THE
STATE BANK
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SOCIALIST
REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM
Independence - Freedom - Happiness
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No:
05/2006/TT-NHNN
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Hanoi,
July 25, 2006
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CIRCULAR
GUIDING SOME
PROVISIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DECREE NO. 16/2001/ND-CP OF MAY 2, 2001, AND
DECREE NO. 65/2005/ND-CP OF MAY 19, 2005, ON FINANCIAL LEASING ACTIVITIES AND
FINANCIAL-LEASING ENTRUSTMENT SERVICES
Pursuant to Article 42 of the Government's
Decree No. 16/2001/ND-CP of May 2, 2001, on organization and operation of financial
leasing companies and Article 3 of the Government's Decree No. 65/2005/ND-CP of
May 19, 2005, amending and supplementing a number of articles of the
Government's Decree No. 16/2001/ND-CP of May 2, 2001, the State Bank of Vietnam
hereby guides a number of provisions of these Decrees on financial leasing
activities and financial-leasing entrustment services as follows:
I. FINANCIAL LEASING ACTIVITIES
1. Financial leasing companies shall provide
financial leasing to financial lessees being organizations and individuals
operating in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as lessees) that wish to hire
machines, equipment, means of transport and other movables for the execution of
investment projects on production, business or service provision or investment
projects in service of daily life in the country.
This Circular does not provide guidance on
financial leasing companies that conduct offshore financial leasing activities.
2. Financial leasing conditions
2.1. Financial leasing companies must be
established and conduct financial leasing activities under the Law on Credit
Institutions.
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a/ Having civil legal capacity and civil act
capacity according to the provisions of law:
- For lessees being Vietnamese organizations and
individuals: Organizations shall have civil legal capacity; individuals, owners
of private enterprises, representatives of households or cooperative groups
shall have civil legal capacity and civil act capacity.
- For lessees being foreign organizations and
individuals: Organizations shall have civil legal capacity according to the law
of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; individuals shall have civil legal
capacity and civil act capacity according to the law of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam, unless otherwise provided for by the law of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam. Bases for the application of laws to these organizations and
individuals shall comply with legal provisions on civil relations involving
foreign elements.
b/ Having investment projects on production,
business or service provision or investment projects in service of daily life
which are feasible, efficient and compliant with the provisions of law and
using hired assets for the execution of such projects.
c/ Having financial capability to pay rents
within the committed lease terms.
2.3. Financial-leasing transactions shall
satisfy the conditions specified in Clause 1, Article 1 of the Government's
Decree No. 65/2005/ND-CP of May 19, 2005, and relevant legal documents.
3. Currencies used in financial-leasing
transactions
Financial leasing companies shall conduct
financial-leasing transactions in Vietnam dong. Where financial-leasing
transactions are conducted in foreign currencies, financial leasing companies
and the lessees shall comply with the provisions of law on foreign exchange and
the guidance in this Circular.
4. Foreign-currency financial-leasing
transactions
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4.2. Apart from the conditions mentioned in
Clause 2 of this Circular, foreign-currency financial-leasing transactions
shall meet the following conditions:
a/ For financial leasing companies: Having
registered foreign-currency financial leasing activities with the State Bank of
Vietnam according to the provisions of law on foreign exchange.
b/ For the lessees:
- Using hired assets for production, business or
service provision;
- Having lawful foreign-currency revenue sources
or being allowed to purchase foreign currencies at credit organizations
licensed to deal in foreign exchange for payment of financial-leasing amounts.
5. Financial-leasing amounts and expenses
related to financial leasing activities
5.1. Financial-leasing amounts include:
a/ Principals determined on the basis of the
buying prices of leased assets and reasonable expenses related to the purchase
of such assets;
b/ Interests determined on the basis of the
debit balance of principal, interest rate and financial lease term.
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6. Financial-leasing interest rates
6.1. Financial-leasing interest rates shall be
agreed upon by financial leasing companies and lessees in financial-leasing
contracts.
