Decision No. 99/1998/QD-TTg On management of prices and postal and telecommunications tariffs.

DECISION OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Regarding postal and telecommunications tariffs and rates.

PRIME MINISTER

BASED ON THE LAW ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1992;

At the proposal of the General Director of the Posts and Telecommunications General Department, electricity,

DECISION:

Article 1. This Decision stipulates that the State shall uniformly manage postal and telecommunications tariffs and rates, including domestic and international postal and telecommunications service prices and rates.

Article 2. Postal service rates include rates for receiving, sending, transferring, delivering letters, money, parcels, newspapers, publications, and other services through the postal network. Telecommunications service prices and rates include rates for transmitting, storing, providing information, telephone installation costs through telephone, telegraph, telex, internet, communication channels, and other services within the telecommunications network.

Article 3. Principles for forming postal and telecommunications prices and rates:

1. Prices and rates for postal and telecommunications services in the Posts and Telecommunications sector shall be established in accordance with the economic and social policies of the Party and the State; consistent with international treaties to which Vietnam is a party; meeting the requirements for developing national postal and telecommunications infrastructure.

2. Postal and telecommunications prices and rates shall be formed based on the cost of products and services; ensuring that enterprises can cover their costs, earn reasonable profits, and fulfill their obligations to the state budget; suitable for the payment capacity of users; encouraging fair competition.

3. International postal and telecommunications prices and rates shall be specified in US dollars (USD) and applied to all organizations and individuals in Vietnam and foreign organizations and individuals operating in Vietnam; collected in USD or Vietnamese dong according to the official exchange rate published by the State Bank of Vietnam at the time of collection.

Article 4. Tasks and authorities regarding the management of postal and telecommunications prices and rates:

1. The Prime Minister:

a) Deciding on policies, mechanisms, and principles for forming postal and telecommunications prices and rates domestically and internationally.

b) Deciding or authorizing the General Director of the Posts and Telecommunications General Department, heads of relevant Ministries and sectors to negotiate and sign multilateral or bilateral international agreements on postal and telecommunications prices and rates.

c) Authorizing the General Director of the Posts and Telecommunications General Department to decide on standard domestic rates: Regular mail up to 20 grams; telegrams; telephone.

2. The Government Price Board:

a) Reviewing proposals from the Posts and Telecommunications General Department on policies, mechanisms, and principles for forming postal and telecommunications prices and rates submitted to the Prime Minister. Reviewing proposals for standard rates for postal and telecommunications services listed in Point c, Section 1, Article 4 prepared by the Posts and Telecommunications General Department and submitted to the Prime Minister.

b) After consulting with the Ministry of Finance and related sectors, deciding on rates for services paid from the state budget: Rates for transmitting People's Army Newspaper and People's Armed Forces Newspaper;

Broadcasting and television transmission rates within the country;

Subscription fees for People's Army Newspaper and People's Armed Forces Newspaper.

c) Cooperating with the Posts and Telecommunications General Department to monitor production costs of postal and telecommunications enterprises when necessary.

d) Organizing or cooperating with the Posts and Telecommunications General Department to inspect, examine, and handle violations concerning postal and telecommunications prices and rates according to the provisions of the law.

3. The Posts and Telecommunications General Department:

a) Formulating policies, mechanisms, and principles for forming domestic and international postal and telecommunications prices and rates to submit to the Prime Minister.

b) Formulating proposals for standard rates for services listed in Point c, Section 1, Article 4 to submit to the Prime Minister.

c) Being authorized by the Prime Minister to decide on standard domestic rates: Regular mail up to 20 grams; telegrams; telephone.

d) Being authorized by the Prime Minister to negotiate and sign multilateral or bilateral international agreements on postal and telecommunications prices and rates.

đ) After consulting with the Government Price Board, specifying price and rate frameworks or specific rates for the following services:

Specifying standard rates for services listed in Point c, Section 1, Article 4 of this Decision;

Telephone installation price framework;

Rate framework or specific rates for local call subscribers and local call rates;

Data transmission.

e) Specifying rate frameworks or specific rates for the following services: Mobile phone; Domestic and international long-distance leased line rates,

Internet;

Domestic long-distance call rates;

Outbound international letter and telephone rates;

Domestic parcel.

g) Directing and guiding postal and telecommunications enterprises:

Fulfilling international commitments and ensuring the interests of the State, enterprises, and postal and telecommunications service users.

Developing pricing and rate plans for services under the authority of the Posts and Telecommunications General Department or the Government Price Board.

h) Specifying payment prices or price frameworks between enterprises participating in providing postal and telecommunications services.

i) Specifying principles and policies for reducing postal and telecommunications rates for certain user groups after coordinating with the Government Price Board.

k) Specifying principles and policies for international payment rates between Vietnamese postal and telecommunications enterprises and international postal and telecommunications organizations, ensuring national interests and enterprise benefits, consistent with international practices and treaties to which Vietnam is a party.

l) Specifying management mechanisms for postal and telecommunications service rates for organizations permitted to resell according to the law.

m) Deciding to suspend or revoke decisions on postal and telecommunications prices and rates made by enterprises if these decisions conflict with state regulations.

n) Coordinating with the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam to specify air cargo transportation rates for mail packages.

o) Leading and coordinating with the Government Price Board to monitor production costs of postal and telecommunications enterprises when necessary.

p) Organizing inspections, examinations, and handling violations concerning prices and rates according to current legal provisions. functions of inspection, examination, and handling of violations related to prices and tariffs in accordance with current laws.

4. Postal and telecommunications enterprises.

a) Adhering to prices and rates set by the competent authority. Implementing state regulations on the management system for postal and telecommunications prices and rates.

b) Develop pricing schemes and tariffs or price and tariff frameworks for postal and telecommunications services to be submitted to the General Post总局局长决定或提交政府价格委员会根据其权限作出决定。

c) Based on the price and tariff framework and guiding documents from the General Post总局和政府价格委员会，确定具体的产品和服务的邮政和电信服务的价格和费用；决定并指导执行不在国家规定目录内的邮政和电信服务的价格和费用。

Article 5. Publish postal and telecommunications prices and tariffs.

Postal and telecommunications enterprises, hotel and restaurant agents, and other organizations authorized to resell postal and telecommunications services must publicly display their prices and tariffs clearly, in accordance with the type of service provided.

Article 6. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days from the date of signing, and all previous provisions contrary to this Decision shall be abolished.

The Director of the General Post总局局长和政府价格委员会主任负责指导本决定的实施。

, Clause 1, Clause 2 Article 7a of this Regulation.. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government agencies, and Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.