Directive No. 05/CT-BTC on stabilizing prices during the Lunar New Year (Tân Mão) Tet holiday and the first quarter of 2011

DIRECTIVE

Regarding price stabilization during the Tet holiday of Year of the Cat and the first quarter of 2011

 and the first quarter of 2011

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Implementing Directive No. 1875/CT-TTg dated October 11, 2010, Circular No. 2022/TTg-KTTH dated November 6, 2010, and Directive No. 2164/CT-TTg dated November 30, 2010 of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance requests the heads of units under and directly subordinate to the Ministry of Finance; Directors of Provincial Departments of Finance, Heads of Tax Bureaus, Heads of Customs Bureaus, Directors of State Treasury Offices of provinces and centrally governed cities (hereinafter referred to as provinces); Heads of National Reserve Bureaus in regions to carry out their functions and tasks assigned, coordinate with relevant agencies on the localities to continue effectively implementing the work of price stabilization during the Tet holiday of Year of the Cat and the first quarter of 2011 as follows as follows:

I. On price stabilization work:

1. The Director of the Provincial Department of Finance shall take the lead and coordinate with other provincial departments and agencies to perform the following tasks:

- Closely monitor market price trends, promptly submit to the People's Committee (PC) of the province plans for managing prices of goods and services within their authority; decisions and announcements applying price stabilization measures for goods and services before, during, and after the Tet holiday of Year of the Cat and the first quarter of 2011; organize the effective implementation of price stabilization measures, preventing sudden price increases in the locality.

- Continue advising the PC of the province to establish inspection teams to check the implementation of price stabilization tasks; compliance with laws on prices, taxes, and fees by organizations and individuals engaged in production and business activities in the locality; focusing on checking compliance with regulations on price registration, declaration, and display. Firmly refuse unreasonable price increases for goods and services subject to price registration. Strictly handle violations according to the law and publicize the results of such handling through mass media.

- Extend the time for adjusting prices of goods and services still set by the state. Closely control pricing plans and levels for national reserve goods, goods and services ordered by the state for national target programs; goods and services purchased from local budgets; goods and services still receiving transport subsidies or price supports within their authority.

- Strengthen management of budget revenue and expenditure to ensure strictness, effectiveness, and thrift; review and suspend non-urgent and unnecessary expenditures (receptions, summaries, conferences, incoming and outgoing delegations, procurement expenses...); review and submit to competent authorities for abolition of fees and charges not in accordance with regulations and beyond local authority.

- Advise and submit to the PC of the province to proactively balance local financial resources to implement price stabilization measures; ensure sufficient funds for social welfare tasks. In cases where localities face difficulties in capital sources, promptly report to the Ministry of Finance to accelerate the transfer of supplementary funds from the central budget to local budgets as assigned by the Prime Minister.

2. The Head of the Tax Bureau shall be responsible for directing and strengthening tax and fee law enforcement; combining with price law enforcement; firmly eliminating unreasonable and non-compliant expenditures when settling tax returns; closely coordinating with functional agencies (Police, Finance, Market Management...) to take specific measures and strictly handle cases of tax evasion and fraud.

3. The Director of the State Treasury at the locality shall be responsible for directing and strengthening oversight of spending by budget-funded units; firmly eliminating expenditures not in accordance with regulations, standards, and expenditure norms.

4. The Head of the Customs Bureau shall be responsible for directing and creating conditions for quick and lawful clearance for enterprises in import and export activities serving the Tet holiday; increasing manpower, equipment, and coordinating with functional agencies to inspect, detect, and promptly prevent smuggling, trade fraud, and illegal cross-border transportation; enhancing research and evaluation of risk levels to conduct post-clearance inspections on essential imported goods with unreasonable price increases such as milk, medicines for prevention and treatment of diseases... contributing to stabilizing domestic market prices.

5. The Head of the National Reserve Bureau in the region shall be responsible for timely releasing national reserve goods to ensure social welfare and for provinces affected by natural disasters, floods... in accordance with the guidance of the National Reserve General Department; having specific plans to protect the safety of warehouses and goods... directly managed by the unit.