6.2. The interest rate applicable to overdue
principals of financial-leasing amounts shall be agreed upon by financial
leasing companies and lessees in financial-leasing contracts, but shall not
exceed 150% of the financial-leasing interest rate to be applied during the
financial lease term as stated in the already signed or adjusted
financial-leasing contracts.
7. Financial lease terms and periods
7.1. Financial lease term means a period of time
counting from the time a lessee acknowledges financial-leasing debts until it
pays all these debts as agreed upon in the financial-leasing contract. The time
of acknowledging financial-leasing debts shall be agreed upon between financial
leasing companies and lessees.
Financial leasing companies and lessees shall
reach agreement on financial lease terms on the basis of production and
business circles, investment projects' capital retrieval periods and lessees'
rent payment capability. For Vietnamese and foreign organizations, the
financial lease term shall not exceed the remaining operation duration in
Vietnam according to their establishment decisions or operation licenses; for
foreign individuals, the financial lease term shall not exceed the permitted
duration of their work and stay in Vietnam.
7.2. Financial lease period means a period of
time within the financial lease term already agreed upon in a financial-leasing
contract by the end of which the lessee shall pay to the financial leasing
company part or the whole of the financial-leasing amount.
7.3. Financial leasing companies and lessees
shall agree upon the payment of principals and interests of financial-leasing
amounts as follows:
a/ Principal payment periods;
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8. Evaluation of, and decision on, financial
leasing
8.1. Financial leasing companies shall consider
and decide to provide financial leasing to lessees on the basis of assessing
the feasibility and efficiency of investment projects on production, business
or service provision or investment projects in service of daily life, financial
leasing conditions and lessees' debt payment capability.
8.2. Financial leasing companies shall have to
formulate a process for evaluation and approval of financial leasing on the
principle of clearly defining responsibilities for evaluation of, and decision
on, financial leasing and responsibilities of concerned individuals.
9. Financial leasing dossiers
9.1. The lessee's request for financial leasing,
clearly stating the appellations of hired assets, enclosed with documents
proving the lessee's eligibility for financial leasing.
9.2. Financial leasing companies shall specify
documents which the lessees shall have to submit in accordance with the
provisions of law on financial leasing activities and the companies' operation
characteristics.
9.3. Lessees shall be held responsible before
law for the accuracy and validity of documents sent to financial leasing
companies.
10. Financial-leasing contracts
10.1. Financial-leasing contract means agreement
on financial leasing made between the financial leasing company and the lessee
according to the provisions of law on financial leasing activities, the
guidance in the Circular and relevant provisions of law.
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Names and addresses of financial leasing company
and the lessee; leasing conditions; appellations, categories and quality of
leased assets; use purposes of such assets; principal and interest of
financial-leasing amount; and other expenses; time of debt acknowledgement and
financial lease terms; periods and deadlines for payment of financial-leasing
debts; rights and obligations of involved parties, measures to be applied in
case of termination of the financial-leasing contract ahead of schedule. Other
contents of financial-leasing contracts shall be agreed upon by financial
leasing companies and lessees.
11. Rescheduling of debt payment and conversion
of overdue debts
11.1. Financial leasing companies shall
reschedule the payment of financial-leasing debts by the lessees by either of
the following two modes:
a/ Debt payment rescheduling, which means that
financial leasing companies agree to alter the financial-leasing debt payment
time limit, which, however, must not go beyond the financial lease term already
agreed upon in the financial-leasing contracts.
b/ Debt prolongation, which means that financial
leasing companies agree to prolong the financial-leasing debt payment time
limit beyond the lease term already agreed upon in the financial-leasing
contracts.
