Directive No. 27/2006/CT-TTg On certain measures to be focused on directing in the last months of the year to strive to complete the plan for socio-economic development and state budget estimate for 2006

DIRECTIVE

On certain measures to be focused on directing in the last months

to strive to complete the plan for economic and social development

and state budget estimate for 2006

___________________

On July 7, 2006, the Government issued Resolution No. 13/2006/NQ-CP reviewing and evaluating the situation of implementing tasks for economic and social development and the state budget estimate for the first six months of 2006; at the same time, proposing solutions to strive to complete the tasks for economic and social development and the state budget estimate for 2006. To implement the Government's Resolution, the Prime Minister requests Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, Chairpersons of State Economic Group Councils, General Directors of State Corporations to immediately carry out the following tasks in the last months of 2006:

1. Urgently review and compare the tasks and solutions stated in Resolution No. 01/2006/NQ-CP dated January 16, 2006 of the Government related to their respective sectors, localities, and units; evaluate the results of guidance and management within their areas and scopes of responsibility, thereby clearly identifying the measures and tasks that need to be concentrated on to resolve difficulties, improve the investment business environment, especially those issues concerning investment procedures, land clearance, taxes, import-export, access conditions for production and business loans, disbursement, settlement of construction project quantities; concretize the solutions and contents of implementing commitments to international economic integration; promote the socialization of cultural and social fields; rectify administrative machinery and intensify efforts to prevent and combat corruption, thrift, and waste, ...

2. Urgently develop and implement action programs after Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization, with emphasis on human resource training work, promoting propaganda to raise public awareness, identifying, encouraging, and expanding advanced models in production and business.

3. Implement the Law on Prevention and Combating Corruption and the Law on Thrift and Combating Waste, focusing on the management and use of state capital and assets, the procurement and use of transportation means, the organization of delegations for exchange, study tours both domestically and internationally; strictly enforce regulations on meeting regimes of administrative agencies and Directive No. 26/2006/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister prohibiting the use of public funds for inappropriate gifts and hospitality.

4. Accelerate the implementation of programs and plans for restructuring and shareholding of state-owned enterprises that have been approved; at the same time, enhance the operational efficiency of state-owned enterprises, state-owned enterprises after shareholding, and state-owned enterprises converted into limited liability companies.

5. Urgently implement necessary measures to develop industries and services, paying attention to developing supporting industries and service sectors such as finance, banking, transportation, postal and telecommunications, legal consultancy, etc.

6. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and relevant agencies urgently study and issue specific policies within their authority to support enterprise development; focus on resolving difficulties, promptly addressing issues and recommendations from enterprises, particularly focusing on resolving issues related to production sites, taxes, customs, import-export procedures, and the organization of goods circulation.

7. The Office of the Government shall inspect and urge ministries and sectors to timely implement the Program for Building Regulatory Legal Documents, report the results and propose handling measures at regular meetings of the Government; strive to basically resolve the problem of delayed and overdue guiding documents for laws and ordinances that have taken effect.

8. Ministry of Finance:

a) Closely control the factors forming the prices of important materials and goods; closely monitor market trends and forecast price fluctuations; take the lead or coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to reasonably determine the adjustment schedule within their authority for the prices of important materials related to many industries such as coal, electricity, steel, cement, etc., avoiding significant impacts on production activities and social life;

b) Issue regulations within their authority and take measures to prevent and handle cases where prices of goods and services are increased by taking advantage of global market price fluctuations, causing negative impacts on the economy and social life;

c) Direct the implementation of measures to prevent tax revenue losses and other state budget revenues, ensuring the achievement of the 2006 revenue target; closely control state budget expenditures; strengthen inspection and supervision to address overspending, borrowing in advance for spending without clear sources of repayment, and misappropriation of contractor funds; implement fiscal and monetary policies in a coordinated manner to maintain macroeconomic stability;

d) Publicly announce the content and schedule for reducing taxes according to international commitments; at the same time, analyze and propose measures to mitigate adverse effects or take advantage of beneficial effects from tax reductions so that businesses can know and act proactively in production and business.

