Decrees and Prime Minister’s Decisions taking effect in late May

1. New regulation on salary for state officials and state employees

Pursuant to the Decision No. 15/2016/QD-TTg , the following individuals shall earn salary 1.8 times the pay defined by the Government for state officials and state employees according to the tenure quota or positions approved by competent authorities:

- State officials, state employees and workers who work for units under Vietnam Social Insurance.

- Contract workers in social insurance agencies under Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Public Security (only applicable to social insurance agencies that conduct budget estimation independently, possess private seal and account, and organize their own accounting system according to accounting regulations).

- Workers enforcing unemployment policies in local employment centers and unemployment insurance agencies under Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social affairs.

This Decision shall take effect as of 25 May 2016 and apply to budget years from 2016 to 2018.

2. Requirements for investment projects concerning building materials

Pursuant to the Decree No. 24a/2016/ND-CP (in effect as of 26 May 2016), investment projects that produce building materials must meet these requirements:

- Investment projects that produce building materials must adhere to plans for development of building materials, which have been ratified by competent authorities, and abide by legal regulations on construction investment.

- Investment projects that produce essential building materials must use advanced technology and equipment in conformity to standards on consumption of materials, fuels and energy and to requirements for environment protection according to plans for development of building materials, which have been ratified by competent authorities.

- For investment projects producing essential building materials, applicants for such projects must consult the Ministry of Construction before submitting investment plans to competent authorities.

3. Construction or expansion of cemeteries and cremation facilities

Decree No. 23/2016/ND-CP , in effect as of 27 May 2016, regulates the construction or expansion of cemeteries and cremation facilities as follows:

-  Cemeteries and cremation facilities must be constructed or expanded according to construction schemes and provincial cemetery plans approved by competent authorities.

-  Technical infrastructures in a cemetery or cremation facility must harmonize with each other.

-  Graves, tombstones, columbarium and other buildings in a cemetery or cremation facility must adhere to legal regulations on constructions.

-  Size and shape of graves and tombstones, distance between graves, rows and clusters, and size of cells for urns must abide by specific building plans of the cemetery or cremation facility, which have been approved by competent authorities.

4. Main functions of VNPT

Main functions of Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) include:

- Direct operation of business activities in designated sectors and financial investments as per the laws.

- Investment into local and overseas subsidiaries and associated enterprises, control of subsidiaries through holdings, professional processes, technologies, brand names, market occurrences or other instruments as per the laws and the Charter.

- Implementation of VNPT’s rights and duties as an owner of shares in subsidiaries and associated enterprises and implementation of VNPT's rights and duties from cooperation agreements with enterprises that voluntarily engage in cooperation.

Such details are prescribed in the Decree No.25/2016/ND-CP that takes effect as of 21 May 2016.