Circular No. 23/2008/TT-BTC guiding the expenditure regime for organizing the High-Level Meeting on Strategic Economic Cooperation and the High-Level Meeting of the four countries Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam in Vietnam.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for expenditure on organizing

the High-Level Strategic Economic Cooperation Conference and the Fourth Summit of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam in Vietnam

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Pursuant to the State Budget Law dated December 16, 2002, and Decree No. 60/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 23, 2003 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of the State Budget Law;

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 Decision No. 1238/QĐ-TTg dated September 18, 2007 of the Prime Minister regarding the establishment of the Organizing Committee for the Third ACMECS Summit and the Fourth CLMV Summit in Vietnam;

The Ministry of Finance hereby issues guidelines for expenditure on organizing the Third ACMECS Summit and the Fourth CLMV Summit in Vietnam 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.

1. Implementing entities: Agencies, units, and organizations assigned funds to carry out the tasks of organizing and serving the Third ACMECS Summit and the Fourth CLMV Summit in Vietnam.

2. Funding for organizing the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit shall be guaranteed from the state budget and financial support from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals (if any).

3. Ministries, sectors, and localities may only use allocated funds to perform tasks and activities related to organizing and serving the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit, and not for other regular tasks of ministries, sectors, and localities.

4. Management and utilization of funds and assets serving the ACMECS Summits and the CLMV Summits shall be carried out in accordance with the State Budget Law, financial management and asset management regulations of the state, and the provisions of this Circular.

II. SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

1. Expenditure items:

Expenditure items for organizing the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit in Vietnam include the following specific items:

- Purchase or rental of equipment, facilities, and venues for organizing the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit;

- Costs for creating symbols and souvenirs for the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit;

- Printing of documents, programs, related publications, invitations, and badges for participants in the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit;

- Costs for organizing meetings, seminars, group discussions, press conferences, etc., within the framework of the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit;

- Costs for delegates attending the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit who are covered by the Vietnamese Government's hospitality;

- Costs for the operations of the Organizing Committee, Secretariat, and sub-committees serving the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit;

- Security, public order, sanitation, health, and service costs;

- Information and communication costs;

- Publicity costs (printing of banners, posters, logos, emblems, filming, photography, flags, slogans, promotional materials) and publicity through mass media (radio, television, press, etc.);

- Costs for cultural and artistic activities welcoming and serving delegates at the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit;

- Other related costs.

These expenditure items must be approved by the Head of the Organizing Committee for the ACMECS Summit and the CLMV Summit and the Heads of the sub-committees.

2. Expenditure levels:

2.1. Hotels:

- Hotel room rental costs covered by the Vietnamese Government for delegations are implemented according to the Prime Minister's Decision.

- Hotel room rental costs for the Organizing Committee's activities can only be reimbursed up to a maximum of five standard rooms at each hotel where delegates stay.

Unit prices are settled based on actual documentation.

2.2. Transportation:

Arrangement of cars for delegations covered by the Vietnamese Government during the conference follows established practices as per the Prime Minister's Decision. Car rental prices and rental periods are based on the logistics plan for the conference and are settled according to contracts signed with car rental companies.

The Head of the Organizing Committee is responsible for arranging cars for the Organizing Committee's activities by fully utilizing existing vehicles from agencies and units. In cases where renting cars is necessary, the rental period should be calculated before and after the conference for a maximum of two days.

2.3. Meals, refreshments, and entertainment:

a) Lunch expenses:

- At SOM Conferences: 30 USD/person/meal;

- At Foreign Ministers' Conferences: 40 USD/person/meal;

- At Summit Conferences: 50 USD/person/meal;

- Lunch expenses for journalists at the conference: 15 USD/person/meal.

b) Entertainment expenses:

- At SOM Conferences: 40 USD/person;

- At Foreign Ministers' Conferences: 50 USD/person;

- At Summit Conferences: 80 USD/person.

The above expenses include beverages (produced in Vietnam).

c) Refreshment expenses:

- At SOM Conferences: 5 USD/person/session, twice a day;

- At Foreign Ministers' Conferences: 7 USD/person/session, twice a day;

- At Summit Conferences: 10 USD/person/session, twice a day.

The maximum expense levels specified in points a, b, and c above do not include taxes and service fees.

d) Expenses for organizing cultural performances:

Cultural and artistic activities welcoming and serving the conference will be settled according to contracts between the Organizing Committee and artistic groups.

