THE GOVERNMENT
|
SOCIALIST
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Independence
- Freedom - Happiness
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No. 121/2007/ND-CP
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Hanoi, July 25, 2007
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DECREE
PROVIDING FOR OFFSHORE DIRECT INVESTMENT IN PETROLEUM
ACTIVITIES
THE GOVERNMENT
DECREES:
Chapter I
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
Article 1. Governing scope
1. This Decree provides for offshore direct
investment in petroleum activities by investors based in Vietnam.
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3. Vietnam-based investors making offshore
direct investment in petroleum activities shall adhere to this Decree, the
regulations on offshore investment and relevant provisions of law. If the
provisions of this Decree are different from those of relevant decrees, the
provisions of this Decree apply.
Article 2. Subjects of application
This Decree applies to Vietnam-based investors
(below referred to as investors), including:
1. Limited liability companies, joint-stock
companies, partnerships or private enterprises which have been granted business
registration certificates under the enterprise Law.
2. Enterprises set up under the State Enterprise
Law which have not been re-registered under the Enterprise Law.
3. Foreign invested enterprises set up under the
Foreign Investment Law which have not been re-registered under the Enterprise
Law and the Investment Law.
4. Enterprises of political organizations or
socio-political organizations which have not been re-registered under the
Enterprise Law.
5. Cooperatives and unions of cooperatives set
up under the Law on Cooperatives.
6. Vietnamese business households and
individuals.
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In this Decree, the terms below are construed as
follows:
1. Petroleum activities means activities of
formulating and executing petroleum projects on oil and gas prospecting and
exploration, field development or exploitation, including the piping and
processing of crude oil and other directly related activities.
2. Petroleum contract means a written agreement
signed between the representative of an owner of petroleum resources and an
investor or other partners, under which the investor then enjoy the benefits of
participation in the petroleum contract.
3. Petroleum assets means values or products
created in the course of investment in a petroleum project.
4. Total investment in a petroleum project means
all expenses for the formulation and execution of a project which is classified
and formulated according to Article 4 of this Decree.
Article 4. Formulation and classification
of petroleum projects
1. A petroleum project is formulated by one of
the following modes:
a) Signing a petroleum contract;
b) Transferring the benefits of participation in
a petroleum contract;
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2. Petroleum projects include:
a) Oil and gas prospecting, exploration,
development and exploitation projects which are executed from the prospecting
and exploitation stage;
b) Oil and gas development and exploitation
projects which are executed from the development and exploitation stage.
Article 5. Application of investment
incentives
1. If newly promulgated laws or policies provide
for benefits or incentives higher than those investors are entitled to under
their investment certificates, investors may enjoy the benefits and incentives
according to new regulations from the date those regulations take effect.
2. If benefits and incentives stated in
his/her/its investment certificate or permit for offshore direct investment in
petroleum activities are higher than those he/she/it is entitled to under
current regulations, and investor may continue enjoying the benefits and
incentives stated in that investment certificate or permit.
Article 6. Formulation and execution of
petroleum projects
1. Activities of formulating a petroleum project
are carried out by an investor in a foreign country or in Vietnam, aimed to
directly or indirectly support the formulation of an offshore petroleum
project, including:
a) Researching into markets and investment
opportunities;
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c) Reviewing documents;
d) Col1ecting and purchasing documents and
information related to the selection of the petroleum project;
e) Conducting synthesization, assessment and
evaluation, including hiring consultants for the assessment and evaluation;
f) Participating in, organizing seminars and
symposiums;
g) Activities of the investor's overseas
representative offices, liaison offices, branches and executive offices, which
are related to the formulation of the petroleum project;
h) Participating in international bidding;
i) Negotiating petroleum contracts;
j) Other necessary activities.
2. Activities of executing a petroleum project
include organization of the execution of the project according to the approved
working program and budget, based on petroleum contracts or written agreements
on investment signed with partners or written agreements on transfer of the
benefits of participation in the contracts or transfer of part or the whole of
a company which has been granted an investment certificate.
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COMPETENCE
TO APPROVE INVESTMENT AND PROCEDURES FOR THE GRANT AND ADJUSTMENT OF INVESTMENT
CERTIFICATES
Article 7. Competence to approve
investment
1. The Prime Minister shal1 approve investment
in petroleum projects each funded with state budget capital of VND 1,000
bill1on or more or with other economic sectors' capital of VND 3,000 billion or
more
2. Petroleum projects other than those defined
in Clause 1 of this Article shal1 be decided by their owners' representatives
or by investors.