9. The State Bank of Vietnam shall grasp and handle promptly within its authority changes in exchange rates and monetary situations in the last months to control inflation at a reasonable level; at the same time, actively manage monetary policy and exchange rates to ensure sufficient foreign currency to meet the needs for importing important raw materials and materials for production.

10. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall continue to strengthen measures for disease prevention and control in agricultural production, particularly foot-and-mouth disease in livestock and rice pests; take appropriate measures to support the recovery and development of poultry flocks after the H5N1 flu outbreak; review plans for dike protection and flood and storm prevention in 2006; urgently reinforce dikes in weak areas, especially the Red River dike system, the northern coastal dike system, and the central coastal dike system, to prevent and mitigate damage caused by natural disasters.

11. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall promptly complete the system of guiding documents for the Land Law; coordinate with localities to address existing land disputes; focus on resolving environmental hotspots; direct efforts to enhance forecasting capabilities for typhoons and floods to proactively prevent and avoid natural disasters, minimizing losses.

12. The Ministry of Trade shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries:

a) Announce bilateral and multilateral agreements reached during negotiations for accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) at an appropriate time; urgently study and analyze the advantages and challenges of the economy upon joining the WTO, and based on this, develop and implement appropriate action programs to address challenges and leverage advantages during the implementation of international commitments.

b) Implement groups of solutions to promote exports of goods and services from 2006 to 2010 as approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 156/2006/QD-TTg dated June 30, 2006; simultaneously, coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to guide export businesses to strictly comply with accounting and financial record-keeping regulations and declare commodity codes (HS) for exported goods to facilitate resolution of potential trade disputes.

13. The Ministry of Health shall cooperate with localities to intensify disease prevention and control efforts, particularly new emerging diseases; continue to improve the healthcare system and health care services for the people, especially in remote and ethnic minority areas.

14. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies to develop mechanisms and policies to support poor households in achieving sustainable poverty reduction; intensify efforts to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, especially among ethnic minorities and people in mountainous and remote areas; continue to effectively implement policies on healthcare, education support, housing provision, land allocation, preferential loans, etc., to assist the poor.

15. By August 2006, ministries and sectors managing national target programs shall conclude evaluations of their achievements to date to establish targets and contents for the 2007-2010 period, to be submitted to the Prime Minister for decision.

16. Ministries, sectors, and localities shall concentrate on implementing and completing tasks assigned under the Administrative Reform Program for 2006-2010; continue to promote administrative reform linked to organizational restructuring, staffing adjustments, work procedures, and rational delegation; urgently review administrative procedures within their jurisdiction to simplify, clarify, shorten processing times, and publicly disclose regulations, policies, and procedures, to combat negative phenomena such as corruption, harassment of citizens and businesses.

17. Competent agencies shall publicly announce transparently the requirements for procedures and documents needed for each administrative procedure through mass media and public offices as a basis for citizens to follow and supervise.

18. In the last months of 2006, on the 25th of each month, ministries, sectors, localities, state economic groups, and state corporations shall submit reports evaluating the implementation of Government Resolution No. 01/2006/NQ-CP dated January 16, 2006, concerning key measures to guide and manage the implementation of the socio-economic plan and state budget for 2006, detailing completed and uncompleted tasks, and specific measures and plans to resolve difficulties and obstacles encountered in executing tasks assigned by the Government, to be sent to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for consolidation and reporting to the Government at its regular monthly meetings.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall consolidate and report to the Government in December 2006 on the results of implementing tasks assigned by the Government to ministries, sectors, localities, state economic groups, and state corporations in Government Resolution No. 01/2006/NQ-CP dated January 16, 2006; concurrently, propose solutions to address non-compliance or ineffective execution of assigned tasks by relevant agencies.

19. Ministries, agencies, and localities shall promptly develop plans and budgets for the state budget for 2007 in accordance with the spirit of Directive No. 19/2006/CT-TTg dated June 12, 2006, of the Prime Minister.

20. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall urgently complete the establishment of criteria and standards for capital allocation to be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval, serving as a basis for developing the 2007 state budget for construction investment and the stable budget period from 2007 to 2010.

21. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall continuously monitor and report to the Government and the Prime Minister on the implementation of this directive./.