Circular No. 142/2015/TT-BTC on the National Price Database

CIRCULAR

Provisions on the National Price DatabaseJune 2024;

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Pursuant to the Law on Prices No. 11/2012/QH12dated June 20, 2012;

Based on Decree No. 177/2013/ND-CP dated November 14, 3. Connection methods:of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Prices (hereinafter referred to as Decree No.177/2013/ND-CP);

Decree No. 89/2013/2013/ND-CP dated August 6, 2013 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Prices regarding price appraisal (hereinafter referred to as Decree No. 3/2013/ND-CP);3/2013/ND-CP dated December 23, 2013 of the Government stipulating functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the price management agency;The Minister of Finance promulgates the Circular stipulating on the National Price Database. 89/201This Circular stipulates on the National Price Database, including the following contents:

Pursuant to Decree No. 215/201- Contents and sources of information for building the price database; The Minister of Finance promulgates this Circular amending Guideline No.c) Supplementing point c of Clause 3 as follows:

Amending and supplementing Clause 4, Article 4 of Circular No. 06/2011/TT-BYT as follows:- Building the National Price Database;

- Exploitation, utilization, and management of the National Price Database.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

1. Central and local state agencies managing prices shall build the price database, the National Price Database, and connect it with the National Price Database Center, including:

a) Agencies building the price database, including:

- Ministries managing industries and sectors and relevant units under their assignment;

- Provincial Departments of Finance and relevant units under the assignment of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities (hereinafter referred to as localities).

Article 2. Applicability

b) Agencies building the National Price Database (Ministry of Finance) and subordinate units of the Ministry of Finance as prescribed in Article 14 of this Circular.

2. Organizations and individuals responsible for providing and updating price information into the National Price Database, including: Industry associations; markets, supermarkets, shopping centers; Groups and Corporations; Price Appraisal Enterprises listed in Appendix No. 1 attached to this Circular.

3. Other organizations and individuals related to the construction, exploitation, utilization, and management of the National Price Database.

1. Price database: is a collection of documents and data information about prices of assets, goods, services, and related information, built and managed systematically and organized by central and local state agencies managing prices to serve state management in the field of prices and provide price information according to the requirements of organizations and individuals as prescribed by law.

2. National Price Database: is a price database built and managed by the Ministry of Finance and serves as the connection point with the price databases of ministries managing industries and sectors and localities, and at the same time connects with the price databases of organizations and individuals as prescribed in this Circular, aiming to provide price information to serve state management tasks and according to the requirements of organizations and individuals as prescribed by law.

The National Price Database is a component database of the national financial database built by the Ministry of Finance.

CONTENTS AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR BUILDING THE PRICE DATABASE

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

Article 4. Contents of the price database

1. Price database on price levels of goods and services, including:

a) Prices of goods and services set by the State as prescribed in Article 8 of Decree No. 177/2013/ND-CP and relevant specialized laws.

Chapter II

b) Registered prices of goods and services in the list of stabilized prices that must be registered during the period of implementing stabilization measures as prescribed in Article 3 of Decree No. 177/2013/ND-CP and relevant legal documents.

c) Declared prices of goods and services in the list of declared prices (including prices announced by enterprises when adjusting prices within 3%) as prescribed in Article 15 of Decree No. 177/2013/ND-CP and relevant legal documents.

d) Market prices of goods and services in the list of market price reports as prescribed by the Ministry of Finance in Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BTC dated April 29, 2011, guiding the system of reporting domestic market prices of goods and services, import prices, and supplementary, amended, or replaced documents (if any).

đ) Market prices of other goods and services defined by provincial People's Committees and ministries managing industries and sectors within the scope of their own price databases.

e) Asset prices under state ownership as prescribed by laws on state asset management and use; financial assets, intangible assets.

g) Stamp duty assessment prices issued by provincial People's Committees.

h) Customs value for exported and imported goods.

i) Resource tax calculation prices as prescribed by laws on resource taxes.

k) Land price framework issued by the Government, land price lists issued by provincial People's Committees. Auction-winning land prices in local areas. Actual transaction land prices on the market.

l) Real estate transaction prices.

m) Tender prices of goods and services purchased in accordance with laws on public procurement.

n) Necessary market prices of goods and services for forecasting and state management of prices.