Article 8. Investment certificates
1. Approval of a petroleum project takes the
form of an investment certificate granted by the Ministry of Planning and
Investment.
2. An investment certificate is granted for a petroleum
project according to either of the following two processes:
a) Registration for the grant of an investment
certificate, for petroleum projects capitalized at under VND 15 billion each;
b) Verification for the grant of an investment
certificate, for petroleum projects capitalized at VND 15 billion or more each.
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A dossier of registration for the grant of an
investment certificate comprises:
1. A written registration for the grant of an
investment certificate, made according to the form promulgated by the Ministry
of Planning and Investment.
2. A notarized copy of the investment
certificate, for investors holding foreign investment capital; of the business
registration certificate or the enterprise establishment decision, for domestic
institutional investors; or of the people's identity card or passport, for
investors being individuals.
For an investor holding foreign investment
capital that has been granted an investment license before July 1, 2006, but
has not been re-registered or transformed according to the Investment Law, a
notarized copy of the investment license is required.
3. The offshore investment decision, issued by a
competent authority specified in Clause 2, Article 7 of this Decree.
4. The petroleum contract or written agreement
on investment signed with a partner or the written agreement on transfer and
receipt of contract participation benefits or of a part or the whole of a
company.
A dossier of registration for the grant of an
investment certificate is submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Investment
in 3 sets, including one original.
Article 10. Process of
registration and grant of investment certificates
1. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall
examine the validity of a dossier of registration for the grant of an
investment certificate according to Article 9 of this Decree.
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2. Within 15 working days after receiving a
valid dossier, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall grant the investor
an investment certificate.
If disapproving a dossier of registration for
the grant of an investment certificate, the Ministry of Planning and Investment
shall notify such in writing, stating the reasons for disapproval. The investor
may lodge a complaint about such disapproval in accordance with law.
3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall
send copies of an investment certificate to the Ministry of Industry, the
Ministry of Finance, the State Bank of Vietnam, the provincial-level People’s
Committee of the locality where the investor registers business (for
institutional investors) or permanent residence (for investors being Vietnamese
individuals).
Article 11. Dossiers
of verification for the grant of investment certificates
A dossier of verification for the grant of an
investment certificate comprises:
1 A written request for verification for the
grant of an investment certificate, made according to the form promulgated by
the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
2. A notarized copy of the investment
certificate, for investors holding foreign investment capital; of the business
registration certificate or the enterprise establishment decision, for domestic
institutional investors; or the people's identity card or passport, for
investors being individuals.
For an investor holding foreign investment
capital that has been granted an investment license before July 1, 2006, but
has not been re-registered or transformed according to the Investment Law, a
notarized copy of the investment license is required.
3. The report on the feasibility of the petroleum
project, stating its objectives, location, scale, investment capital sources,
execution schedule and economic efficiency.
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5. The offshore investment decision, issued by a
competent authority specified in Clause 2, Article 7 of this Decree.
6. The petroleum contract or written agreement
on investment with a partner or the written agreement on transfer and receipt
of the participation benefits or of a part or the whole of a company.
A dossier of verification for the grant of an
investment certificate is submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Investment
in 8 sets, including one original.
Article 12. Process of
verification for the grant of investment certificates
1. Contents of verification for the grant of an
investment certificate:
a) The investor's legal status;
b) The legality of investment capital;
c) The project's execution schedule (for
development and exploitation projects).
2. Within 3 working days after receiving a valid
dossier of verification for the grant of an investment certificate, the
Ministry of Planning and Investment shal1 send its copies to relevant
ministries and branches for comment.
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4. Within 25 working days after receiving a
complete and valid dossier, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall
verify the petroleum project and grant an investment certificate.
5. If disapproving a dossier of verification for
the grant of an investment certificate, the Ministry of Planning and Investment
shal1 notify such in writing, stating the reasons for disapproval. The investor
may lodge a complaint about such disapproval in accordance with law.
6. With regard to petroleum projects falling
within the approving competence of the Prime Minister, within 20 working days
after receiving a complete and valid dossier, the Ministry of Planning and
Investment shall submit to the Prime Minister a report on verification results
and opinions of ministries and branches, and suggestions on the grant of an
investment certificate.
Within 5 working days after getting the Prime
Minister's approval, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shal1 grant an
investment certificate.
7. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall
send copies of an investment certificate to the Ministry of Industry, the
Ministry of Finance, the State Bank of Vietnam, the provincial-level People's
Committee of the locality where the investor registers business (for
institutional investors) or permanent residence (for investors being Vietnamese
individuals).
