1. Increase of the fee for forest environment service
Pursuant to the Decree No. 147/2016/ND-CP (in effect as of January 01, 2017) on amendment to the Decree No. 99/2010/ND-CP the forest environment service fee is adjusted as follows:
- The current fee of VND 40/m3 is increased to VND 52/m3 of commercial water for the producers and distributors of clean water.
- The current fee of VND 20/kWh is increased to VND 36/kWh of commercial electricity for the manufacturers of hydroelectricity.
2. More products and services subjected to price declaration
Pursuant to the Decree No. 149/2016/ND-CP , which amends the Decree No. 177/2013/ND-CP as of January 01, 2017, the following products and services shall be newly subjected to price declaration:
- Un-denatured ethanol fuel; liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG).
- Railway traffic management service.
- Aviation services which the government's price range does not govern.
- Domestic passenger air transport services which the government's price range does not govern.
Decree No. 149/2016/ND-CP , in addition, amends the following authority to manage prices.
- Ministry of Industry and Trade, instead of Ministry of Finance, shall be given authority to collect and scrutinize the applications for pricing of milk products for children under 06 years of age.
- People’s Council, instead of the People’s Committee, of a province shall price the health care services of local state-run medical institutions and local public kindergarten and general education services (tuition).
3. Increase of regional minimum wage
As of January 01, 2017, the regional minimum wages amended by the Decree No. 153/2016/ND-CP shall be higher than those defined in the Decree No. 122/2015/ND-CP as follows:
- Region I: The monthly wage is increased from VND 3,500,000 to VND 3,750,000;
- Region II: The monthly wage is increased from VND 3,100,000 to VND 3,320,000;
- Region III: The monthly wage is increased from VND 2,700,000 to VND 2,900,000;
- Region IV: The monthly wage is increased from VND 2,400,000 to VND 2,580,000;
Moreover, the Decree No. 153/2016/ND-CP changes the regional minimum wage in certain administrative divisions from region II to region I, region III to region II, region IV to region III, from region III to region IV.
4. Exemption of environment protection fee against wastewater in 2 additional circumstances
As of January 01, 2017, the Decree No, 154/2016/ND-CP defines 08 circumstances under which the environment protection fee against wastewater is waived. Therefore, the following two circumstances have been newly added to those defined in the Decree No. 25/2013/ND-CP:
- Wastewater from fishermen’s fishing vessels;
- Centralized wastewater collected and treated by a drainage system operator pursuant to the standards and technical regulations on discharge of waste into the environment.
Natural rain overflowing in a chemical factory is not eligible for exemption of the environment protection fee against wastewater.
Decree No. 154/2016/ND-CP also defines the constant coefficient of VND 1,500,000/year (currently not exceeding VND 2,500,000/year) for the calculation of the environment protection fee against industrial wastewater.
5. Permissible digital certificates for digital signature
Decree No. 156/2016/ND-CP , which amends the Decree No. 27/2007/ND-CP defines the following permissible digital certificates for the affixture of digital signature in financial activities between an organization or individual and a financial entity:
- Digital certificate issued by a public digital signature certifying organization.
- Digital certificate issued by a digital signature certifying organization specialized in the political system.
- Foreign digital certificates recognized.
- Foreign digital certificates accepted in Vietnam.
- Foreign digital certificates accepted for international transactions.
Decree No, 156/2016/ND-CP shall come into force as of January 10, 2017.
(To be continued)
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