FRESH POLICIES TAKE EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER

Tough punishment of chemical-related incidents

Under Decree No. 115/2016/ND-CP, dated July 8, 2016, since September 15, individuals and organizations will be fined VND 10-15 million for not having a plan or measures in place to prevent and respond to chemical-related incidents during the production, trading, use or storage of hazardous chemicals.

The same fine will also be imposed on those who do not comply with conditions for producing and trading chemicals, insecticides and antiseptic products used at home and in medical establishments.

Support for poor pupils

The Government’s Decree 116/2016/NĐ-C took effect since September 1, 2016, aiming to support poor pupils and schools in communes and villages ridden by extreme difficulties.

Under Decree 116, a pupil of elementary or junior high schools in extremely impoverished regions will be provided with 15kg of rice per month for no more than nine months per year.

Salary regime for officials, public servants and armed forces

Government’s Decree 117/2016 / ND-CP amending and supplementing some articles of Decree No. 204/2004 / ND-CP dated 14/12/2004 of the Government on the salary regime for officials and public servants shall take effect from September 15.

Establishment of tissue bank

Under Decree 118/2016/ND-CP which adjusts or supplements some articles of Decree 56/2008/ND-CP on the organization and operation of tissue banks and the National Coordination Centre for Human Organ Transplantation, necessary conditions for ensuring the operation of the tissue bank, including projected personnel, payroll, operating fund, working office, professional equipment and facilities and other necessary equipment of the tissue bank are also stated in the decree.

Tissue banks have the legal status, functions, tasks and personnel as regulated in Article 35 of the Law on Donation, Removal and Transplantation of Human Tissues and Organs and Donation and Recovery of Cadavers.

New regulations on diplomatic visas

Under Circular 04/2016/TT-BNG issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which took effect on September 1, foreigners holding NG3 visas are eligible to apply for temporary residence cards with validation periods of up to five years. The validation period should expire at least 30 days prior to the expiration of their passport.

NG3 visa holders are members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of intergovernmental bodies, their spouses and children under 18, and their domestic helpers.

Holders of NG1, NG2 and NG4 visas who want to extend their stay permits should ask the bodies or organizations that sponsored them to enter Viet Nam to submit applications for extending their temporary residence cards. The extension period is for a maximum of 12 months and must also expire at least 30 days prior to the expiration of their passport.

‘Green’ products to be exempt from export tariff

Under Circular 128/2016/TT-BTC on export tariff exemption for environmentally-friendly products, products that are in the export tax tables of Decree 19/2015/ND-CP issued on February 14, 2015, and have Viet Nam's green label certificate, will join the export tax exemption since September 23, 2016.

Meanwhile, export tax on products from recycling and waste treatment activities located in the export tax table of Decree 19 will be cut by half.

Source: VGP