2. Price appraisal database, including:

a) Valuation results of appraised assets (land, houses, construction works, machinery, equipment, transportation means, production lines, other assets) and related information and documents as prescribed by laws on price appraisal.

b) Information on price appraisal enterprises and their price appraisal activities as prescribed in Article 8 of Circular No. 38/2014/TT-BTC dated March 28, 2014, of the Ministry of Finance guiding certain provisions of Decree No. 89/2013/ND-CP or supplementary, amended, or replaced documents (if any).

c) Lists and information on price appraisers, practicing price appraisers; lists of price appraisers whose licenses have been revoked.

d) Examination, management, issuance, and revocation of Price Appraiser Licenses.

đ) Training, upgrading, and updating knowledge on price appraisal.

e) Other related information.

3. Management documents on prices, comprehensive reports:

a) Legal regulations on prices, price appraisals, and related laws.

b) Decisions and management documents on prices.

đ) Activities related to training, enhancing, and updating professional knowledge on valuation.

e) Other relevant information.

3. Government management documents on prices, consolidated reports:

a) Legal regulations on prices, valuation, and related laws.

b) Decisions and management documents on prices.

c) Documents guiding, participating, and providing comments to relevant units concerning price mechanisms and policies.

d) Reports on market price conditions.

đ) Reports and materials for learning experiences.

e) Results of scientific research topics.

g) Other related reports and documents.

4. Information serving state management of prices:

a) Situations regarding inspections, examinations, complaints resolution, denunciations, and legal violations concerning prices and appraisals.

b) Price stabilization funds for items listed under the price stabilization program as prescribed by law.

c) Economic indicators both domestically and internationally such as: National accounts; public finance; monetary; securities; trade; price indices; indicators reflecting global and domestic economic growth; other information and indicators as prescribed by law.

d) Other information serving state management of prices.

5. Based on their assigned functions and tasks and the contents of the database as stipulated in Clause 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this Article, the Ministry of Finance, sectoral ministries, provincial finance departments, organizations, and individuals involved shall be responsible for establishing databases on prices for goods, services, and assets within their jurisdiction and specialized fields of management as provided for in Articles 24 and 25 of Decree No. 177/2013/ND-CP, Article 5 of Decree No. 89/2013/ND-CP; related provisions in this Circular; regulations of sectoral ministries; regulations of provincial finance departments; and coordination regulations with the Ministry of Finance (if applicable).

Article 5. Sources of information for building the price database

1. Documents issued by competent state management agencies including legal documents on prices, appraisals, and related laws; decisions, operational documents, materials, and price-related files that have been approved, published, or issued by competent state authorities.

2. Information and materials collected through investigations, surveys, and data gathering conducted by state agencies managing prices and provided by other state management agencies.

3. Information from organizations and individuals who have registered prices, declared prices, announced prices, and provided price information to competent state authorities upon permission to disclose such information.

4. Information and materials about appraised assets provided by enterprises conducting appraisals or by competent state authorities conducting appraisals; information and materials provided by appraisal enterprises according to legal requirements and other necessary cases to serve state management needs.

5. Information shared, connected, and reported by agencies building price databases according to prescribed procedures.

6. Information shared, reported, and purchased from units and individuals providing information by specialized state agencies managing prices.

7. Other sources of information, including: Information from export and distribution companies' quotation letters; information from permitted price bulletins; information from industry associations; information extracted from the internet, magazines, books, and other media.

Chapter III

BUILDING THE NATIONAL PRICE DATABASE

Article 6. Principles for Building the National Price Database

1. To promptly serve state management activities on prices, macroeconomic control, and price regulation by the State; to publicly disclose price information in accordance with the law.

2. The content of information within the National Price Database must be regularly updated and maintained fully.

3. All information and data before being updated into the National Price Database must be checked, reviewed, evaluated, and classified appropriately.

4. The construction of the National Price Database shall be carried out according to the principle of coordination, sharing of information, or purchasing information under information purchase contracts, information supply contracts, information provider collaboration contracts, and regular and extraordinary reporting systems as prescribed by law.

5. The National Price Database must be strictly managed to ensure information security, long-term storage of information, and protection of state secrets.

6. The National Price Database shall be constructed in accordance with the national information system architecture, meeting database standards and technical standards, information technology standards, and economic-technical norms.

7. Other principles in accordance with the regulations on price databases of relevant ministries, sectors, localities, organizations, and individuals participating in the construction and connection to the National Price Database.

