New Points of 17 Circulars Effective from January 01, 2018 (Part 1)

1. Import Tariff Quota for Raw Tobacco in 2018 Set at 58,604 Tons

On November 29, 2017, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular 25/2017/TT-BCT regulating the import of raw tobacco under the tariff quota for the year 2018. Specifically:

- The amount of raw tobacco (HS Code 2401) imported under the tariff quota in 2018 is 53,604 tons;- The allocation of the import tariff quota for raw tobacco shall be implemented according to the provisions of Circular 04/2014/TT-BCT guiding the implementation of certain articles of Decree 187/2013/ND-CP;- The subjects eligible for the allocation of the import tariff quota for raw tobacco are traders who have a license to produce tobacco granted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and have a demand to use a certain percentage of imported raw tobacco for cigarette production, as confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

2. Changes in the Formula for Calculating Days of Inpatient Treatment at Medical Examination and Treatment Facilities

This notable content is specified in Circular 44/2017/TT-BYT amending Circular 02/2017/TT-BYT regulating the maximum service price bracket for medical examination and treatment services not covered by the health insurance fund and guiding the application of prices and payment of medical examination and treatment costs in certain cases.

The days of inpatient treatment are calculated based on the corresponding formula for each of the following cases:

- Admitted after 12:00 noon on the date of admission and discharged before 12:00 noon on the date of discharge: total days of treatment = (discharge date - admission date);- Admitted before 12:00 noon on the date of admission and discharged before 12:00 noon on the date of discharge or admitted after 12:00 noon on the date of admission and discharged after 12:00 noon on the date of discharge: total days of treatment = (discharge date - admission date) + 0.2;- Admitted before 12:00 noon on the date of admission and discharged after 12:00 noon on the date of discharge: total days of treatment = (discharge date - admission date) + 0.4.

In the case where the patient is admitted the previous day and discharged the next day, the treatment time at the medical examination and treatment facility from 4 hours to under 24 hours is counted as one day of treatment.

3. Mandatory Installation of Centralized Mailboxes in Apartment Buildings and Office Buildings

When constructing new apartment buildings and office buildings, the investor must ensure the arrangement and installation of centralized mailboxes for convenient delivery and receipt of mails, newspapers, and magazines within the apartment buildings and office buildings.

For apartment buildings and office buildings that have already been put into use, the responsibility for arranging and installing centralized mailboxes belongs to the management board or the unit managing and operating the apartment buildings and office buildings.

These contents are based on the provisions of Circular 30/2017/TT-BTTTT regulating the installation of public mailboxes in urban areas and centralized residential areas and centralized mailboxes in apartment buildings and office buildings.

4. Cars with Seating Capacity of Over 7 to 9 Seats Must Have Energy Labels Before Being Released to the Market

This important content is mentioned in Circular 40/2017/TT-BGTVT guiding the labeling of energy for cars with seating capacity of over 7 seats to 9 seats.

Starting from January 1, 2018, cars with seating capacity of over 7 to 9 seats are required to have energy labels before being released to the market, with the labeling process specifically guided as follows:

- General regulations on energy labeling are implemented according to Clauses 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Article 4 of Joint Circular 43/2014/TTLT-BGTVT-BCT;- Production and assembly facilities, as well as importers that have been granted certificates of technical safety and environmental protection, are allowed to self-declare fuel consumption levels and label energy labels. The self-declaration and labeling process shall follow the provisions of Clause 2 of Article 5 of Joint Circular 43/2014/TT-BGTVT-BCT;- Self-declaration of fuel consumption levels and energy labeling shall be conducted until December 31, 2018.

(TO BE CONTINUED...)

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