2.4. Reception expenses for delegations:

- At airports, expenses for renting rooms for the Organizing Committee to welcome and see off delegates; centralized lunch expenses for the Organizing Committee (welcoming staff, volunteers, drivers, security, medical personnel, etc.), with meal expenses capped at 30,000 VND/person/meal excluding taxes and service fees.

- Purchase of flowers for delegates according to the conference reception plan.

- Purchase of drinking water (mineral water, purified water) for direct participants in welcoming and seeing off delegates.

2.5. Gifts:

Recipients of gifts at the conference are: Heads of Delegations and their spouses, Foreign Ministers, ASEAN Secretary-General, and other members;

- Maximum expenditure for Heads of Delegations: 2,000,000 VND/person;

- Maximum expenditure for Foreign Ministers and ASEAN Secretary-General: 1,000,000 VND/person;

- Maximum expenditure for SOM Heads: 500,000 VND/person;

||| The maximum expenditure for other members is 250,000 VND/person.

||| 2.6. Equipment:

||| The organizing committee shall be reimbursed for costs associated with the installation and setup of equipment in shared rooms, press centers, press conference rooms, and functional rooms at the conference venue, including high-speed internet-connected computers, printers, photocopiers, fax machines (domestic call charges waived), telephones (domestic call charges waived), and document filing cabinets.

||| The arrangement, purchase, or rental of equipment, quantity, type, technical standards, etc., shall be carried out according to the后勤会务方案。

||| 2.7. Treatment for staff serving the conference:

||| - Conference service allowance: Staff directly involved in serving the conference (including holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays) shall receive service allowances based on the following rates:

||| + Members of the Organizing Committee, Heads of Subcommittees, and Heads of the Secretariat: 150,000 VND/day/person;

||| + Members of Subcommittees and the Secretariat: 120,000 VND/day/person;

||| + Members of groups, teams, and working units under Subcommittees mobilized by Subcommittee Heads (in writing): 100,000 VND/day/person;

||| + Service personnel (security guards, drivers, receptionists, volunteers, medical staff, liaison officers, etc.) approved by Subcommittee Heads: 50,000 VND/day/person.

In case a person performs multiple tasks in one day, they shall only be entitled to the highest remuneration level.

||| The number of days eligible for remuneration is the number of official days during which the conferences take place. In cases where work must be initiated earlier or concluded later than the official conference days, additional payment days will be approved by Subcommittee Heads, but the maximum duration shall not exceed five days.

||| - Overtime pay: In cases of overtime work, overtime pay shall be calculated according to Circular Joint Circular No. 08/2005/TTLT-BNV-BTC dated January 5, 2005, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, guiding the implementation of wage systems for night work and overtime for civil servants, public officials, and employees.

||| - In necessary cases, the Organizing Committee may arrange centralized meals and accommodations for security forces, medical staff, and service personnel (guards, drivers, receptionists, volunteers, liaison officers, etc.). In addition to the service allowance, the Organizing Committee may provide centralized meals and accommodations, with meal expenses capped at 70,000 VND/person/day excluding taxes and service fees as stipulated. If room rentals are required, they shall be settled according to actual invoices. No cash payments will be made if centralized meals and accommodations are not utilized.

||| - Mobile phone communication expense support for staff: The allocation for mobile phone communication expenses during the organization of the ACMECS and CLV Conferences is as follows:

||| + Members of the ACMECS and CLV Conference Organizing Committees and Subcommittee Heads: 500,000 VND/person;

||| + Subcommittee Members: 300,000 VND/person;

||| + In necessary cases, Subcommittee Heads may decide on the list of staff eligible for reimbursement of mobile phone communication expenses or rental of mobile phones, with the maximum allocation not exceeding 200,000 VND/person.

||| 2.8. Other expenses:

||| a) Translation expenses:

||| - Written translation: cost rate 70,000 VND/page (300 characters/page).

||| - Oral translation:

||| + Standard oral translation: not exceeding 100,000 VND/hour/person, equivalent to 800,000 VND/day/person working 8 hours;

||| + Simultaneous oral translation: not exceeding 200,000 VND/hour/person, equivalent to 1,600,000 VND/day/person working 8 hours.