Article 7. Components of the National Price Database

1. The price databases of ministries managing sectors and fields are components of the National Price Database.

2. The price databases of provincial finance departments and centrally-administered city finance departments: The provincial finance department is responsible for connecting the price databases within its jurisdiction to the National Price Database, including:

a) The price database of goods and services priced by the State, goods and services listed in the price stabilization category, and price declarations within the local authority's jurisdiction.

b) The price database of goods and services listed in the market price reporting category as stipulated in Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BTC dated April 29, 2011, issued by the Ministry of Finance guiding the market price reporting system for domestic goods and services, import goods prices, and supplementary, amended, or replaced documents (if any).

c) The price database built and connected by customs, tax, and public asset management agencies on the territory to the price database of the provincial finance department.

d) The price database built by sectoral management departments, district, county, town, and city finance-plan departments under provinces and centrally-administered cities, and organizations and individuals on the territory participating in providing and updating information.

đ) Other related price databases (if any) built by provincial finance departments and centrally-administered city finance departments.

3. The price databases of units under the Ministry of Finance:

a) The price database of goods and services listed in the market price reporting category as stipulated in Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BTC dated April 29, 2011, issued by the Ministry of Finance guiding the market price reporting system for domestic goods and services, import goods prices, and supplementary, amended, or replaced documents (if any), managed by the Price Management Department.

b) The price database built and managed by the National Data Center and Pricing Services (under the Price Management Department) in accordance with the database content specified in Article 4 of this Circular;

c) The price database in the customs field built and managed by customs authorities;

d) The price database for resource taxes built and managed by tax authorities;

đ) The price database of state assets built and managed by public asset management authorities;

e) Other related price databases (if any).

4. Price databases (if any) built by organizations and individuals listed in Appendix 1 attached to this Circular and connected to the National Price Database.

Article 8. Connecting price databases of ministries, sectors, enterprises, organizations, and individuals to the National Price Database

1. Depending on the type of documents, data, and technical infrastructure conditions; the coordination regulations between the Ministry of Finance and agencies building price databases under Article 2 of this Circular; market price reporting systems and requirements of competent management authorities, agencies building price databases shall be responsible for connecting their price databases to the National Price Database.

2. Trade associations, commodity exchanges, supermarkets, shopping centers; Groups, Corporations; Appraisal Enterprises listed in Appendix No. 1 attached to this Circular and other related organizations and individuals shall report, provide information, and connect their price databases to the National Price Database according to the provisions of this Circular and the coordination regulations among parties.

3. The connection shall be carried out through at least one of the following forms: email, direct data updates, and data transmission to the National Price Database or through programs, applications, and other appropriate forms according to the coordination regulations among parties.

Article 9. Connecting price databases established and managed by agencies and units under the Finance sector to the National Price Database

1. For goods and services prices within the list of market price reports as stipulated by the Ministry of Finance in Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BTC and subsequent supplementary, amended, or replaced documents (if any): Departments of Finance continue to update market price information of goods and services through the Market Price Management Application located at the address: http://qlg.btc or alternative software, applications, and programs (if any). Reported data will be automatically updated into the National Price Database.

2. For contents of price databases in customs, tax, state asset fields, and other price database contents prescribed in Article 4 of this Circular: General Department of Customs, General Department of Taxation, State Asset Management Agency, and Departments of Finance, based on their assigned functions and tasks, shall establish their own price databases; implement provision, updating, and connection with the National Price Database.

The connection and its content shall be carried out according to the provisions of this Circular and the coordination regulations between the Price Management Agency (National Data Center and Price Services) and relevant units.

3. Reporting frequency and reporting forms as prescribed in Appendices No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 attached to this Circular. In case of necessary changes to reporting frequency and reporting forms, they shall be implemented according to the guidance of the Ministry of Finance (Price Management Agency).

Chapter IV

EXPLOITATION, USE, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PRICE DATABASE

Article 10. Exploitation and Use of the National Price Database

1. Forms of exploitation and use of the National Price Database:

a) Through the Internet.

b) Through the electronic portal specified by the managing agency of the National Price Database.

c) Through dedicated networks.

d) Through written requests or contracts between the managing agency of the National Price Database and the exploiting and using party according to the law.

