Joint Circular No. 109/2008/TTLT-BTC-BVHTTDL guiding the expenditure regime for organizing the ASEAN Tourism Forum in 2009 in Vietnam

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines on expenditure regulations for organizing the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Vietnam in 2009

Pursuant to Decree No. 60/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 6, 2003 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of the Law on State Budget;

Pursuant to Decree No. 77/2003/NĐ-CP dated July 1, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Finance;

Pursuant to Decree No. 185/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 25, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Implementing the guidance of the Prime Minister in Circular No. 6926/VPCP-QHQT dated November 28, 2007 of the Government Office regarding the project to organize the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2009 in Hanoi,

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hereby issue guidelines on expenditure regulations for organizing the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Vietnam in 2009 (ATF 09) as follows:

This technical regulation sets out technical requirements, testing methods, sampling procedures; management requirements; responsibilities of organizations and individuals producing, trading, and importing cigarettes.

Article 1. The subjects implementing this Circular are agencies and units (hereinafter referred to as units) assigned funds to carry out the task of organizing and serving ATF 09 in Vietnam.

Article 2. Units shall be responsible for using the allocated funds for their intended purposes to implement tasks and activities related to organizing and serving events within the framework of ATF 09 that have been approved by competent authorities, and shall not use these funds for other work contents belonging to regular tasks of the unit.

Article 3. In addition to the detailed expenditure regimes and standards specified in this Circular, expenditures to implement activities related to organizing and serving ATF 09 shall be carried out according to current financial expenditure regimes.

Article 4. Management and use of funds and assets for organizing and serving ATF 09 shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the Law on State Budget, current state financial and asset management documents, and the provisions of this Circular.

II. SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

1. Sources of funds for organizing ATF 09:

- State budget;

- Revenue from renting booths at the Trade Fair (Travex): The revenue from booth rental is approved by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism - Chairman of the Steering Committee for ATF 09 based on the principle of ensuring necessary costs for organizing the Trade Fair through revenue covering expenses.

- Contributions, support, and sponsorships from organizations, businesses, and individuals both domestically and internationally;

- Advertising revenues;

- Other sources of revenue (if any).

2. Expenditure items: Funds for organizing ATF 09 shall be used for the following purposes:

- Direct publicity expenses (printing banners, posters, logos, emblems, flags, slogans, promotional materials, publications);

- Expenses for renting means of transportation, equipment, venues to serve the organization of ATF 09 as approved by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism - Chairman of the Organizing Committee for ATF 09.

- Expenses for international guests:

+ Hotel room rental fees, airport pick-up and drop-off services, and transportation for Ministers, ASEAN Secretaries-General, and high-level tourism officials (NTOs);

+ Airport pick-up and drop-off services, and transportation for participating events at ATF 09 for guest attendees;

+ Round-trip airfare, hotel room rental fees, airport pick-up and drop-off services, and transportation for participating events at ATF 09 for certain guest attendees as per ASEAN tradition, including tour operators and travel agency representatives (buyers) purchasing tourism products (tours) from source markets; the list of guest attendees and their stay duration is approved by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism - Chairman of the Organizing Committee for ATF 09 within the framework of the approved budget for organizing the ATF 09 forum by the Prime Minister.

+ Hospitality expenses, social receptions, and working sessions.

- Expenses for creating ATF 09 symbols and gifts, souvenirs, and memorabilia.

- Expenses for printing invitations and making cards for ATF 09 participants.

- Expenses for organizing conferences, seminars, working group meetings, ASEAN National Tourism Organization meetings, ASEAN Tourism Ministers' meetings, forums, etc., within the framework of ATF 09.

- Expenses for the operations of the Steering Committee, Organizing Committee for ATF 09, sub-committees assisting the Organizing Committee, and the permanent office of the Organizing Committee for ATF 09.

- Expenses for security, order maintenance, sanitation, health care, and service provision.

- Communication and liaison expenses.

- Expenses for cultural and artistic activities welcoming and serving delegates attending ATF 09.

- Expenses for organizing the opening and closing ceremonies of ATF 09.

- Expenses for building and operating the ATF 09 website.

- Training and capacity-building expenses for volunteer teams.

- Other expenses directly related to organizing and serving ATF 09 activities.

3. Some levels of expenditure for organizing ATF 09:

a) For delegates and guests covered by Vietnam's funding:

Implement the specific provisions on reception expenses for foreign guests visiting Vietnam for work, conference and seminar organization expenses in Vietnam, and domestic reception expenses as stipulated in Circular No. 57/2007/TT-BTC dated June 11, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance.

b) For staff and personnel serving ATF 09:

- Allowance: Staff and personnel directly involved in serving ATF 09 (including holidays and Sundays) shall receive allowances for performing duties at the following rates:

+ Members of the Steering Committee and Organizing Committee for ATF 09: 150,000 VND/day/person.

+ Members of sub-committees and the permanent office of ATF 09: 100,000 VND/day/person.

+ Service personnel (security guards, drivers, receptionists, volunteers, etc.) approved by the Organizing Committee Chair: 100,000 VND/day/person.

In cases where a person performs multiple tasks in one day, they shall only be entitled to the highest duty allowance.

The number of days eligible for allowance is the actual number of working days during the official event period of ATF 09. In cases where work must be initiated earlier or concluded later than the official ATF 09 schedule, payment will be made according to the approval of the ATF 09 Organizing Committee Chair; the allowance rate will be paid according to the correct regime and time for early initiation or extension, but not exceeding five days in total.

