Notable documents of Vietnam in the previous week (from October 23 to October 29, 2023)

1. Vietnam’s Decree on amendments to Decrees guiding the Law on Health Insurance

On October 19, 2023, the Government of Vietnam promulgated Decree No. 75/2023/ND-CP amendments to Decree No. 146/2018/ND-CP guiding the Law on Health Insurance.

- Decree No. 75/2023/ND-CP comes into force as of December 3, 2023.

- Clause 1, Points a and b Clause 2, and Clauses 3, 4, 5, and 6 Article 1 of Decree No. 75/2023/ND-CP shall be applied as of October 19, 2023.

- The state budget shall provide support for beneficiaries prescribed in Point c Clause 2 Article 1 of Decree No. 75/2023/ND-CP within 36 days from November 1, 2023.

- Clause 8 Article 1 and Clause 3 Article 2 of Decree No. 75/2023/ND-CP shall be applied as of January 1, 2019. The payment and settlement of medical service costs covered by health insurance from January 1, 2019 shall comply with Article 30, Article 31, and Clause 2 Article 32 of the Law on Health Insurance and Clause 8 Article 1 of Decree No. 75/2023/ND-CP.

2. Vietnam’s guidelines on implementation of tasks of health protection and health care for officials of provinces and centrally affiliated cities

On October 25, 2023, the Minister of Health of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 18/2023/TT-BYT on guidelines on the implementation of tasks of health protection and health care for officials of provinces and centrally affiliated cities.

According to the Circular, the main contents of tasks of health protection and health care for officials are as follows:

- Counseling for health protection and health care for officials.

- Implementation of tasks of health protection and health care for officials.

- Management and mobilization of resources.

- Cooperation in providing health protection and health care for officials at levels of departments, divisions, institutions, and equivalences to above of Central Authorities; superior officials under the management of Central Authorities currently working or have retired in central areas.

- Implementation of other tasks as assigned by competent authorities.

Circular No. 18/2023/TT-BYT comes into force as of December 12, 2023.

3. Vietnam's Technical Regulation on electronic official and public employee’s cards

This is a content of Decision No. 838/QD-BNV on the Technical Regulation on electronic official and public employee’s cards promulgated by the Minister of Home Affairs of Vietnam, effective as of October 25, 2023.

According to the Decision, the front of a card shall be printed with a yellow background and a bronze drum pattern with security and anti-counterfeit elements, specifically: 

- National Emblem or logo: the National Emblem shall be printed in colors as per regulation (this is mandatory for administrative divisions) or logos for other units.

- Name of the managerial authority or unit: name of the authority at the Ministry level, provincial level, and equivalences or the superior authority of the using authority, organization, and unit.

- Name of the using authority or unit: name of the authority, organization, or unit directly using officials and public employees (working unit).

- Personal information: portrait photo as per regulation; full name; position, title, or job position of the concerned official or public employee.

- Chip symbol: for distinguishability between the electronic official and public employee's card (chip-based) and the normal official or public employee's card.

- The number of an official and public employee’s card has the following structure:

 [Code of the Ministry, central authority, or provincial authority]+”.”+[Citizen ID Number]+”.”+[Type]

Specifically:

+ The [Code of the Ministry, central authority, or provincial authority] is prescribed in Decision No. 20/2020/QD-TTg dated July 22, 2020 of the Prime Minister of Vietnam;

+ [Citizen ID Number]: the number prescribed in the Citizen ID Card;

+ [Type], denoted as follows: “CB” - Official; “CC” - Official; “VC” - Public employee; “XA” - Official of communes; “XA0” - Part-time official of communes; “HĐ” - Labor contract and others.

- QR Code (the maximum length of a QR Code is 130 characters sized 12x12 mm) containing basic information, separated by characters, including:

+ Code of the card (randomized): the maximum length is 4 alphanumeric formats;

+ Full name: the maximum length is 25 characters in Vietnamese;

+ Date of birth: the maximum length is 10 characters under the DD/MM/YYYY format;

+ Sex: the maximum length is 3 characters in Vietnamese;

+ Citizen ID Number: the maximum length is 12 characters under the numeric format;

+ Code of working unit (using unit): the maximum length is 9 characters under the alphanumeric format;

+ Name of the managerial authority: the maximum length is 30 characters in Vietnamese;

+ Position, title, or job position: the maximum length is 17 characters in Vietnamese;

+ Link (URL) for inspection of information and operational status of the card (in operation, locked, revoked, expired, etc.): the maximum length is 20 characters under the alphanumeric format.

- Line (double), corresponding to subjects based on the administrative ranking: 1) Red line: managerial officials or public employees of departments and equivalences to above (superior); 2) Dark blue line: officials and public employees (including officials and public employees of communes); 3) Green line: part-time workers in communes, labor contracts, and other subjects.

4. Vietnam’s lists of prohibited and approved agricultural plant protection chemicals from December 8, 2023

On October 24, 2023, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 09/2023/TT-BNNPTNT on lists of approved and prohibited plant protection chemicals in Vietnam.

According to the Circular, the list of approved plant protection chemicals in Vietnam (Appendix I enclosed with the Circular) includes:

* Chemicals used in farming:

- Pesticides: 712 active ingredients and 1725 trade names.

- Fungicides: 683 active ingredients and 1561 trade names.

- Herbicides: 260 active ingredients and 791 trade names.

- Rodenticides: 8 active ingredients and 43 trade names.

- Plant-growth regulators: 60 active ingredients and 178 trade names.

- Pheromones: 8 active ingredients and 8 trade names.

- Snailicides: 31 active ingredients and 152 trade names.

- Supporting Chemicals: 5 active ingredients and 6 trade names.

* Termiticides: 16 active ingredients and 23 trade names.

* Forest product preservatives: 7 active ingredients and 8 trade names.

* Warehouse disinfectants: 3 active ingredients and 9 trade names.

* Golf course chemicals:

- Fungicides: 2 active ingredients and 2 trade names.

- Herbicides: 1 active ingredient and 1 trade name.

- Plant-growth regulators: 1 active ingredient and 1 trade name.

* Seed treatment chemicals:

- Pesticides: 10 active ingredients and 16 trade names.

- Fungicides: 12 active ingredients and 12 trade names.

* Chemicals for postharvest treatment of agricultural products

- 1 active ingredient and 1 trade name.

Circular No. 09/2023/TT-BNNPTNT comes into force as of December 8, 2023.

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