Circular No. 09/2013/TT-BYT guiding the organization and management of international health conferences and seminars in Vietnam

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for organizing and managing international health conferences and seminars in Vietnam

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This Circular prescribes procedures for receiving, providing health care for domestic violence victims and statistical reports on domestic violence victims at medical facilities.

Pursuant to Decision No. 76/2010/QĐ-TTg dated November 30, 2010 of the Prime Minister on organizing and managing international conferences and seminars in Vietnam;

The Minister of Justice issues this Circular to revoke

The Minister of Health issues this Circular guiding the organization and management of international health conferences and seminars in Vietnam.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

Article 1. This Circular regulates activities related to international seminars and conferences on health matters organized in person within the territory of Vietnam or via online platforms with at least one endpoint located within the territory of Vietnam, including:

a) International seminars and conferences organized by Vietnamese agencies and organizations with participation or sponsorship from foreign countries;

b) International seminars and conferences organized by foreign agencies and organizations in Vietnam.

a) Imports and temporary imports for re-export by subjects entitled to preferential treatment or exemption, implemented according to separate regulations of the Government and the Prime Minister;

a) International press conferences;

b) The organization of international seminars and conferences under the jurisdiction of provincial and centrally-administered municipal People's Committees.

Article 2. Applicability

1. Units under the Ministry of Health.

2. Units directly under the Ministry of Health.

3. Foreign health agencies and organizations permitted by competent authorities in Vietnam to operate within its territory.

4. Vietnamese professional associations in the field of health.

Chapter II

AUTHORITY, APPLICATIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR PERMITTING THE ORGANIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES

Article 3. Authority to permit the organization of international seminars and conferences

1. International seminars and conferences as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 3 of Decision No. 76/2010/QĐ-TTg dated November 30, 2010 of the Prime Minister on organizing and managing international seminars and conferences in Vietnam must be approved by the Prime Minister.

2. The leadership of the Ministry of Health decides on the permission to organize international seminars and conferences not covered by Clause 1 of this Article, which are organized by agencies, organizations, and units specified in Article 2 of this Circular (hereinafter referred to as the seminar and conference organizing agency).

Article 4. Application for permission to organize international seminars and conferences

1. A letter requesting permission to organize international seminars and conferences.

2. A project for organizing international seminars and conferences, including the following contents:

a) Reason, name, and purpose of the seminar or conference;

b) Time and location of the seminar or conference; sightseeing and survey locations (if any);

c) Form and technology of organization (in cases where the seminar or conference is organized online);

d) Content, agenda, and sideline activities of the seminar or conference;

đ) Organizing entities: Vietnamese agencies, foreign agencies, and funding agencies (if any);

e) Participants: number and composition of representatives, including both Vietnamese and foreign representatives;

g) Source of funds and detailed budget for organizing international seminars and conferences: applicable to all international seminars and conferences under the decision-making authority of the Prime Minister, and only applicable to international seminars and conferences under the decision-making authority of the Ministry of Health's leadership organized by seminar and conference organizing agencies as stipulated in Clause 1 and Clause 2 of Article 2 of this Circular.

Article 5. Procedures for applying for permission to organize international seminars and conferences

1. The seminar and conference organizing agency shall submit the application for permission to organize international seminars and conferences according to Article 4 of this Circular to the Ministry of Health (International Cooperation Department) within the following deadlines:

a) At least 60 working days before the planned date of the international seminar or conference for those under the decision-making authority of the Prime Minister;

b) At least 35 working days before the planned date of the international seminar or conference for those under the decision-making authority of the Ministry of Health's leadership.

2. Within three working days from the date of receipt of the application for permission to organize international seminars and conferences (the time of receiving the application is determined based on the stamp of the International Cooperation Department's incoming document), if there is no request for modification or supplementation of the application, the International Cooperation Department must send the application for permission to organize international seminars and conferences to relevant units within the Ministry of Health for their opinions.

3. Within five working days from the date of receipt of the application for permission to organize international seminars and conferences (the time of receiving the application is determined based on the stamp of the incoming document of the unit), the units requested for opinions must provide a written response regarding whether they agree or disagree with the permission to organize the seminar or conference and specify the necessary improvements in the application for permission to organize the seminar or conference. In case of disagreement, the reasons must be clearly stated.

