Notable new policies of Vietnam effective as of the middle of April 2024

1. Standards of the award of People’s Doctor Titles from May 25, 2024

This is a content of Decree No. 25/2024/ND-CP on assessment for the award of People’s Doctor and Doctor of Merit Titles promulgated by the Government of Vietnam, effective as of April 15, 2024. 

According to the Decree, People’s Doctor Titles shall be awarded to individuals who have received Doctor of Merit Titles from the President of Vietnam satisfying the following standards: 

- Satisfying standards prescribed in Points a, b, and c Clause 2 Article 65 of the Law on Emulation and Commendation 2022. 

- Having outstanding talent in the research and development of science, techniques, and technologies concerning health and satisfying one of the following standards: 

+ Being the head of at least 1 ministerial or provincial task of science and technology, which has been tested and assessed and ranked as “Passed”;

+ Being a main research member carrying out 2 national tasks of science and technology, which have been tested and assessed and ranked as "Passed" or more; 

+ Being the author of at least 2 initiatives that have been applied with high efficiency and a broad influence scope, recognized by ministries, central authorities, or local authorities; 

+ Being the author or co-author of at least 1 invention applied to the health sector entitled to an invention patent from the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam, Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam.

- Having outstanding achievements in health work, which contribute to the protection, care, and improvement of people's health and satisfying one of the following standards: 

+ Having been awarded the Labor Hero Title or Armed Force Hero Title; 

+ Having been awarded the National Emulation Fighter Title; 

+ Having been awarded at least the Third-Class Labor Order or Fatherland Defense Order;

+ Having been awarded a Diploma of Merit of the Prime Minister of Vietnam and having achieved at least 2 Emulation Fighter Titles at the ministerial, departmental, and central or provincial level;

2. Vietnam's guidelines on organization of emulation movements from April 15, 2024 

On February 24, 2024, the Minister of Home Affairs of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 1/2024/TT-BNV guiding the Law on Emulation and Commendation 2022 and Decree No. 98/2023/ND-CP guiding the Law on Emulation and Commendation 2022, effective as of April 15, 2024. 

Specifically, regarding the organization of emulation movements, heads of organizing agencies, organizations, and units shall organize emulation movements within their scope of management as follows: 

- Organize emulation movements in association with assigned functions and tasks or development objectives, orientations, and strategies of organizing agencies, units, and organizations. Emulation movements shall have themes, memorable and understandable names, objectives, contents, plans, and methods that are specific, practical, and conformable to the participation conditions and capacity of individuals, collectives, and households. 

- Implement measures to disseminate and mobilize individuals, collectives, and households to respond to and participate in emulation movements. Regularly urge and monitor the implementation; focus on the directive, guidelines, and inspection of emulation movements with an implementation time of 3 years or more; discover new and advanced factors for dissemination, commendation, and expansion.  Conduct preliminary and final reviews of and award commendations to individuals, collectives, and households with outstanding achievements in emulation movements. Intensify the dissemination of initiatives, experiences, and good, creative, and effective ways of doing things for other individuals, organizations, and households to learn and follow. 

- Ensure that final reviews of emulation movements properly assess the results, effectiveness, effects, shortcomings, limitations, and reasons while drawing lessons from experience in organizing emulation movements. The assessment and recognition of emulation titles and commendation forms shall ensure the principles of accuracy, publicity, transparency, and fairness; promptly commend outstanding individuals, collectives, and households; encourage and commend individuals who are fishers, ethnic minorities, farmers, workers, disadvantaged persons, and disabled persons and other individuals with outstanding achievements in labor, production, learning, and work and officials and public employees who are energetic, creative, dare to think, dare to do, and dare to make breakthroughs for common interests.

3. Vietnam’s guidelines on formulation of state budget estimate for implementation of policies on payroll downsizing 

On February 23, 2024, the Minister of Finance of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 13/2024/TT-BTC on guidelines on the determination of the budget sources and formulation of estimates, management, use, and settlement of budget for the implementation of policies on payroll downsizing, effective as of April 15, 2024. 

According to the Circular, the formulation of the state budget estimate for the implementation of policies on payroll downsizing shall comply with the following guidelines: 

* For ministries and central authorities: 

Annually, based on the implementation of policies on payroll downsizing (including the number of workers subject to downsizing and allowances for each worker subject to downsizing formulated by heads of agencies, organizations, and units managing such workers, approved by competent authorities under Clause 3 Article 12 of Decree No. 29/2023/ND-CP) and plans for payroll downsizing in the following year shall according to Clause 2 Article 12 of Decree No. 29/2023/ND-CP, direct affiliated financial planning departments to formulate budget estimates for the implementation of policies on payroll downsizing for inclusion in the annual state budget estimate for submission to same-level financial agencies for presentation to competent authorities for the allocation and assignment of budget estimates for the implementation of policies on payroll downsizing in the annual estimate of ministries and central authorities.

* For local authorities: 

Annually, based on the implementation of policies on payroll downsizing (including the number of workers subject to downsizing and allowances for each worker subject to downsizing formulated by heads of agencies, organizations, and units managing such workers, approved by competent authorities under Clause 3 Article 12 of Decree No. 29/2023/ND-CP) and plans for payroll downsizing in the following year shall according to Clause 2 Article 12 of Decree No. 29/2023/ND-CP, develop budget estimates for the implementation of policies on payroll downsizing for inclusion in the need for salary reform implementation in the annual state budget estimate. 

4. Periodic work position transfer for officials who are not leaders or managers in health sector in Vietnam 

This is a content of Circular No. 01/2024/TT-BYT dated March 1, 2024 on the list of officials who are not leaders and managers in units of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam and the periodic work position transfer for such officials, under the management of the local health sector, effective as of April 15, 2024. 

Specifically, officials who are not leaders and managers in units of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam and under the management of the local health sector shall be transferred to another work position after holding their positions for 2 to 5 years, depending on the characteristics of each work position. 

The time for the work position transfer shall be calculated from the date of issuance of decisions or documents on the assignment of work positions. Decisions and documents on the assignment of work positions issued before the effective date of Circular No. 01/2024/TT-BYT shall be assessed to determine the time of holding the assigned positions. 

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