Decision No. 09/2004/NQ-CP of the Government at the regular meeting in June 2004

RESOLUTION

Regarding the regular meeting in June 2004

_________________

During three days, from June 30 to July 2, the Government held its regular monthly meeting in June, discussing and adopting the following issues::

1- The Government heard the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment present the draft Decree guiding the implementation of the Land Law (amended).

The Land Law (amended), promulgated in 2003, began to take effect on July 1, 2004. To ensure that the Law quickly enters into practice and fully functions, promptly addressing any difficulties in land management and usage, it is necessary to issue guiding Decrees for the Law at an early date.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is tasked with leading, coordinating with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office, and related agencies, incorporating the opinions of Government members and attendees, to finalize this draft Decree. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Finance must urgently complete other draft Decrees within the system of guiding documents for the implementation of the amended Land Law, according to their assigned responsibilities, to submit to the Government for approval. During the drafting and finalizing process, opinions of local leaders, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and mass organizations should be solicited to ensure consistency among the documents.

The Government requests that, starting from July 1, 2004, when the amended Land Law takes effect, relevant central and local agencies immediately implement specific provisions of the Law regarding: authority to allocate land, lease land, change land use purposes, and reclaim land; authority to resolve disputes, complaints, and accusations and handle violations of land laws; ensuring according to the law the rights and obligations of organizations and individuals using land; conducting planning, adjusting, reviewing, announcing, and implementing land use plans; properly allocating land, leasing land, and changing land use purposes according to the target groups; applying land allocation limits for annual crop land, perennial crop land, forest land, aquaculture land, salt production land, residential land; strictly implementing land use systems; conducting land reclamation and effectively managing reclaimed land.

2- The Government heard the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism present the draft Project to strengthen press management under current circumstances.

In recent years, under the leadership of the Party and management of the State, Vietnamese press has made rapid progress in quantity, innovated in content, and diversified in form. Press activities have effectively played their role in promoting the Party's policies, State's policies, highlighting good people and deeds, new factors in the country's construction and reform; actively participating in anti-corruption movements, contributing to social and state administration improvement. Press also reflects public opinion on the strengths and limitations of the mechanism and policies of the State, and the aspirations of the people. However, there are still aspects of press activities that need to be improved. Some publications have not adhered to their stated objectives; they lack political sensitivity, report inaccurately, violate human rights; tend towards commercialization, disrespect the law, and undervalue professional ethics; the responsibility between the main management agency and the state management agency for press is unclear...

Strengthening press management requires clearly defining the tasks and responsibilities of state management agencies for press, main management agencies of publications, and chief editors of publications, to guide each publication to operate according to its objectives and the law, aiming to promote positive aspects of the press, create conditions for journalists and editors to improve their political and professional skills, so that publications can produce more quality articles, comprehensive, truthful, and objective information, making greater contributions to the country's economic and social development.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is tasked with leading, coordinating with the Central Propaganda and Ideology Commission, the Government Office, and related agencies, incorporating the opinions of Government members and attendees, to finalize the Project for approval and implementation. For issues already specifically regulated by law, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will lead, coordinating with related agencies to implement them immediately.

3- The Government heard the Minister of Planning and Investment present the draft Decree of the Government on organizing and managing state-owned holding companies and converting state-owned independent companies into a parent company-subcompany model; heard the Minister, Head of the Government Office report on the synthesis of Government members' opinions on the draft Decree.

Converting state-owned holding companies and independent state-owned companies into a parent company-subcompany model is a step in the restructuring and reform of state-owned enterprises in accordance with the spirit of Resolution No. 3 and Resolution No. 9 (Session IX) of the Party and the implementation of the amended State Enterprise Law. The pilot conversion of state-owned enterprises to operate under the parent company-subcompany model has initially yielded good results. Given practical requirements, it is necessary to establish a legal framework for state-owned holding companies and independent state-owned companies to operate and convert according to this model.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment is tasked with leading, coordinating with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office, and related agencies, incorporating the opinions of Government members, to finalize the draft Decree, to submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and issuance.