Article 13. Shortening
of the time limit for verification for the grant of investment certificates
For an urgent petroleum project, the investor
shall send a written explanation together with the dossier stipulated in
Article 11 of this Decree to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and
relevant ministries and branches, requesting shortening of the verification
time limit. Within 5 working days after receiving a valid dossier, the Ministry
of Planning and Investment shall preside over meetings with relevant ministries
and branches in order to conduct verification and grant an investment
certificate without having to consult ministries and branches under the
provisions of Clauses 2 and 3, Article 12 of this Decree.
With regard to petroleum projects falling within
the approving competence of the Prime Minister according to Clause 1, Article 7
of this Decree, within 3 working days after completing the verification, the
Ministry of Planning and Investment shall submit to the Prime Minister a report
on verification results.
Within 2 working days after getting the Prime
Minister's approval, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall grant an investment
certificate.
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1. If wishing to adjust a petroleum project
which has been granted an investment certificate in terms of the form of
investment, execution term, or total investment amounts which, after being
adjusted, is 30% lower or higher than the amount stated in the investment
certificate, the investor shall carry out procedures for adjustment of the
investment certificate.
2. Adjustment of a petroleum project follows one
of the following processes:
a) Registration, grant of an adjusted investment
certificate;
b) Verification, grant of an adjusted investment
certificate.
Article 15. Conditions
and procedures for registration and grant of adjusted investment certificates
1. A petroleum project must be registered and
granted an adjusted investment certificate if it is adjusted in terms of the
form of investment, execution term, or total investment amount which, after
being adjusted, is 30% lower or higher than the amount stated in the investment
certificate but does not exceed VND 15 billion.
2. A dossier of registration for the grant of an
adjusted investment certificate comprises:
a) A written request for the grant of an
adjusted investment certificate, made according to the form promulgated by the
Ministry of Planning and Investment;
b) The decision on adjustment of the petroleum
project, issued by a competent authority specified in Clause 2, Article 7 of
this Decree;
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d) A notarized copy of the investment
certificate.
3. A dossier of registration for the grant of an
adjusted investment certificate is submitted to the Ministry of Planning and
Investment in 3 sets, including one original.
If it is necessary to clarify some contents
related to that dossier, within 3 working days after receiving it, the Ministry
of Planning and Investment shall send a written request to the investor for
explanation.
4. Within 15 working days after receiving a
valid dossier, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall grant the investor
an adjusted investment certificate.
If disapproving a dossier of verification for
the grant of an adjusted investment certificate, the Ministry of Planning and
Investment shall notify such in writing, stating the reasons for disapproval.
The investor may lodge a complaint about such disapproval in accordance with
law.
5. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall
send copies of an adjusted investment certificate to the Ministry of Industry,
the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank of Vietnam, the provincial-level
People’s Committee of the locality where the investor registers business (for
institutional investors) or permanent residence (for investors being Vietnamese
individuals).
Article 16. Conditions
for, and process of verification for the grant of adjusted investment
certificate
1. A petroleum project must be verified for the
grant of an adjusted investment certificate if after being adjusted its total
investment amount changes 30% compared with the amount stated in its investment
certificate and exceeds VND 15 billion.
2. A dossier of verification for the grant of an
adjusted investment certificate comprises:
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b) The decision on adjustment of the petroleum
project, issued by a competent agency specified in Clause 2, Article 7 of this
Decree;
c) The report on operation of the petroleum
project up to the time of request for adjustment;
d) A notarized copy of the investment
certificate;
e) The explanation about adjusted contents.
3. Process of verification for the grant of an
adjusted investment certificate:
a) The dossier of verification for the grant of
an adjusted investment certificate is submitted to the Ministry of Planning and
Investment in 6 sets, including one original;
b) Within 3 working days after receiving a
complete and valid dossier, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall send
it to concerned ministries and branches for comment;
c) Within 15 working days after receiving the
dossier, the concerned ministries and branches shall send their written comments
to the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Past this time limit, any agency
which gives no comments shall be considered having agreed with the investor's
request in the dossier;
d) If the petroleum project falls under the
deciding competence of the owner's representative or the investor, the Ministry
of Planning and Investment shall verify the dossier and grant an adjusted
investment certificate within 30 working days after receiving a complete and
valid dossier;
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Within 5 working days after getting the Prime
Minister's approval, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall grant an
adjusted investment certificate.
f) If disapproving the dossier of verification
for the grant of an adjusted investment certificate, the Ministry of Planning
and Investment shall notify such in writing, stating the reasons. The investor
may lodge a complaint about such disapproval in accordance with law.
