Highlight of the Most Notable Documents of the Past Week

1. Announcement of Public Holidays and Tet in 2019

On July 11, 2018, the Office of the Government of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch 6519/VPCP-KGVX stipulating public holidays and Tet in 2019 for officials and public employees and workers in state agencies. To be specific:

- Gregorian New Year: Off from Monday, December 31, 2018, to the end of Tuesday, January 1, 2019; compensatory work on Saturday, January 5, 2019;- Lunar New Year: Off from Monday, February 4, 2019, to the end of Friday, February 8, 2019 (from the 30th of the 12th lunar month to the 4th of the 1st lunar month);- April 30 and May 1 Holiday: Off from Monday, April 29, 2019, to the end of Wednesday, May 1, 2019; compensatory work on Saturday, May 4, 2019.

For agencies and units that do not have fixed Saturdays and Sundays off each week, the specific schedule and plan should be based on the unit’s program to arrange an appropriate holiday schedule.

1. Increase in Allowances for People with Contributions to the Revolution from July 1, 2018

The Government of Vietnam issued Decree 99/2018/ND-CP regulating the increase in allowances and preferential subsidies for people with contributions to the revolution, replacing Decree 70/2017/ND-CP.

From July 1, 2018, the standard level of 1,515,000 VND (previously 1,417,000 VND) will be applied to determine the allowances and preferential subsidies for people with contributions to the revolution. Therefore, the monthly subsidy levels have been adjusted as follows:

- Survivors' benefits for relatives of revolutionary activists who passed away before 1945: From 1,417,000 VND to 1,515,000 VND;- Revolutionary activists from 1945 to the August 1945 uprising: From 1,465,000 VND to 1,566,000 VND;- Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Labor Hero during the resistance period: From 1,188,000 VND to 1,270,000 VND;- Revolutionary activists suffering from chemical poisoning with a work capacity reduction of 81% or more: From 3,231,000 VND to 3,455,000 VND.

Details can be found in Decree 99/2018/ND-CP which takes effect from August 27, 2018.

1. Issuance of Professional Handbooks on Customs Procedures

Recently, the General Department of Customs signed Decision 1920/QD-TCHQ and Decision 1925/QD-TCHQ issuing professional handbooks related to customs procedures, including:

Professional Handbook for Implementing Import and Export Goods Clearance Procedures (at the Customs Branch level), including 02 skills:

- Skills in checking, consulting, and determining taxable value for exported and imported goods.- Skills in classifying goods and applying tax rates for exported and imported goods.

Professional Handbook on Tax Administration (at the Customs Branch level) regarding skills in implementing tax policy operations related to exported and imported goods.

Detailed contents can be viewed in Decision 1920/QD-TCHQ effective from July 13, 2018, and Decision 1925/QD-TCHQ effective from July 14, 2018.

In addition, Thu Ky Luat updated 07 Laws that were passed by the 14th National Assembly, 5th session:

1. Cybersecurity Law 2018 effective from January 1, 2019;
2. Law amending 11 Laws related to planning effective from January 1, 2019;
3. Law on Denunciation 2018 effective from January 1, 2019;
4. Defense Law 2018 effective from January 1, 2019;
5. Competition Law 2018 effective from July 1, 2019;
6. Law on Surveying and Mapping 2018 effective from January 1, 2019;
7. Amended Law on Physical Training and Sports 2018 effective from January 1, 2019.

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