4. Within three working days from the date of receipt of the responses from the units as stipulated in Point c, Clause 6 of this Article (the time of receiving the document is determined based on the stamp of the International Cooperation Department's incoming document), the International Cooperation Department is responsible for compiling the opinions and submitting them to the Ministry of Health's leadership for consideration and decision:

a) Seeking the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for international seminars and conferences under the decision-making authority of the Prime Minister;

b) Permitting the organization of international seminars and conferences for cases under the decision-making authority of the Ministry of Health's leadership.

In case the Ministry of Health's leadership disagrees with seeking the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or does not permit the organization of the seminar or conference, the International Cooperation Department must notify the organizing agency of the seminar or conference in writing and state the reasons.

5. Within three working days from the date of receipt of the response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (the time of receiving the document is determined based on the stamp of the International Cooperation Department's incoming document), the International Cooperation Department is responsible for:

a) Preparing the application for permission to organize international seminars and conferences and submitting it to the leadership of the Ministry for consideration and decision on submitting the application for permission to the Prime Minister in cases where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs agrees with the organization of the seminar or conference. The timing and documents for submitting the application to the Prime Minister for permission to organize the seminar or conference must comply with the provisions of Point b, Clause 1, Article 4 of Decision No. 76/2010/QĐ-TTg;

b) Providing a written response to the main organizing agency of the seminar or conference regarding the non-agreement to permit the organization of the international seminar or conference in cases where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disagrees with the organization of the international seminar or conference.

6. Within three working days from the date of receipt of the Prime Minister's comments (the time of receiving the letter is determined based on the receipt stamp of the International Cooperation Department), the International Cooperation Department shall be responsible for sending a notification document regarding the Prime Minister's comments on organizing international conferences and seminars.

Chapter III

MANAGEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS

Article 6. Responsibilities of the International Cooperation Department

1. Serve as the lead department to advise and assist the Minister of Health in uniformly managing international conferences and seminars on health in Vietnam and implementing procedures to organize such events.

2. Carry out the tasks stipulated in Clause 3, Article 5 of Decision No. 76/2010/QĐ-TTg.

3. Guide the organizing agencies on the procedures for requesting entry and exit visas for foreign participants at international conferences and supervise the implementation of these procedures.

4. Summarize the situation of organizing and managing international conferences under the Ministry of Health's jurisdiction and submit it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for reporting to the Prime Minister before December 31 each year.

Article 7. Responsibilities of the Organizing Agencies of Conferences and Seminars

1. Implement the organization of conferences and seminars according to the contents approved by the competent authority and report the results of organizing international conferences and seminars to the Ministry of Health (International Cooperation Department) within fifteen working days from the end of the international conference using the form prescribed in Appendix 1 attached to this Circular.

2. Manage the organization of international conferences and seminars, the content of speeches, information dissemination materials, and other publications to be distributed during international conferences; bear responsibility for the content of all documents, materials, data, reports, presentations, and publications issued before, during, and after international conferences and seminars.

3. Strictly comply with laws on protecting state secrets and regulations on information dissemination.

4. Detect and promptly take measures against individuals and organizations that violate the law or contravene the provisions of this Circular during the organization of international conferences and seminars.

5. In case of complex developments during international conferences and seminars, immediately report to the agency that granted permission to organize the event for guidance and prompt handling.

6. Be responsible for conducting the procedures to request entry and exit visas for foreign participants attending international conferences and seminars in accordance with the law and the guidance of the Ministry of Health (International Cooperation Department).

7. Develop specific plans to coordinate with relevant authorities to ensure security when holding international conferences and seminars.

8. Summarize the situation of organizing international conferences and seminars of their own unit and report to the Ministry of Health (International Cooperation Department) using the form prescribed in Appendix 2 attached to this Circular before December 31 each year.

9. Comply strictly with financial expenditure and settlement regulations as prescribed by law.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 8. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from May 15, 2013.

2. Circular No. 24/2001/TT-BYT dated December 21, 2001, guiding the organization and management of international conferences and seminars in Vietnam, ceases to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

Article 9. Responsibility for implementation

The Director of the International Cooperation Department, the Head of the Ministry’s Office, the Inspector General of the Ministry, the Heads of Departments, Bureaus, and General Departments under the Ministry of Health, the Heads of subordinate agencies and units of the Ministry, and the Directors of Health Departments of Ministries and sectors are responsible for implementing this Circular.

During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, units and localities should report to the Ministry of Health (International Cooperation Department) for research and resolution./.