2. Subjects and scope of exploitation and use of the National Price Database:

a) The National Data Center and Price Services (Price Management Agency) is the main body responsible for managing, exploiting, and using information in the National Price Database to provide price information for state management tasks and according to the requirements of organizations and individuals as stipulated by law.

b) Agencies building price databases and the National Price Database; organizations and individuals participating in providing and updating price information for building the National Price Database are authorized to exploit and use price data within their management scope. Exploiting price data outside the management scope must be permitted by the state management agency of the National Price Database and fees (if any) must be paid.

c) State agencies, political-social organizations, organizations, and individuals requiring price information from the National Price Database to serve state management work, macroeconomic management, and legitimate purposes (excluding information in the state secret category and information not officially published).

d) Authorization, permission to exploit information data, and costs for exploiting and providing information (if any) from the National Price Database are regulated by the managing agency of the National Price Database.

Article 11. Management of the National Price Database

1. Authorities and scope of management of the National Price Database:

a) The Ministry of Finance shall be responsible for state management of the National Price Database.

b) Ministries managing industries and sectors shall be responsible for taking the lead and coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to manage price databases they have established and perform responsibilities and authorities stipulated in this Circular.

c) Provincial Departments of Finance shall be responsible for leading the management of price databases at their localities that they have established and performing responsibilities and authorities stipulated in this Circular.

d) Industry associations; markets, supermarkets, shopping centers; Groups and Corporations; Price Appraisal Enterprises shall be responsible for managing price databases within their units and performing responsibilities and authorities stipulated in this Circular when providing information and participating in sharing and connecting to the National Price Database.

2. Contents of management of the National Price Database:

a) Establishing regulations, procedures, and guidelines on building, exploiting, using, and managing the National Price Database.

b) Reviewing the contents of price data built, updated, adjusted, and posted in the National Price Database.

c) Ensuring funding, material infrastructure, and technical facilities for building, maintaining, and upgrading the National Price Database; mobilizing and utilizing legitimate sources of funding and resources to manage, operate, maintain, and upgrade the National Price Database.

d) Granting permissions and managing login accounts to access price databases under their management.

đ) Organizing connections, integration, and sharing of data within the scope of price databases with the National Price Database.

e) Managing, maintaining, and ensuring technical operations for the system network serving the construction and management of the National Price Database. Ensuring information security and cybersecurity for the information technology infrastructure of the National Price Database according to the provisions of the law.

g) Building teams, training, and enhancing professional skills for officials, civil servants, and other related subjects to carry out tasks of constructing and managing the National Price Database.

h) Summarizing and reporting to competent authorities on the situation of managing, operating, and exploiting the National Price Database according to the provisions.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 12. Funding for the Construction and Management of the National Price Database

1. Investment funding for building, maintaining, upgrading, and managing the National Price Database at the Ministry of Finance; price databases at ministries managing industries and sectors; and local provincial finance departments shall be guaranteed from the state budget according to the tiered system and other legitimate funding sources as prescribed by law.

2. Each agency responsible for building price databases, including the National Price Database as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 2 of this Circular, shall prepare annual budget estimates for building price databases and submit them to the competent authority for approval in accordance with the State Budget Law. The funding shall be allocated in the annual budget of the unit as prescribed by law.

3. Funding for purchasing, reviewing, and standardizing information and data to build the National Price Database shall be implemented according to the provisions of Circular No. 194/2012/TT-BTC dated November 15, 2012, issued by the Minister of Finance on guiding the level of expenditure for creating electronic information to maintain the regular operation of agencies and units using the state budget and any subsequent amendments, supplements, or replacements thereof.

In cases where the purchase, review, and standardization of price information and data are carried out by officials and civil servants of agencies building price databases and the National Price Database, the maximum expenditure for these activities shall be 50% of the expenditure level prescribed in Circular No. 194/2012/TT-BTC and any subsequent amendments, supplements, or replacements thereof.

4. Funding for purchasing price information for building the National Price Database:

a) Where agencies building price databases and the National Price Database must purchase information, such agencies shall enter into contracts and pay the cost of purchasing information according to the contracts signed with organizations and individuals providing the information.

b) Cases where purchasing information can be paid for include:

- Information required to be collected and not available.

- Essential information needed for price management work and not available in the database.

- Other cases of purchasing information as specified by the head of the agency building the price database and the National Price Database, ensuring economy and effectiveness.