||| The above translation expense rates apply only when it is necessary to hire external interpreters; for interpreters who are staff members of ministries and agencies assigned to serve the conference, the reimbursement rate is 50% of the aforementioned rates.

||| b) Expenses for purchasing or renting assets, equipment, printing documents, producing symbols, buying gifts, and other goods must comply with the provisions of Circular No. 63/2007/TT-BTC dated June 15, 2007, issued by the Ministry of Finance, guiding procurement to maintain the regular operation of state agencies using state funds; and Circular No. 131/2007/TT-BTC dated November 5, 2007, amending and supplementing Circular No. 63/2007/TT-BTC dated June 15, 2007, issued by the Ministry of Finance.

||| c) Other expenses not specified in this Circular shall be reviewed and decided upon by the Organizing Committee Head and Subcommittee Heads in accordance with actual circumstances, and they shall be responsible for their decisions.

||| 3. Budget preparation and settlement:

a) Establishment of budget estimates:

||| The preparation, management, disbursement, payment, and settlement of funds shall be carried out in accordance with the Law on State Budget and related implementing regulations. This Circular provides additional guidance as follows:

||| - Based on the contents of the organizational activities related to the ACMECS and CLV Conferences approved by the Organizing Committee Head and Subcommittee Heads; referring to current expenditure standards and the expense rates set forth in this Circular, Subcommittees and the main organizing agencies shall prepare detailed budget estimates for the conferences and submit them for approval by the leadership of the Ministry or agency and send them to the ACMECS and CLV Conference Logistics Subcommittee - Government Office.

||| - The ACMECS and CLV Conference Logistics Subcommittee shall review the contents and expense rates according to the organizational activity plans within the framework of the conference; based on the functions and responsibilities of each Subcommittee and the prescribed expenditure standards; compile a detailed budget estimate for organizing the ACMECS and CLV Conferences (detailed by Subcommittee), and submit it for signature by the Organizing Committee Head and send it to the Ministry of Finance.

- The Ministry of Finance shall lead the examination of the total budget estimates and submit them for approval by the Prime Minister.

b) ALLOCATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF BUDGET ESTIMATES:

||| - Based on the total budget estimate approved by the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Finance shall notify the budget estimate to each Ministry and main organizing agency: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government Office, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

||| - Based on the allocated budget estimate for organizing the ACMECS and CLV Conferences, Ministries and agencies shall withdraw the budget from the National Treasury to organize and implement their tasks.

||| - For financial contributions from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals (if any), Ministries and agencies shall fully reflect income according to regulations; and be responsible for managing and utilizing these funds to carry out conference-related tasks in accordance with current regulations.

||| c) Use and settlement of funds:

The ministries and agencies assigned the main responsibility for organizing the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference shall be responsible for managing, using, and settling the budget for the activities of the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference allocated to their respective ministries and agencies.

The budget for organizing the activities of the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference shall be monitored separately and recorded under category 13-01 (Administrative Management) according to the corresponding items in the State Budget Manual.

Upon completion of the activities of the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference, within no more than 90 days, the ministries and agencies assigned the main responsibility for organizing the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference shall be responsible for reporting on the settlement of the conference budget, submitting an inventory report of assets purchased for the organization of the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference to the Logistics Sub-committee and the Ministry of Finance; at year-end, the settlement of the conference budget for the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference shall be included in the annual budget settlement of the ministries and agencies in accordance with regulations.

The Logistics Sub-committee shall compile and settle the budget for organizing the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference for approval by the Conference Organizing Committee Chair within 30 days from the date of receiving complete settlements from all units.

For assets purchased to serve the conferences, the Logistics Sub-committee shall compile and propose recommendations on the handling of the purchased assets, reporting to the Conference Organizing Committee Chair for consideration and decision.

Ministries and agencies that receive financial support from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to organize the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference must report to the Logistics Sub-committee for consolidation and report to the Ministry of Finance to process the recording of state budget revenue in accordance with regulations.

III. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

This Circular takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

The Conference Organizing Committee Chair, the Chairs of the Sub-committees organizing the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference, and the Heads of ministries and agencies organizing and serving events of the ACMECS Conference and the CLMV Conference are responsible for implementing current state regulations and this Circular.

In the course of implementation, if any difficulties arise, they should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Finance for study and appropriate amendment and supplementation.