JOINT CIRCULAR No. 103/2001/TTLT/BTC-BVGCP-BVHTT-BNG Circular guiding subsidies for the transportation costs of cultural publications and airfare for artistic troupes performing for overseas Vietnamese communities

CIRCULAR

JOINT CIRCULAR OF THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE-GOVERNMENT PRICING AUTHORITY-MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION-MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS NO. 103/2001/TTLT-BTC-BVGCP-BVHTT-BNG DATED DECEMBER 24 MONTH  2001 GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF SUBSIDIES ON POSTAGE RATES FOR CULTURAL PRINT MATERIALS AND AIRFARE FOR ART TRIPS SERVING VIETNAMESE COMMUNITIES ABROAD

Pursuant to Decision No. 210/1999/QĐ-TTg dated October 27, 1999 of the Prime Minister on certain policies for overseas Vietnamese;

Pursuant to Decision No. 114/2001/QĐ-TTg dated July 31, 2001 of the Prime Minister amending and supplementing some articles of Decision No. 210/1999/QĐ-TTg dated October 27, 1999 on certain policies for overseas Vietnamese;

Joint Circular of the Ministry of Finance - Government Pricing Authority - Ministry of Culture and Information - Ministry of Foreign Affairs  hereby guide the implementation of subsidies on postage rates for film, books, cultural materials, promotional print materials for tourism, and other promotional materials for overseas Vietnamese communities; subsidies on airfares for domestic art troupes performing abroad to serve overseas Vietnamese communities as follows:

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1\. Implement subsidies on postage rates for film, books, cultural materials, promotional print materials for tourism, and other promotional materials (hereinafter collectively referred to as cultural print materials) for overseas Vietnamese communities; subsidize airfares for domestic art troupes performing abroad to serve overseas Vietnamese communities.

2\. Conditions for postage rate subsidies

- Organizations with functions in the business of publishing and distributing cultural print materials are permitted to export such materials abroad.

- Cultural print materials must have been published and widely distributed throughout the country to serve political tasks and to promote Party and State policies without violating Article 22 of the Law on Publishing.

- Within the scope of the list and quantity of cultural print materials selected for postage rate subsidies to serve overseas Vietnamese communities.

3\. Conditions for airfare subsidies

- Art troupes with distinctive performance programs that meet the requirements of disseminating and promoting Party and State policies.

- Introduced by the Ministry of Culture and Information or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to perform abroad to serve overseas Vietnamese communities.

4\. Principles for implementing subsidies

a\. Provide postage rate subsidies to units responsible for sending cultural print materials abroad to serve overseas Vietnamese communities based on the actual quantity of cultural print materials transported and not exceeding the announced quantity and types.

b\. Provide airfare subsidies to art troupes based on the actual number of people and transportation costs for stage props (directly serving the artistic program) actually transported abroad to perform for overseas Vietnamese communities and not exceeding the number of people and props already approved.

c\. Do not provide postage rate subsidies or airfare subsidies to units fully funded by the state budget or having other sources of funding.

5\. Subsidy levels

- Subsidize at 50% of the total actual postage rates paid to transport companies (road, rail, waterway, air, postal service) for cultural print materials.

- Subsidize at 50% of the economy class airfare; 50% of the actual transportation costs for stage props paid to Vietnam National Airlines or other air carriers (in cases where Vietnam National Airlines does not have direct flights).

II. SPECIFIC PROVISIONS 

A\. ESTABLISHING PLANS AND BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR SUBSIDY COSTS

1\. Annually, based on the need for propaganda for overseas Vietnamese communities; Based on the actual publication of cultural print materials within the country, and the performances of established artistic programs; Based on the annual budget balance of the State Budget, the Ministry of Culture and Information will coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant ministries and sectors to develop specific plans regarding the quantity of each type of cultural print material and the number of people and props for art troupes with performance programs to serve overseas Vietnamese communities. On this basis, the Ministry of Culture and Information will prepare a general budget estimate for subsidy costs for postage rates to be submitted to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment along with the annual budget plan of the Ministry.

2\. Based on the budget estimate for subsidy costs prepared by the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ministry of Finance will take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to review and incorporate it into the State Budget Plan to report to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for approval within the total annual subsidy and postage rate budget.

B\. IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS AND DISTRIBUTION OF SUBSIDY FUNDS

1\. Based on the approved subsidy funds allocated in the state budget; The Ministry of Culture and Information is responsible for announcing the quantity of cultural print materials, the number of people and props for art troupes performing abroad to serve overseas Vietnamese communities and the proposed allocation of subsidy funds for each unit meeting the conditions for subsidies to be sent to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Based on the proposal of the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ministry of Finance will announce the budget limit for each unit to implement. Subsidy funds announced in a year must be implemented in that year. If not implemented in the year, they cannot be carried over to the next year.

2\. Units included in the list of those receiving subsidy funds, after completing the transportation of cultural print materials or after completing their performances abroad, are responsible for preparing a request for subsidy funds according to the actual quantity of cultural print materials transported and the actual number of performers and props used for performances serving overseas Vietnamese communities to submit to the Ministry of Finance and concurrently to the provincial Department of Finance and Pricing where the unit is headquartered (if under local management) for examination and distribution of subsidy funds.

3\. Documents for requesting subsidy funds include:

- Notification document or introduction letter from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the transportation of cultural publications and artistic performances for the overseas Vietnamese community.

- List of performers, quantity of props belonging to the artistic performance group approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and airfare invoices; Invoice for freight charges on props; Invoice for transportation of cultural publications.

- Confirmation from the diplomatic agency where the artistic performance group performs or where the cultural publications are transported to and distributed.

- Official letter requesting reimbursement of subsidized airfare expenses for the artistic performance group, and requesting reimbursement of subsidized freight charges for the unit implementing the export of cultural publications.

- Notification document of the financial limit issued by the Ministry of Finance to the unit.

4/ The Ministry of Finance shall examine and approve the provision of subsidies to units as follows:

a- For units transporting cultural publications abroad and central artistic performance groups, the Ministry of Finance shall directly provide funds to the units through payment orders.

b- For units transporting cultural publications and local artistic performance groups, the Ministry of Finance shall provide funds through the form of delegated budget authority to the Provincial Department of Finance and Prices for distribution to the units.

- The accounting of subsidy funds shall be carried out according to the current state budget accounting regulations.

5/ Units receiving state budget subsidies for subsidies have the responsibility to use them for their intended purposes and settle subsidy accounts according to the current financial management regulations. The Provincial Department of Finance and Prices shall settle delegated budgets with the Ministry of Finance according to current regulations.

It is strictly prohibited to use subsidy funds for other purposes.

III. IMPLEMENTATION

1. Subsidies for freight charges on the transportation of cultural publications and airfare for artistic performance groups serving the overseas Vietnamese community will be implemented gradually in accordance with actual implementation and the capacity of the state budget.

2. To facilitate the implementation of subsidies serving the overseas Vietnamese community, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall immediately prepare budget estimates for subsidies as the basis for allocating the state budget for the year 2002.

3. Inspection and supervision work: The inter-ministerial agencies shall coordinate to inspect the use of subsidy funds for freight charges on the transportation of cultural publications and airfare for artistic performance groups serving the overseas Vietnamese community, promptly handling any violations according to current regulations.

4.  This Circular takes effect from the date of signature.

In the course of implementation, if there are any difficulties, please report to the Ministry of Finance, the Government Price Control Board, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for study and resolution.