5. Other funding shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Article 13. Responsibilities of Ministries managing construction, operation, and management of price databases

1. The Ministry of Finance shall be responsible for:

a) Constructing, operating, and managing the national price database to ensure compatibility and connectivity with price databases of other ministries, localities, and organizations and individuals.

b) Directing the collection, updating, provision of information on prices and price appraisals for the construction of the national price database to meet state management requirements and those of organizations and individuals as prescribed by law; implementing confidentiality measures for information within the national price database in accordance with the law.

c) Coordinating with ministries, sectors, localities, and related units to issue regulations on connecting, sharing, and providing information within the national price database.

2. Ministries managing industry and sector-specific price databases shall be responsible for:

a) Constructing and coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to connect the price databases under their jurisdiction to the national price database in accordance with this Circular and cooperation regulations with the Ministry of Finance (if applicable).

b) Implementing tasks related to constructing, operating, using, and managing the national price database as stipulated in Chapters III and IV of this Circular.

3. The Department of Finance shall have the responsibility:

a) Advising the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities to assign relevant departments, finance and planning offices of districts, counties, towns, and cities within provinces, and related organizations and individuals to organize the construction of price databases at the local level; issuing regulations and guidelines on collecting, updating, operating, and managing the national price database within their province.

b) Leading coordination with sector-managing departments and finance and planning offices of districts and counties, towns, and cities within provinces; organizations and individuals within their jurisdiction (as assigned by the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities if necessary) to construct specific price databases for their locality; serving as the point of contact for updating, providing information, and connecting the price databases under their jurisdiction to the national price database as stipulated in this Circular.

c) Implementing tasks related to constructing, operating, using, and managing the national price database as stipulated in Chapters III and IV of this Circular.

4. Industry associations; markets, supermarkets, shopping centers; corporate groups, holding companies; price appraisal firms; and other organizations and individuals participating in the construction of the national price database shall be responsible for:

a) Providing information, materials, and connecting their price databases to the national price database in accordance with this Circular and implementing reporting procedures as prescribed by the Ministry of Finance.

b) Implementing tasks related to constructing, operating, using, and managing the national price database as stipulated in Chapters III and IV of this Circular.

c) Encouraging organizations and individuals with the capacity to build information systems and price databases to support their business activities and participate in connecting and sharing information with the national price database.

5. Authorities managing the national price database as provided in this Article shall delegate responsibilities and define tasks for subordinate units to assist them in building, managing, updating, operating, and using the national price database within their jurisdiction.

6. All agencies, organizations, and individuals shall be responsible for the reliability of the information they provide for the construction of the national price database.

Article 14. Responsibilities of Units under the Ministry of Finance

1. The Price Management Department shall be responsible for:

a) Being the specialized agency and focal point to assist the Minister of Finance in guiding, building, operating, managing, and ensuring compatibility and connectivity with national price databases of other ministries, departments, provincial finance departments, and other sources.

b) Cooperating with relevant ministries, departments, units, organizations, and individuals to build and, on behalf of the Minister of Finance, sign regulations on connecting, sharing, and providing information from the national price database, including main contents such as lists of goods, services, assets; reporting forms attached as an appendix to this Circular; frequency of updating and providing information, connecting price databases; methods of providing, updating, connecting, exploiting, and using price databases; specific rights and responsibilities of related parties.

c) Cooperating with the Financial Statistics and Information Technology Department and related units to establish regulations on the application and development of information technology in building and managing price databases.

d) Implementing, guiding, urging, and inspecting the implementation of this Circular. Regularly reporting to the Ministry of Finance on the progress of implementing the construction of the national price database and proposing solutions, additional contents, and amendments to effectively implement the construction of the national price database.

đ) Directing the National Data Center and Pricing Services to act as the focal point in constructing, managing, updating, exploiting, and using the national price database and implementing tasks stipulated in Clause 7 of this Article.

g) Performing other tasks assigned by the Minister.

2. The General Department of Customs shall be responsible for providing customs value databases for imported and exported goods according to this Circular; connecting with the national price database at the National Data Center and Pricing Services (Price Management Department).

3. The General Department of Taxation shall be responsible for providing tax price databases; tax resource price frameworks; connecting with the national price database at the National Data Center and Pricing Services (Price Management Department).

4. The State Asset Management Department shall be responsible for building and managing state asset price databases including original prices and remaining values of state-owned assets within its authority; connecting with the national price database at the National Data Center and Pricing Services (Price Management Department).

