Decision No. 182/2007/QĐ-TTg On the establishment of the Government's Economic and International Trade Negotiation Team

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the establishment and operation of the Government's Economic and Trade Negotiation Team

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PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to Decision No. 34/2007/QĐ-TTg dated March 12, 2007 of the Prime Minister on the issuance of the Regulation on the establishment, organization, and operation of inter-ministerial coordination organizations;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Industry and Trade and the Minister of Home Affairs,

DECISION:

Article 1. The Government's Economic and Trade Negotiation Team (referred to as the Government's Negotiation Team) is the agency assisting the Prime Minister in conducting international negotiations on economic and trade matters.

The Government's Negotiation Team is the official spokesperson regarding the implementation of Vietnam's commitments on economic and trade matters internationally.

Article 2. The Government's Negotiation Team has the following responsibilities and authorities:

1. Protecting and enhancing Vietnam's national interests in international economic and trade affairs.

2. Leading and coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies to develop strategies and negotiation plans within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), ASEAN, APEC, ASEM, bilateral and multilateral agreements related to market opening.

3. Negotiating and advocating for other countries to recognize Vietnam as a market economy, according to the division of labor and direction of the Minister of Industry and Trade.

4. Developing negotiation plans for approval by the Minister of Industry and Trade.

5. Organizing and implementing negotiations at various levels and scopes as stipulated in Clauses 2 and 3 of Article 2 of this Decision, based on negotiation plans approved by the Prime Minister.

6. Coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to conduct negotiations and implement negotiation outcomes after they have been approved by the competent authority.

7. Soliciting opinions from relevant industries and enterprises concerning negotiation content to develop negotiation plans.

8. Monitoring and urging the enforcement of Vietnam's commitments on economic and trade matters; providing information and explanations to ministries, sectors, organizations, and enterprises about Vietnam's formal commitments.

9. Performing other tasks related to international negotiations assigned by competent authorities.

Article 3. The composition of the Government's Negotiation Team includes:

1. The Team Leader is a Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, appointed by the Prime Minister upon the recommendation of the Minister of Industry and Trade.

2. The Deputy Team Leaders are department-level officials from certain ministries and agencies directly related to key negotiation areas and contents, appointed by the Minister of Industry and Trade based on recommendations from the Ministers of relevant ministries, the Team Leader, and with the agreement of the Prime Minister.

3. Members of the Government's Negotiation Team are department-level officials from relevant ministries and agencies, representing their respective ministries and sectors in the Team, nominated by their respective ministries and agencies and approved by the Minister of Industry and Trade.

Article 4. The Team Leader of the Government's Negotiation Team has the following responsibilities and authorities:

1. Directly reporting to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Industry and Trade on all issues related to international economic and trade negotiations as stipulated in Article 2 of this Decision.

2. Managing the Government's Negotiation Team to carry out the tasks outlined in Article 2 of this Decision.

3. Reporting to the Prime Minister and other competent authorities on the results of negotiations.

4. Based on the specific tasks, work content, and negotiation topics during each period, the Team Leader of the Government's Negotiation Team may propose to relevant ministries and sectors to supplement or replace representatives participating in the Team.

Article 5. The support staff of the Government's Negotiation Team shall be determined by the Minister of Industry and Trade. The Team Leader of the Government's Negotiation Team shall use the seal of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The operating budget of the Government's Negotiation Team shall be provided by the state budget through a second-tier account managed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Article 6. This Decision takes effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette and replaces Decision No. 116/1998/QĐ-TTg dated July 8, 1998 of the Prime Minister on the establishment of the Government's Economic and Trade Negotiation Team and other decisions on the formation of negotiation teams within the frameworks of APEC, ASEM, ASEAN, and other free trade agreements.

Article 7. The Chairman of the National Committee for International Economic Cooperation, Ministers, Heads of Ministries equivalent to Ministries, Heads of Government Agencies, Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees under the Central Government are responsible for implementing this Decision./.