- Mobile phone call support for officials and staff: Allocate mobile phone call expenses during the organization of ATF 09 according to the following allocation levels:

+ Members of the Steering Committee, Heads and Deputy Heads of the Organizing Board, Heads of Subcommittees, and Permanent Office Chiefs of ATF 09: 300,000 VND/person.

+ Members of Subcommittees, Permanent Office, and ATF 09 Secretariat Group: 200,000 VND/person.

c) Some other expense levels directly related to the organization of ATF 09:

- Expenses for related meetings: Meetings of the Steering Committee, Organizing Board, Subcommittees, and Permanent Office of ATF 09: 50,000 VND/person/meeting.

- Website construction costs for ATF 09: Implement according to Circular No. 43/2008/TTLT-BTC-BTTTT dated May 26, 2008, issued jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Information and Communications guiding the management and use of funds for information technology applications in state administrative agencies.

- Translation expenses: Implement according to the provisions of Circular No. 57/2007/TT-BTC dated June 11, 2007, issued by the Ministry of Finance, specifically:

+ Written translation: Expense level from 50,000 VND/page to 70,000 VND/page (300 characters/page).

+ Oral translation:

* General oral translation: not exceeding 80,000 VND/hour/person, equivalent to not more than 640,000 VND/day/person working 8 hours.

* Simultaneous oral translation: maximum expense level not exceeding 200,000 VND/hour/person, equivalent to 1,600,000 VND/day/person working 8 hours.

The above translation expense standards only apply when it is necessary to hire external interpreters. In cases where interpreters are officers assigned from agencies and units to serve ATF 09, these standards shall not be applied; they will only be compensated for service allowances according to the expense levels stipulated in this Circular.

Any expenses arising in practice that have not been specified in this Circular must be approved by the Head of the Steering Committee or the Head of the Organizing Board; at the same time, they must ensure full legal documentation, bidding documents, contracts, invoices, and valid expenditure vouchers.

Departments allocated a lump sum budget are responsible for paying remuneration to the officers of their departments.

Participants in cultural and artistic activities welcoming and serving delegates at ATF 09 will be reimbursed according to the contracts signed between the Organizing Board and performing units.

Renting assets, equipment, printing materials, promotional publications, producing symbols, gifts, etc., with a value of 100 million VND or more must be conducted through bidding and implemented according to the provisions of the Law on Public Procurement and the guiding documents for implementing the Law on Public Procurement.

For procurement expenses and special nature expenses without established expense standards or unit prices set by the State, opinions from the Ministry of Finance must be obtained and approved by the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism - Head of the Steering Committee before implementation as the basis for finalizing the budget.

4. Outside the official days of ATF 09 events (Opening, Closing, Working Group sessions, NTOs, Ministers' Meeting, Travex, sideline activities), if Vietnamese officers and staff need to travel for work directly related to ATF 09, they will be reimbursed travel expenses according to the current regulations of the Ministry of Finance regarding travel allowances and meeting organization expenses for administrative agencies and public institutions.

III. ESTABLISHING BUDGET PROJECTIONS, ALLOCATING BUDGET PROJECTIONS, AND SETTLING ACCOUNTS

1. Establishment of budget projections:

Based on the projected volume and content of work related to organizing ATF 09 activities approved by the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; projected revenues, expense standards according to current regulations, and expense levels specified in Part II of this Circular, units assigned tasks to organize ATF 09 must prepare necessary budget projections for their tasks and submit them to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is responsible for reviewing the content of the work and budget projections submitted by the units according to the prescribed regulations, compiling and submitting them to the Ministry of Finance for review and approval by the competent authority.

2. Allocation of budget projections:

a) Based on the total budget projection for organizing ATF 09 activities approved by the competent authority, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism will develop a plan to allocate funds to units directly responsible for implementing tasks assigned by the ATF 09 Organizing Board and submit it to the Ministry of Finance for review according to current regulations.

b) The Ministry of Finance will notify the budget for security expenses for organizing ATF 09 to the Ministry of Public Security for implementation.

c) For rental income from booths, contributions, donations, sponsorships from organizations, businesses, individuals both domestically and internationally, and other sources (if any) to organize ATF 09, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism must fully reflect the revenue according to regulations, while being responsible for managing and using this financial resource to implement tasks related to organizing ATF 09 according to current financial regulations.

3. Settlement:

a) Units allocated funds are responsible for managing, using, and settling accounts for the portion of funds allocated for organizing ATF 09 activities (including other sources of income, if any) according to current regulations.

b) Within 60 days after the conclusion of ATF 09 activities, units assigned tasks to organize ATF 09 must settle accounts for the allocated funds and submit settlement reports to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism for approval and submission to the Ministry of Finance.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

This Circular takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette and applies to the organization of the 2009 ASEAN Tourism Forum in Vietnam.

During the implementation process, if any difficulties arise, they should be promptly reported to the Joint Ministries for study, amendment, and supplementation as appropriate./.

 Place of Receipt:
- Central Committee Secretariat;
- Government Office, Deputy Government Offices;
- National Assembly Office, President's Office, Government Office;
- Party Central Committee Office and Party Committees;
- Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuracy;
- STATE AUDITING COMMISSION;
- Ministries: Foreign Affairs, Planning and Investment, Transport, Public Security, Health, Information and Communications;
- Provincial People's Councils, People's Committees: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Khanh Hoa;
- Department of Finance, Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, State Treasury: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Khanh Hoa;
- Legal Drafting Division - Ministry of Justice;
- Official Gazette;
- Government website;
- Website of the Organizing Committee, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
- File: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.