Decision No. 682/QD-TTg approves the implementation plan for the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement during the period from 2011 to 2015.

Pursuant to …;

Approving the Implementation Plan for the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement during the period 2011-2015

 for the period 2011-2015

___________________________

 PRIME MINISTER

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

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Science and Technology,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Implementation Plan for the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the TBT Agreement) for the period 2011-2015 with the main contents as follows:

1. Objectives

a) Contributing to the implementation of macro policies in economic and social development and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.

b) Enhancing the capacity of Vietnamese agencies and organizations in enforcing their rights and obligations under the TBT Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO hereinafter) while protecting Vietnam's legal rights and legitimate interests.

2. Main tasks

a) Improving the legal foundation and system of technical measures in trade to contribute to quality control of domestically produced and imported goods, ensuring safety for people, animals, plants, environmental protection, and energy conservation.

b) Enhancing the capacity of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Committee), the Network of National Notification and Inquiry Points on Technical Barriers to Trade (Vietnam TBT Network), and the management and technical capabilities of related agencies and organizations.

c) Increasing the effectiveness of activities to disseminate and promote the role and impact of technical barriers to trade on production, business, and consumption of products and goods.

3. Projects to implement main tasks

a) Project 1: Improving the legal foundation as a basis for activities related to technical barriers to trade for the period 2011-2015.

Content: Proposing amendments and supplements to the legal foundation for the application of technical barriers in Vietnam, particularly in areas ensuring safety for people, animals, plants, environmental protection, and energy conservation.

Implementing agency: The Ministry of Science and Technology leads; other ministries, sectors, and localities cooperate in implementation.

b) Project 2: Developing technical measures to be implemented in export and import activities to ensure compliance with the provisions of the TBT Agreement and Vietnamese laws; not affecting the safety of people, animals, and plants; protecting the environment and conserving energy.

Content: Studying and evaluating technical measures in trade applied by WTO member countries that comply with WTO's import and export regulations, including the TBT Agreement; proposing the possibility and methods of applying similar measures, taking into account Vietnam's actual conditions and special and differential treatment provisions of the WTO for developing countries. Establishing and implementing a remote quality control mechanism to prevent the entry and circulation on the market of imported goods that do not meet standards and technical regulations, are unsafe, unhygienic, and of unknown origin; strengthening the signing or joining of mutual recognition agreements or arrangements about conformity assessment results with key or potential markets; implementing a quality inspection mechanism at the production facilities of exporting countries when conditions permit; actively participating in the rapid alert network for product quality among countries.

Implementing agency: The Ministry of Industry and Trade leads; other ministries, sectors, and localities cooperate in implementation.

c) Project 3: Supporting enterprises in applying technical measures to enhance production and business efficiency and promote exports and imports.

Content: Studying the application of international practices, especially WTO regulations, to assist enterprises in complying with international trade regulations while overcoming technical barriers in production and business activities; enhancing market access capabilities and competitive strength in domestic and global markets.

Implementing agency: The Ministry of Industry and Trade leads; other ministries, sectors, and localities cooperate in implementation.

d) Project 4: Strengthening the responsibilities and capacities of state management agencies and technical organizations in formulating and implementing technical measures in trade.

Content: Enhancing awareness, capacity, and expertise on technical barriers to trade of state management agencies and technical organizations involved in policy formulation, legal foundation building, and enforcement of technical measures in accordance with the TBT Agreement; ensuring the fulfillment of obligations while fully utilizing legal rights, special and differential treatment provisions, and corresponding exceptions of the TBT Agreement, and exceptions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Implementing agency: The Ministry of Science and Technology leads; other ministries, sectors, and localities cooperate in implementation.

đ) Project 5: Maintaining and enhancing the capacity of the TBT Committee and the Vietnam TBT Network.

Content: Improving the organization and enhancing the capacity of TBT Committee members to ensure advisory capabilities on the implementation of the TBT Agreement. Consolidating the Vietnam TBT Network towards increasing professionalism in expertise and operations in fulfilling public disclosure and transparency obligations under the TBT Agreement; becoming a leading provider of information on technical barriers to trade; having the ability to advise businesses on technical barriers to trade and related issues.

Implementing agency: The Ministry of Science and Technology leads; other ministries, sectors, and localities cooperate in implementation.

e) Project 6: Enhancing the effectiveness of activities to disseminate and promote the role and impact of technical barriers to trade on production, business, and consumption of products and goods.

Content: Strengthening dissemination and promotion activities on technical barriers to trade and related issues through diverse and flexible forms and methods to raise societal awareness of the role and impact of technical barriers in production, business, and consumption.

Implementing agency: The Ministry of Science and Technology leads; other ministries, sectors, and localities cooperate in implementation.

4. IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES

a) Source of funds: The project's implementation costs are mobilized from various sources including state budget, aid, sponsorship, domestic and foreign organizations' and individuals' investment, and other lawful sources. Corporate science and technology development funds are also mobilized to carry out related tasks of the project.

b) The Joint Inter-ministerial Committee for Technical Barriers to Trade performs the function of coordinating the implementation and deployment of the project and cooperation with related programs, projects, and initiatives to ensure effective implementation of this project and avoid unnecessary overlaps; particularly enhancing advisory roles and proposals for supplementing and perfecting the legal basis for establishing technical barriers within relevant legal documents.

c) Strengthen close coordination within the Vietnam Technical Barriers to Trade Network and between the Vietnam Technical Barriers to Trade Network and management agencies at ministries, sectors, and localities in building and implementing tasks according to functions prescribed in Decision No. 114/2005/QD-TTg dated May 26, 2005 of the Prime Minister on the establishment and issuance of regulations on the organization and operation of the Vietnam Technical Barriers to Trade Network and the tasks of this project. of the Government regarding the establishment and issuance of regulations on the organization and operation of the Vietnam Technical Barriers to Trade Network and the tasks of this project.

d) Promote international cooperation in the field of technical barriers to trade; seek necessary technical support to effectively implement the tasks and projects of the project.

Article 2. Implementation of the Project

1. The Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible before the Prime Minister for organizing the implementation of the project; guiding and urging ministries and localities to develop Action Programs to implement the project to enforce the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement during the 2011-2015 period based on the objectives and tasks of this project.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall consider financial resources to ensure that the project is implemented in accordance with its set goals and tasks.

3. Ministries, sectors, and localities, based on their assigned responsibilities under Decree No. 127/2007/NĐ-CP dated August 1, 2007 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations and Decree No. 132/2008/NĐ-CP dated December 31, 2008 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, shall cooperate with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the process of implementing the project's tasks.

4. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to review the provisions on expenditure items for implementing the project's tasks to enforce the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement during the 2005-2010 period, serving as a basis for ministries, sectors, and localities to implement expenditure items for the project's tasks to enforce the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement during the 2011-2015 period within their respective jurisdictions.

5. The planning and approval of state budget implementation for the project's tasks and projects must be consistent with the progress of developing and approving the national budget plan.

6. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government agencies involved, and Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees directly under the central government shall organize the implementation and supervise the implementation of the project's tasks in accordance with the required standards and deadlines.

7. During the implementation of the project, if there are difficulties, ministries, sectors, and localities shall proactively discuss with the Ministry of Science and Technology to find solutions; in case of consensus, they must promptly report. consideration and decision by the Prime Minister.

Article 3. Effectiveness and Responsibility for Enforcement.

1. This Decision takes effect from the date of signature.

2. Ministers, Heads of Ministries equivalent to ministries, Heads of government agencies, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall be responsible for implementing this Decision./.