4.The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall
send copies of an adjusted investment certificate to the Ministry of Industry,
the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank of Vietnam, the provincial-level
People's Committee of the locality where the investor registers business (for
institutional investors) or permanent residence (for investors being Vietnamese
individuals).
Chapter III
EXECUTION
OF PETROLEUM PROJECTS
Article 17. Notification
of execution of petroleum projects
1. Within 60 days after a petroleum project is
approved according to the law of the investment-receiving country, the investor
shall send a written notice on execution, enclosed with copies of the written
approval, of the petroleum project, or a legal document of equal validity to
the ministries of: Planning and Investment, Finance, Trade, Industry, and
Foreign Affairs; the State Bank of Vietnam, and the provincial-level People's
Committee of the locality where the investor registers business (for
institutional investors) or registers permanent residence (for investors being
Vietnamese individuals).
2. A notice on execution of a petroleum project
has the following contents:
a) The name and address of the head office of
the legal person setup in a foreign country (if any); the name and address of
the branch or representative office (if any);
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c) The investment capital of the enterprise
setup overseas, the investor's contributed capital amount;
d) The information on the investor's representative
and the enterprise's overseas representative, including their full names,
permanent addresses (in Vietnam and in the foreign country), positions and
numbers of the people's identity cards or passports.
3. In case of a change in the contents defined
in Clause 2 of this Article, within 30 days after making the change, the
investor shall notify such in writing to the Ministry of Planning and
Investment.
Article 18. Time limit
for execution of petroleum projects
1. If within 12 months after being granted an
investment certificate a petroleum project is not approved by the
investment-receiving country or within 6 months after being approved by the
investment-receiving country, it is not executed, the investor shall give
written explanations and the Ministry of Planning and Investment to extend the
project execution term or terminate the petroleum project.
2. Within 15 working days after receiving a
written request for extension of the execution term or termination of a
petroleum project, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall give written
approval or disapproval of that request and concurrently send its copies to the
ministries of: Planning and Investment, Finance, Trade, Industry, and Foreign
Affairs; the State Bank of Vietnam, and the provincial-level People's Committee
of the locality where the investor registers business (for institutional
investors) or registers permanent residence (for investors being Vietnamese
individuals).
3. The extension of the execution term of a
petroleum project shall conform to the petroleum contract or the written
agreement on investment with a partner or the written agreement on the transfer
and receipt of the participation benefits or a part or the whole of a company.
Article 19. Establishment
of new legal persons
To prepare investment or carry out activities of
formulating or executing a petroleum project, the investor may set up or join
in setting up a new enterprise in Vietnam, in the investment-receiving country
or in a third country in accordance with relevant laws.
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Annually, within 6 months from the end of a
fiscal year of investment-receiving countries, investors shall send reports on
their operation and financial statements certified by audit agencies or
competent agencies of the investment-receiving countries to the ministries of:
Planning and Investment, Industry, and Finance; the State Bank of Vietnam, and
the business registration agency.
Article 21. Termination
and liquidation of petroleum projects
The termination of operation of a petroleum
project complies with the related petroleum contract and the law of the
investment-receiving country.
Article 22. Transfer
of petroleum projects
If upon transfer of part or the whole of a
petroleum project, the investor stil1 has interests in that project, he/she/it
shall register for adjustment of the investment certificate under the
provisions of Articles 15 and 16 of this Decree. If the transfer of a petroleum
project generates profits, the investor shall perform tax liabilities in accordance
with the tax law.
Article 23. Irrecoverable
expenses
When a petroleum project is incapable of
recovering expenses, the investor may offset them with his/her/its production
and business fund for 5 years at most after completing the project.
Article 24. Use of
profits for offshore investment
1. After fulfilling his/her/its tax liabilities
under the laws of the investment-receiving country and Vietnam, an investor may
retain overseas profits gained from a petroleum project and use it for the
following purposes:
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b) Investment in other petroleum projects in the
investment-receiving country for which the investor has been granted an
investment certificate.
2. Investors using profits of petroleum projects
according to Clause 1 of this Article shall register with the State Bank of
Vietnam and annually report to the Ministry of Planning and Investment on the
use of after-tax profits for re-investment.
Article 25. Transfer
of profits to the home country
1. Within 6 months after obtaining a tax
finalization report or a legal document of equivalent validity according to the
law of the investment-receiving country, an investor shall transfer all profits
back to Vietnam, except for profits retained under the provisions of Clause 1,
Article 24 of this Decree.
