sustainable Development Office shall have a Director, Deputy Director, and several specialists who are full-time or concurrent staff members;

b) The Task Force for Sustainable Development shall have several full-time or concurrent staff members and be headed by a Department-level leader (for Ministries, agencies at the ministerial level, agencies under the Government, organizations, and associations) or a Division-level leader (for Planning and Investment Departments).

c) Staff members of the Sustainable Development Office/Task Force for Sustainable Development shall be provided with necessary working conditions according to current regulations to perform assigned functions and tasks.

Chapter V
EXPENSES FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Article 11. Budget for Building and Implementing Sustainable Development Programs/Action Plans

1. Budget for Building Programs/Action Plans

a) The central budget for building programs/action plans shall be covered by the central government's regular budget (funds for public services), allocated in the annual state budget estimates of Ministries, sectors, organizations, and associations. The preparation, management, and settlement of accounts for the budget shall be carried out in accordance with current State regulations.

b) The local budget for building programs/action plans shall be covered by the local government's regular budget (funds for public services), allocated in the annual state budget estimates of provincial departments and centrally governed city departments. The preparation, management, and settlement of accounts for the budget shall be carried out in accordance with current State regulations.

2. Budget for Implementing Programs/Action Plans

a) The budget for implementing programs/action plans shall be sourced from the State budget, coordinated and allocated annually by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance from investment development funds and public service funds, and simultaneously from other sources including: Official Development Assistance (ODA) from international bilateral and multilateral organizations and non-governmental organizations; contributions from domestic and foreign enterprises, organizations, and individuals.

Ministries, sectors, organizations, associations, and localities shall actively mobilize financial support from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals in accordance with the law to implement sustainable development programs/action plans.

b) Based on assigned tasks, agencies and units shall prepare budgets for implementing programs/action plans, consolidate them into the annual state budget estimates, submit them to planning and finance authorities for review and consolidation in accordance with the State Budget Law and current guiding documents.

Article 12. Tasks to be funded from the State budget for development investment expenditures and public service expenditures

The tasks allocated funding in the annual budget estimates for development investment expenditures and public service expenditures of ministries, sectors, organizations, mass organizations, and localities according to the current State budget classification include:

1. Building and perfecting the institutional system, policies, and laws on sustainable development;

2. Implementing programs/action plans to carry out the Sustainable Development Strategy of Vietnam for the period 2011-2020;

3. Education, communication, and raising awareness about sustainable development;

4. Training and enhancing management capacity and implementation of sustainable development;

5. Developing and implementing sustainable development models;

6. Scientific research and technology serving sustainable development;

7. Monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on sustainable development: establishing indicators, calculating indicators, collecting data.

Article 13. Operating funds for the Steering Committee for Sustainable Development in sectors and localities

1. The operating funds for the Steering Committee for Sustainable Development in sectors shall be guaranteed by the central budget and allocated within the annual budget estimates for regular expenditures of ministries, agencies at ministerial level, and government agencies.

2. The operating funds for the Steering Committee for Sustainable Development in localities shall be guaranteed by the local budget and allocated within the annual budget estimates for regular expenditures of provincial Departments of Planning and Investment.

3. The preparation, management, utilization, and settlement of accounts for the funds shall be carried out in accordance with current regulations.

Article 14. Operating funds for the Office for Sustainable Development/Specialized Team for Sustainable Development

1. The operating funds for the Office for Sustainable Development/Specialized Team for Sustainable Development of ministries, sectors, organizations, and mass organizations specified in this Circular shall be allocated within the annual budget estimates for regular expenditures of ministries, sectors, organizations, and mass organizations.

2. The operating funds for the Office for Sustainable Development/Specialized Team for Sustainable Development in localities shall be allocated within the annual budget estimates for regular expenditures of provincial Departments of Planning and Investment.

3. The preparation, management, utilization, and settlement of accounts for the funds shall be carried out in accordance with current state regulations.

Chapter VI
MONITORING, EVALUATION, REPORTING

Article 15. Monitoring and Evaluation

1. Ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities, organizations, and mass organizations specified in this Circular shall be responsible for organizing monitoring and evaluation of sustainable development in their respective sectors/fields and localities.

2. Monitoring and evaluation of sustainable development includes the following contents:

a) Monitoring and evaluating the integration of perspectives, goals, and content of sustainable development into strategies, plans, and development programs of each sector/field, overall economic and social development plans, and economic and social development programs of each locality;

b) Monitoring and evaluating the results of national sustainable development indicators, sector/field sustainable development indicators, and local sustainable development indicators;

c) Monitoring and evaluating the results of priority directions for sustainable development determined in the Sustainable Development Strategy of Vietnam for the period 2011-2020; the results of achieving the goals, contents, and tasks of action programs/plans of ministries, sectors, localities, organizations, and mass organizations;

d) Monitoring and evaluating the organization and implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy of Vietnam for the period 2011-2020; the organization and implementation of action programs/plans at all levels to implement the Sustainable Development Strategy of Vietnam for the period 2011-2020, and the implementation of policies and solutions for sustainable development by ministries, sectors, localities, organizations, and mass organizations.

3. The format of the monitoring and evaluation report shall follow the annual guidelines of the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Article 16. Sustainable development indicators used for monitoring and evaluation

1. Sustainable development indicators used for monitoring and evaluating sustainable development implementation include national sustainable development indicators, sectoral/local sustainable development indicators.

2. National sustainable development indicators are those specified in Clause 4 of this Circular (Annex 1).

3. Sectoral/local sustainable development indicators are developed by ministries and sectors in charge, in coordination with the Ministry of Planning and Investment based on the goals and priority orientations of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2011-2020 and national sustainable development monitoring and evaluation indicators, and submitted to competent authorities for issuance.

4. Local sustainable development indicators are developed by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in coordination with ministries, sectors, and localities, and submitted to competent authorities for issuance.

By December 20th each year, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, provincial People's Committees directly under the central government, and organizations and mass organizations shall submit reports on monitoring and evaluating sustainable development implementation according to the contents stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 15 of this Circular to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for consolidation and reporting. The Prime Minister.

Chapter VII
EFFECTIVE DATE

Article 18. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from May 15, 2013, and replaces Circular No. 01/2005/TT-BKH dated March 9, 2005, guiding the implementation of Decision No. 153/2004/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister on the orientation of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy.

2. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, provincial People's Committees directly under the central government, and organizations and mass organizations are responsible for implementing this Circular.

3. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, agencies, organizations, and individuals are requested to promptly reflect them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for research and appropriate amendments and supplements./.