5. The Financial Statistics and Information Technology Department shall be responsible for leading and coordinating with the Price Management Department and related units:

a) Building programs, software, applications supporting the construction of the national price database at the National Data Center and Pricing Services and at units under the Ministry of Finance, ensuring compatibility and connectivity with price databases of other ministries, departments, provincial finance departments, and other sources.

b) Managing, maintaining, and ensuring technical operation of the network system serving the construction, exploitation, and management of the national price database; ensuring technical security, storage, and data protection for the national price database system.

c) Guiding the resolution of technical issues arising during the construction, exploitation, and management of price information systems; leading and coordinating with the Price Management Department to guide, urge the implementation of programs, software, and applications serving the reporting of market price information and the construction, updating of the national price database.

d) Connecting related databases concerning the content of the price database as stipulated in Article 4 of this Circular currently managed by the Financial Statistics and Information Technology Department (macroeconomic databases, financial statistical reports...) with the national price database at the National Data Center and Pricing Services (Price Management Department).

6. The Planning and Finance Department shall lead and coordinate with related units to submit proposals to the Ministry of Finance for considering budget allocation for the construction and maintenance, upgrading, and regular operation of the national price database as prescribed in this Circular and relevant laws.

7. The National Data Center and Pricing Services (Price Management Department) shall be responsible for:

a) Being the specialized unit and focal point under the Price Management Department directly responsible for implementing the construction, updating, maintenance, and exploitation, and management of the national price database as prescribed in this Circular and relevant laws.

b) Specifically designing the content of the national price database at the Ministry of Finance, compiling a list of ministries managing sectors and fields, agencies, units, organizations, and individuals participating in the construction of the national price database, reporting to the Price Management Department for submission to the Minister of Finance for consideration and approval.

c) Cooperating with the Financial Statistics and Information Technology Department to control existing price databases at units as a basis for formulating cooperation regulations and information technology solutions related to the construction, upgrading, management, operation, and sharing, connection of information in the national price database among agencies constructing the national price database as stipulated in Article 2 of this Circular; maintaining and ensuring technical security for the national price database system.

d) Proposing and building cooperation regulations, information technology solutions, and infrastructure related to the construction, management, operation, and connection of the national price database system, reporting to the Price Management Department and the Financial Statistics and Information Technology Department for submission to the Minister of Finance for consideration and approval.

đ) Guiding, inspecting the updating of prices of goods, services, and assets by ministries, departments, provincial finance departments, and other organizations and individuals into the national price database; advising, supporting, answering, and resolving technical difficulties for agencies, organizations, and units during the process of updating data into the national price database.

e) Allocating access rights to exploit and use the national price database.

g) Proposing to report to the Price Management Department for submission to the Minister of Finance to issue regulations on information provision costs (if any).

h) When the National Price Database is established, depending on the information available in the National Price Database, monthly reports shall be issued regarding the market price situation of goods listed in the market price reporting catalog of the Ministry of Finance; reports shall be issued in exceptional cases; forecasts and recommendations for price stabilization measures shall be provided when necessary.

8. Units under the Ministry of Finance, within their functions and responsibilities, shall have the responsibility to coordinate and support the Price Management Agency in implementing the construction of the National Price Database as prescribed in this Circular.

Article 15. Commendation and Handling of Violations

1. Annually, the Price Management Agency shall take the lead in reporting to the Minister of Finance on the implementation of the construction of the National Price Database as prescribed in this Circular; it shall cooperate with relevant units to propose commendation forms to the Minister of Finance for agencies, organizations, and individuals who perform well in providing, updating, building, and connecting their price databases to the National Price Database.

2. In cases where agencies, organizations, or individuals intentionally fail to provide; provide, declare, enter, or approve price data into the National Price Database in violation of this Circular and other relevant laws, they shall be subject to criticism, warning, administrative penalties, or other sanctions as prescribed, depending on the nature and severity of the violation.

3. Organizations or individuals who damage price data; exploit or use price data in violation of this Circular and other relevant laws shall be subject to administrative penalties or criminal liability, depending on the nature and severity of the violation; if damage is caused, compensation must be made according to the law. If the data is misused as prescribed in the cooperation regulations, it shall be handled according to the provisions on breach of contract for information provision.

Article 16. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from October 20, 2015.

During the implementation process, if there are any difficulties, units shall report to the Ministry of Finance for guidance on resolution and appropriate amendments and supplements./.