2. If wishing to prolong the time limit
specified in Clause 1 of this Article, an investor shall give written
explanations to the State Bank of Vietnam for consideration and decision. The
extension may be effected twice at most for not more than 6 months each.
Article 26. Accounting
An investor may apply an accounting system to a
petroleum project in compliance with the related petroleum contract. Investors
shall report to the Ministry of Finance on accounting systems they apply.
Article 27. Trade
Investors may participate in bidding for
provision of services or procurement of equipment and facilities for petroleum
projects in accordance with petroleum contracts.
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1. When importing or exporting equipment,
machinery, supplies, raw materials or fuels for petroleum projects, investors
shall abide by Vietnamese law on import and export. If commercial contracts or
petroleum contracts ale unavailable, investment certificates may be used
instead in the import/export dossiers.
2. When importing crude oil exploited from
petroleum projects under their ownership investors shall abide by Vietnamese
law on import and export. Investors may import and re-export technical
materials, magnetic tapes and specimens used for research and analysis
purposes.
3. Investors may temporarily import for
re-export supplies, equipment, specimens and other equipment and materials for
research, processing, explanation or manufacture for petroleum projects.
Article 29. Taxes
1. When determining the enterprise income tax
amount payable in Vietnam for an offshore petroleum project, an investor may
deduct the enterprise income tax amount he/she/it has paid overseas or which
has been paid for him/her/it by the investment-receiving country (evidenced by
valid vouchers) but the deductible enterprise income tax amount must not exceed
the amount calculated at the tax rate specified in the Enterprise Income Tax
Law.
2. Individuals working for petroleum projects
shal1 pay income tax on high-income earners according to Vietnamese law. When
determining the income tax amount payable in Vietnam, an individual earning
high income may deduct the personal income tax amount he/she has paid overseas
or which has been paid for him/her by the investment-receiving country
(evidenced by valid vouchers), but the deductible tax amount must not exceed
the amount payable according to Vietnamese law on income tax on high-income earners.
3. Equipment, facilities, supplies, raw
materials and fuels liable to export tax and value added tax which investors
export to foreign countries for execution of investment projects are eligible
for export tax exemption and the value added tax rate of 0%.
4. Specimens, technical materials (magnetic
tapes, paper rolls and other materials) imported for research and analysis
purposes for execution of petroleum projects are eligible for import tax
exemption and not liable to value added tax.
5. If special-used equipment and supplies for
petroleum activities, which have not yet been produced in the country, are
temporarily imported for processing then re-exported for execution of petroleum
projects, they are exempt from import and export taxes and not liable to value
added tax.
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1. An investor may transfer investment capital
abroad for carrying out investment activities after meeting the fol1owing
conditions:
a) Having been granted an investment
certificate;
b) The petroleum project has been approved by a
competent state agency of the investment-receiving country according to the law
of that country.
2. The transfer of foreign currencies abroad
before the grant of an investment certificate for study and preparation of an
investment project complies with the law on foreign exchange management and
relevant provisions of law.
3. The transfer of investment capital abroad
complies with the law on management of foreign exchange, export, technology
transfer and relevant provisions of law.
Chapter IV
STATE
MANAGEMENT OF OFFSHORE INVESTMENT IN PETROLEUM ACTIVITIES
Article 31. Powers and
responsibilities of state management agencies
Ministries, ministerial-level agencies,
government-attached agencies, provincial/municipal People's Committees and
overseas Vietnamese diplomatic missions shall perform the state management of
offshore investment in petroleum activities according to the provisions of
Chapter IV of the Government's Decree No. 78/2006/ND-CP dated August 9, 2006, on
offshore direct investment.
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To coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and
Investment in formulating policies and plannings on offshore direct investment
in petroleum activities; comment on issues in its assigned state management
domains when requested by the Prime Minister or the Ministry of Planning and
Investment; supervise and inspect offshore direct investment in petroleum
activities from the time petroleum projects are granted investment certificates
till the expiration of those certificates.
Article 33. Handling
of violations
Organizations and individuals violating this
Decree shall be handled in accordance with law.
Chapter V
IMPLEMENTATION
PROVISIONS
Article 34. Implementation
effect
This Decree takes effect 15 days after its
publication in CONG BAO.
Article 35. Implementation
responsibility
1. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the
Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Finance shall guide the implementation
of this Decree
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ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT
PRIME MINISTER
Nguyen Tan Dung
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