Joint Circular No. 52/2003/TTLT-BVHTT-BTC guiding the support for creative activities of literary-artistic works and press under the State's ordering mechanism.

JOINT CIRCULAR

JOINT CIRCULAR NO. 52/2003/TTLT-BVHTT-BTC OF THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM AND THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE ON GUIDELINES FOR SUPPORTING CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN LITERATURE, ART AND JOURNALISM UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMISSION ORDER SYSTEM

IMPLEMENTING DECISION NO. 151/QĐ-TTg OF THE PRIME MINISTER ON AUGUST 13, 2003 REGARDING SUPPORT FOR CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN LITERATURE, ART AND JOURNALISM UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMISSION ORDER SYSTEM, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE NATIONAL UNION OF ORGANIZATIONS OF VIETNAMESE LITERARY AND ARTIST ASSOCIATIONS (LETTER NO. 231/CV-ĐCT OF JULY 21, 2003), THE JOINT MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM AND THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE GUIDES THE IMPLEMENTATION AS FOLLOWS:

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. THE STATE WILL SUPPORT CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN LITERATURE, ART AND JOURNALISM (WORKS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, ARE IN PROGRESS, OR ARE COMMISSIONED BY TOPIC AND THE AUTHOR’S CREATIVITY) THROUGH THE COMMISSION ORDER SYSTEM VIA THE NATIONAL UNION OF ORGANIZATIONS OF VIETNAMESE LITERARY AND ARTIST ASSOCIATIONS, THE VIETNAMESE WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE FINE ARTISTS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE PERFORMING ARTISTS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE MUSICIANS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE FILMMAKERS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE ARCHITECTS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE DANCERS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE FOLK ARTISTS’ ASSOCIATION, THE VIETNAMESE ETHNIC MINORITY ARTISTS’ ASSOCIATION, AND THE VIETNAMESE JOURNALISTS’ ASSOCIATION (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO COLLECTIVELY AS THE ASSOCIATIONS), BASED ON THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES:

1.1. FOR LITERARY AND ARTISTIC WORKS AND JOURNALISTIC PIECES:

- SUPPORT AND COMMISSION ORDERS FOR THEMES INCLUDING:

+ NATIONAL HISTORY, REVOLUTION, RESISTANCE, AND CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS, AND JOURNALISM;

+ REFORM EFFORTS, POSITIVE FACTORS IN SOCIETY, AND OUTSTANDING FIGURES OF THE ERA;

+ Youth and children, ethnic minorities.

+ OTHER THEMES APPROVED BY THE ASSOCIATIONS.

- ORGANIZATIONS REVIEWING SUPPORT AND COMMISSION ORDERS SHALL REQUIRE AUTHORS AND GROUPS OF AUTHORS TO SUBMIT SPECIFIC OUTLINES ON THE THEME, CONTENT, PLAN, AND DEADLINE FOR COMPLETING THE WORK OR MANUSCRIPT.

1.2. FOR OTHER LITERARY AND ARTISTIC CREATIVITY ACTIVITIES: ACCORDING TO ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM FOR EACH SPECIFIC CONTENT.

2. FORMS OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT: COMMISSION ORDERS OR SUPPORT.

3. SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR SUPPORT THROUGH THE COMMISSION ORDER SYSTEM: CENTRAL BUDGET.

4. THE ASSOCIATIONS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR:

- DEVELOPING, ISSUING, AND PROMOTING PROCEDURES FOR SUPPORT AND COMMISSION ORDERS; REGULATIONS FOR REVIEWING, SELECTING, EVALUATING, AND CERTIFYING LITERARY AND ARTISTIC WORKS AND JOURNALISTIC PIECES SUPPORTED BY THE STATE THROUGH THE COMMISSION ORDER SYSTEM.

- EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING ANNUAL SUPPORT AND COMMISSION ORDER PLANS ACCORDING TO ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM. USING STATE FUNDS FOR SUPPORT AND COMMISSION ORDERS ACCORDING TO THE OBJECTIVES AND WITH EFFECTIVENESS.

II. SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

1. FUNDS FOR COMMISSION ORDERS ARE DIRECTLY EXPENDED TO AUTHORS AND GROUPS OF AUTHORS WHO HAVE LITERARY AND ARTISTIC WORKS AND JOURNALISTIC PIECES IN THE SPECIFIED THEMES AND ARE OF PRACTICAL VALUE, APPROVED BY THE ASSOCIATIONS. THE AMOUNT OF EXPENSES FOR EACH AUTHOR OR GROUP IS DETERMINED BY THE ASSOCIATIONS.

2. FUNDS FOR SUPPORTING CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN LITERATURE, ART AND JOURNALISM UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMISSION ORDER SYSTEM FOR THE PERIOD 2003-2004 MUST ADHERE TO THE PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATIONS. THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT FOR EACH CREATIVE ACTIVITY IS DETERMINED BY THE ASSOCIATIONS.

3. EXPENSES FOR SUPPORTING OTHER LITERARY AND ARTISTIC CREATIVITY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

- EXPENSES FOR ORGANIZING TRAINING CLASSES, ENHANCEMENT, AND IMPROVEMENT OF POLITICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS (SUCH AS CREATING CAMPS, COLLECTING, RESEARCHING, AND IMMERSING IN REALITY IN GROUP FORMATS FOR MEMBERS, ORGANIZING CREATIVE CONTESTS) AND REVIEWING, CRITICIZING, AND EVALUATING LITERARY AND ARTISTIC WORKS AND JOURNALISTIC PIECES. THE SPECIFIC EXPENSES ARE ACCORDING TO CURRENT FINANCIAL EXPENSE REGULATIONS.