11.2. Financial leasing companies shall reschedule
the payment of financial-leasing debts as follows:
a/ Financial leasing companies shall decide on
the rescheduling of financial-leasing debt payment at the request of the
lessees and on the basis of their financial capability and the results of
evaluation of the lessees' solvency in the following cases:
- For lessees that are incapable of paying
principals and/or interests of financial-leasing amounts within the lease term
already agreed upon in the financial-leasing contracts but that, as evaluated
by the financial leasing companies, will be capable to pay their debts in
subsequent periods, the financial leasing companies shall consider the
rescheduling of payment of principals and/or interests of financial-leasing
amounts.
- For lessees that are incapable of paying
principals and/or interests of financial-leasing amounts within in the lease
term already agreed upon in the financial-leasing contracts but that, as
evaluated by the financial leasing companies, will be capable to pay their
debts within a given period after the lease term, the financial leasing
companies shall consider the prolongation of the lease term as appropriate to
the lessees' solvency.
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11.3. Financial leasing companies shall convert
overdue debts of financial-leasing amounts for the lessees as follows:
For lessees that are incapable of paying
principals and/or interests of financial-leasing amounts within the lease term
already agreed upon in the financial-leasing contracts, are evaluated by the
financial leasing companies as having no capability to pay their debts within a
given period following the lease term, and therefore, are not allowed by the
financial leasing company to enjoy debt payment rescheduling, the debit balance
of principals of such financial-leasing contracts shall be considered overdue
debt.
12. Reduction of financial-leasing interests
12.1. Financial leasing companies may consider
and decide to reduce financial-leasing interests for the lessees on the
following principles:
a/ The lessees suffer from property losses,
which lead to their financial difficulties and incapability to pay
financial-leasing interests;
b/ The levels of reduction of financial-leasing
interests shall be compatible with the financial capability of financial
leasing companies;
c/ It is not permitted to reduce
financial-leasing interests for the lessees being subjects specified in Clause
1, Article 78 of the Law on Credit Institutions.
12.2. Financial leasing companies shall
promulgate Regulations on reduction of financial-leasing interests for the
lessees. Such Regulations shall be approved by the companies' managing boards
on the principles stated at Point 12.1 of this Clause or by the managing boards
of credit institutions, for financial leasing companies under credit institutions.
The reduction of financial-leasing interests shall be given only after a
regulation on reduction of financial-leasing interests is issued.
13. Inspection and supervision of financial
leasing activities
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13.2. Financial leasing companies shall
formulate a process on, and inspect and supervise the lessees in hiring assets,
using hired assets and paying debts in accordance with their operation
characteristics.
14. Financial leasing companies shall classify,
set aside and use provision funds to handle credit risks for financial-leasing
amounts in accordance with the Vietnam State Bank's regulations on
classification of debts, deduction and use of contingency funds for handling
credit risks arising in banking activities of credit institutions.
15. Financial leasing companies shall make
statistical reports on financial leasing activities according to the Vietnam
State Bank's regulations on statistical reporting regimes applicable to credit
institutions.
II. FINANCIAL-LEASING ENTRUSTMENT SERVICES
16. Financial-leasing entrustment service means
the provision of financial leasing by financial leasing companies under the
entrustment of the entrusting party.
17. The entrusting party and the entrusted party
to financial leasing:
17.1. The financial leasing entrusting party
includes:
a/ Financial leasing companies;
b/ Vietnamese organizations and individuals;
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17.2. The entrusted party to financial leasing
includes financial leasing companies licensed to be established and conduct
financial leasing activities in Vietnam under the provisions of the Law on
Credit Institutions.
18. Modes of financial-leasing entrustment
The entrusted party may provide
financial-leasing entrustment services in one of the following forms:
18.1. Accepting the entrusting party's entrusted
assets for financial leasing to the lessees.
18.2. Accepting the entrusting party's entrusted
money for purchase of machines, equipment and other movables for financial
leasing to the lessees.
18.3. Other entrustment services related to
financial leasing activities: The entrusted party shall perform one or several
financial leasing operations as agreed with the entrusting party.