4- The Government heard the Minister of Health present the draft Drug Law; heard the Minister, Head of the Government Office report on the synthesis of Government members' opinions on this draft Law.

In recent times, the system of legal regulations on the pharmaceutical industry has not been comprehensive, consistent, and mainly consists of sub-law documents. Many provisions lack specificity and are not suitable for state management of the pharmaceutical sector. Activities such as drug circulation, prescription writing, supply and use of drugs, establishment of quality standards for drugs, drug trade, testing, clinical trials... have not been addressed or lack a coherent legal framework. The issuance of the Pharmaceutical Law aims to institutionalize and enhance the effectiveness of state management in the pharmaceutical field, while creating a favorable legal environment for the pharmaceutical industry to operate.

Entrust the Ministry of Health to take the lead, coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office, and relevant agencies, incorporate opinions from government members, finalize the draft Law, submit it to the Government for further review before reporting to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

5- The Government heard the Minister of Planning and Investment report on the implementation of the socio-economic development plan for the first six months of 2004 and the main solutions for the remaining months of the year; heard the Minister and Head of the Government Office report on the review of the Government's guidance and management work for the first six months of 2004; heard the Secretary-General of the Steering Committee for Administrative Reform of the Government report on the administrative reform work of the Government for the first six months of 2004.

The Government reviewed reports on Market Price Conditions for the first six months and management measures for the last six months of the year presented by the Ministry of Finance, and reports on Domestic Market Conditions and Import-Export Trade for the first six months of the year presented by the Ministry of Commerce.

Despite many adverse factors affecting the socio-economic situation in Vietnam during the first half of 2004, such as avian influenza, severe cold weather, widespread drought, and high prices of certain goods in the global market, economic growth continued to maintain a positive trend. Several areas showed progress: industrial production increased significantly, export value and investment capital implementation grew, import surplus decreased, budget revenue was high, farmers' income improved noticeably, contributing to domestic demand stimulation, people's livelihoods and political-social stability were maintained...

Achieving these results was due to the efforts and dedication of ministries, sectors, localities, and the people nationwide, as well as the prompt, resolute, and timely guidance with flexible and effective management measures by the Government. The Government's management in the past six months focused on key issues, deeply implemented Party and National Assembly resolutions, concentrated on major socio-economic development goals of the country; promptly and effectively addressed urgent issues and unexpected developments. Government members raised their sense of responsibility, actively coordinated activities with Party agencies, the National Assembly, and social-political organizations in performing their tasks. However, alongside the achievements, there remain many difficulties and shortcomings such as: economic growth rate still being much lower than planned targets, low added value in production and construction, rising costs of goods for production and consumption, low foreign direct investment attraction, slow disbursement of construction investment funds and ODA, increasing traffic accidents, social vices, and crime...

To achieve the socio-economic development goals for 2004, the Government requests that in the last six months of the year, ministries, sectors, and localities need to implement effectively the socio-economic development measures proposed by the Government in Resolution No. 01/2004/NQ-CP, Decision No. 51/2004/QĐ-TTg, and other Government management directives. Focus on mobilizing maximum investment capital, accelerating disbursement progress, especially for projects with high efficiency and early impact, projects funded by government bonds; address part of the arrears in basic construction; proactively implement flexible and prudent monetary policy to control inflation within manageable levels; intensify anti-corruption efforts and promote thrift in both production and consumption; boost exports and production of export goods; continue to effectively implement the overall administrative reform program towards simplifying the administrative apparatus, facilitating business production and operation; strongly implement measures to curb and handle pressing social issues such as traffic accidents, crime, drugs, prostitution, and effectively resolve citizens' complaints and petitions, particularly those involving prolonged disputes; maintain national security, public order, and social safety.