- EXPENSES FOR DIRECT SUPPORT TO AUTHORS AND GROUPS OF AUTHORS FOR FIELDWORK BEFORE AND AFTER COMPLETING THE WORKS; EXPENSES FOR RESEARCH AND COLLECTION; REVISION AND COMPLETION OF WORKS. THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT IS DETERMINED BY THE ASSOCIATIONS BASED ON THE SCALE OF THE WORKS AND THE CONDITIONS OF THE AUTHORS.

- EXPENSES FOR SUPPORTING AUTHORS AND GROUPS OF AUTHORS TO SPREAD HIGH-VALUE WORKS (PUBLISHING, ORGANIZING PRESENTATIONS, EXPERIMENTAL STAGING, SMALL-SCALE EXHIBITIONS). THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT (PARTIAL OR FULL) IS DETERMINED BY THE ASSOCIATIONS BASED ON THE SCALE OF THE WORKS AND THE CONDITIONS OF THE AUTHORS.

- EXPENSES FOR COMMON ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT AND COMMISSION ORDERS.

4. BASED ON THE OVERALL DIRECTION OF THE STATE ANNUALLY IN THE FIELD OF LITERATURE, ART AND JOURNALISM, AND ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET ESTIMATE FOR SUPPORTING CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN LITERATURE, ART AND JOURNALISM PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORIZED BODY, THE ASSOCIATIONS SHALL SELECT THE TARGETS, UNIFY THE CONTENT OF SUPPORT AND COMMISSION ORDERS, AND DETAIL THE BUDGET EXPENSES FOR EACH CONTENT AS REQUIRED, AND SEND TO THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AFTER AGREEMENT FROM THE RELATED AUTHORITIES, THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM SHALL ISSUE A NOTICE TO THE ASSOCIATIONS ON THE CONTENT OF SUPPORT AND COMMISSION ORDERS AND THE BUDGET EXPENSES FOR EACH CONTENT TO SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

5. DIRECT EXPENSES FOR AUTHORS AND GROUPS OF AUTHORS SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE AUTHORS AND THE ASSOCIATIONS.

6. FINANCIAL MECHANISM:

6.1. THE LEVEL OF FUNDS FOR SUPPORTING CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN LITERATURE, ART AND JOURNALISM UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMISSION ORDER SYSTEM FOR THE YEARS 2003 AND 2004 FOR THE ASSOCIATIONS IS AS FOLLOWS:

UNIT: MILLION DONG/YEAR

6.2. BUDGET ESTIMATE: THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE WILL DIRECTLY SUPPORT FUNDS FOR THE ASSOCIATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN FOR SUPPORTING CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN LITERATURE, ART AND JOURNALISM UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMISSION ORDER SYSTEM, ALONG WITH THE ANNUAL BUDGET EXPENSES FOR SUPPORTING THE ASSOCIATIONS.

6.3. ORGANIZATION OF BUDGET EXPENSE MANAGEMENT:

- In 2003, based on the budget estimate provided with support, the Ministry of Finance allocates funds to the Associations according to current regulations.

- In 2004, based on the notification from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the annual budget expenditure estimate provided with support, the Associations allocate the annual budget expenditure estimate according to the spending items and groups of spending items as stipulated in the amended State Budget Law and send it to the Ministry of Finance. Within seven working days, the Ministry of Finance reviews and notifies in writing the results of the review of the annual budget allocation to the Associations, also sending it to the Central Treasury. Based on the annual budget expenditure allocation reviewed by the Ministry of Finance, the Associations prepare quarterly budget expenditure estimates (divided by month) to be sent to the transaction treasury for implementation of payment and settlement according to regulations.

The Ministry of Finance ensures the state budget source within the supported budget estimate to implement the plan to support creative activities for literary and artistic works, press publications under the government's ordering mechanism of the Associations. Annual funding that has not been timely utilized by the Associations can be carried over to the next year for continued use for the purposes announced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and according to the annual budget allocation reviewed by the Ministry of Finance.

6.4. Annual inspection, reporting, and settlement work:

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism takes the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Finance, the Central Propaganda and Ideology Commission, the National Union of Literature and Art Associations, and the Associations to inspect, evaluate, and compile the results of the use of funding for ordering and supporting creative activities for works and projects of the Associations, compiling the situation to report to the Prime Minister.

- The Ministry of Finance is responsible for supervising the use of funding and implementing financial management work according to the current provisions of the State Budget Law and existing financial management systems.

- The National Union of Literature and Art Associations serves as the main coordinator to work with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Finance to appraise the content, subjects, and funding for supporting creative activities; urge the Associations to implement assigned ordering and support plans; assess the implementation results, promptly identify difficulties and obstacles at the Associations, propose opinions to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Finance, and compile reports to the Prime Minister.

- The Associations are responsible for organizing the implementation of assigned plans; managing allocated funding in accordance with the provisions of the State Budget Law; using funding for its intended purpose effectively, settling accounts according to prescribed financial regulations (in cases where special income outside prescribed financial regulations occurs, the Associations must submit a written report to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consideration and recommendation to the Ministry of Finance for written approval before implementation); annually summarizing, evaluating, and reporting to the National Union of Literature and Art Associations on the implementation results; promptly identifying difficulties and obstacles, through the National Union of Literature and Art Associations to propose recommendations to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Finance for appropriate amendments and supplements.

7. Financial Transparency: The Associations must comply with current financial transparency regulations.

III. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

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

- Provincial People's Committees directly under the central government base their decisions on specific local conditions, submitting requests for funding support for creative activities for literary and artistic works, press publications proposed by local Literature and Arts Associations and Press Associations from local budgets, and applying the contents stipulated in this Circular during the implementation process.

During implementation, if there are difficulties or obstacles, they should be reported to the relevant ministries for study and appropriate amendments and supplements.