19. Principles for entrustment and entrustment
undertaking
19.1. The entrustment and undertaking of
entrustment of financial leasing shall comply with agreements in the
financial-leasing entrustment contracts between the entrusting party and the
entrusted party.
19.2. Leasing conditions, rents, leasing
interest rates, rescheduling of rent arrears, handling of risks and other
operations related to financial leasing activities shall be agreed upon between
the entrusting party and the entrusted party in accordance with the guidance in
this Circular and relevant provisions of law.
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20. Entrustment charges and benefits from
entrustment contracts
The entrusted party shall enjoy entrustment
charges and other benefits from entrustment contracts as agreed upon with the
entrusting party.
21. Entrustment contracts
Financial leasing entrustment contracts shall
have the following principal contents: Names and addresses of the entrusting
party and the entrusted party, assets entrusted for financial leasing,
financial-leasing amounts and term applicable to the lessee, rights and
obligations of the entrusting party and the entrusted party. Other contents of
financial leasing entrustment contracts shall be agreed upon between the
entrusting party and the entrusted party in accordance with the provisions of
law.
22. Handling of risks in entrustment and
entrustment undertaking
22.1. The entrusted party shall have to handle
risks arising from violations of the provisions of law on financial leasing
activities and agreements with the entrusting party stated in the entrustment
contract. Risks arising for other reasons shall be handled by the entrusting
party.
22.2. The entrusting party and the entrusted
party shall handle risks according to the current provisions of law.
23. Rights and obligations of the entrusted
party
23.1. The entrusted party shall have the
following rights:
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b/ To initiate lawsuit against the entrusting
party's breach of the financial-leasing entrustment contract according to the
provisions of law.
23.2. The entrusted party shall have the
following obligations:
a/ To supply the entrusting party with all
truthful information on the lessees and leased assets, the lessees' financial
capability and debt payment capability, and other information and documents
related to the financial-leasing entrustment service; and to bear
responsibility for the accuracy of supplied information and documents.
b/ To use the leased assets in strict compliance
with agreements stated in the entrustment contract and relevant provisions of
law.
c/ To pay in full and on schedule
financial-leasing principals and interests to the entrusting party according to
agreements stated in the entrustment contract.
24. Rights and obligations of the entrusting
party:
24.1. The entrusting party shall have the
following rights:
a/ To request the entrusted party to supply
information related to the lessees and leased assets, the lessees' financial
capability and debt payment capability; and other information and documents
related to the financial-leasing entrustment service.
b/ To reject the entrusted party's requests
which are incompliant with the provisions of law or contrary to agreements
stated in the financial-leasing entrustment contract.
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d/ To initiate a lawsuit against the entrusted
party's breach of the financial-leasing entrustment contract according to the
provisions of law.
24.2. The entrusting party shall have the
following obligations:
a/ To comply with agreements stated in the
financial-leasing entrustment contract.
b/ To transfer leased assets or money for the
purchase of leased assets within the time limit agreed upon in the entrustment
contract.
c/ To pay entrustment charges in full and within
the time limit agreed upon with the entrusted party.
d/ To coordinate with the entrusted party in
classifying debts, setting aside and using provisions for handling risks
concerning financial-leasing amounts under the entrustment contract.
III. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION
25. This Circular shall take effect 15 days
after its publication in "CONG BAO." The following documents shall
cease to be effective: Circular No. 03/2005/TT-NHNN of May 25, 2005, guiding
financial leasing companies to reschedule debt payment and convert overdue
debts for financial leasing activities; Official Letter No. 1358/NHNN-CSTT of
November 25, 2004, on reduction of financial-leasing interests; and Official
Letter No. 18/NHNN-CSTT of January 7, 2003, guiding financial-leasing
transactions effected in foreign currencies.
26. On the basis of this Circular and relevant
legal documents, financial leasing companies shall promulgate professional guidance
in accordance with their conditions, characteristics and charters.
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