6. Units under and directly subordinate to the Ministry of Finance and all units in the finance system from central to local levels shall strictly implement regulations on thrift and waste prevention; strictly prohibit the use of public funds and state budget for gift-giving; properly organize care for the material and spiritual life of cadres, civil servants, and employees in the unit, especially those affected by floods, policy families, and revolutionary merit families.

7. Units under and directly subordinate to the Ministry of Finance, in addition to directing, implementing, and coordinating in implementing the above tasks, need to perform the following tasks well:

a) The State Budget Department shall take the lead and coordinate with the Investment Department, the State Treasury to manage and ensure funding sources to meet the requirements of central and local budgets according to the spirit of thrift and efficiency. Promptly submit to the Ministry for handling the acceleration of supplementary fund transfers from the central budget to local budgets to ensure capital sources for localities facing difficulties to implement price stabilization tasks serving the Tet holiday.

b) The Price Management Department shall take the lead and coordinate with the Tax Policy Department, the Enterprise Finance Department, and related units to closely monitor the development of global and domestic prices of goods and services; promptly advise on price management and stabilization measures; deploy inspection teams and grasp the implementation of price stabilization work in localities.

c) The Department of Banking Finance and Financial Organizations shall take the lead and advise the Ministry on the issuance of government bonds; ensure close coordination with monetary policy and interest rate policies; ensure the implementation of capital mobilization plans, macroeconomic stability, and inflation control.

d) The Financial Inspectorate shall take the lead in conducting inspections to enforce laws on pricing for enterprises producing and trading goods and services that must register and declare prices to the Ministry of Finance; report to the Ministry on inspection results and simultaneously send them to the Price Management Department for price management coordination.

đ) The National Reserve General Department shall promptly propose and direct the release of national reserve goods for provinces and cities affected by natural disasters, typhoons, floods, etc., to ensure social welfare, contribute to market stability, and stabilize prices.

II.  Implement reporting on pricing work

1. Provincial Departments of Finance under centrally administered municipalities:

- From January 1, 2011, in regular reports (daily, weekly, monthly) sent by provincial finance departments to the Ministry of Finance (Price Management Department) according to current regulations, they must include information on preparations for goods to serve the Tet holiday, assess supply capacity, and the implementation of price stabilization measures at the local level, particularly for important raw materials and supplies; types of meat (pig, chicken, beef); fish; vegetables; roots; fruits; rice (sticky and non-sticky); processed foods; candies and sweets; sugar, milk; fruits; medicines for disease prevention and treatment; passenger transport fares; tour fees, bicycle, motorcycle, car parking fees...

- Before February 15, 2011, submit a comprehensive report on market prices (before, during, and after the Tet holiday) in their respective areas to the Ministry of Finance (Price Management Department) for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.

- Specifically, for the Departments of Finance of provinces and centrally administered municipalities (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Thai Binh, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Hoa Binh, Nghe An, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, An Giang): from January 28, 2011, to February 12, 2011, implement daily rapid reporting (via fax, email) on market prices of goods specified in Decision No. 1712/QD-BTC dated May 25, 2005, issued by the Minister of Finance on the system of market price reporting and list of goods and services for the Tet holiday.

2. Representatives of the Ministry of Finance Office in Ho Chi Minh City shall monitor and consolidate market price situations before, during, and after the Tet holiday for centrally administered municipalities from Da Nang southward; submit reports to the Price Management Department for consolidation.

3. The Tax Department, Customs Department, State Treasury, and National Reserve Area Bureau shall report on the implementation of assigned tasks under this Directive to their respective higher-level agencies (General Tax Department, General Customs Department, State Treasury, National Reserve General Department) for consolidation and reporting to the Ministry (sent to the Price Management Department via email addresses [email protected] and [email protected]) as follows:

- First phase (before February 2, 2011): submit a consolidated report on the situation and implementation of tasks before the Tet holiday.

- Second phase (before February 15, 2011): submit a consolidated report on the situation and implementation of tasks after the Tet holiday. For the State Treasury, submit the report before February 28, 2011.

5. The Director of the Price Management Department shall be responsible for urging, monitoring, and consolidating the implementation of this Directive; consolidate and report to the Ministry on the market price situation to report to the Government and the Prime Minister as prescribed; promptly report emerging issues for timely resolution./.