Decision No. 145/QD-TTg dated January 20, 2016, on approval of the international integration strategy with regard to labor and society towards 2020, with a vision towards 2030

DECISION

ON APPROVAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION STRATEGY WITH REGARD TO LABOR AND SOCIETY TOWARDS 2020, WITH A VISION TOWARDS 2030

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization dated June 19, 2015;

Pursuant to the Decree No. 22-NQ/TW dated April 10, 2013 by the Politburo on international integration;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 31/NQ-CP dated May 13, 2014 on promulgating the Action campaign of the Government to implement the Resolution No. 22-NQ/TW dated April 10, 2013 by the Politburo under the Central Committee of Vietnam Communist Party on international integration;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 142/QD-TTg dated January 31, 2009 on promulgating the Regulation on working and coordinating for the agencies participating in ASEAN cooperation in Vietnam;

At the request of the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social affairs,

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1.The international strategy with regard to labor and society towards 2020, with a vision towards 2030, is approved. Its primary content includes:

I. DIRECTIVES

1. International integration with regard to labor and society is one of the focal missions in the Resolution No. 22-NQ/TW dated April 10, 2013 by the Politburo with the aim of implementing the national general strategy of international integration towards 2020, with a vision towards 2030, by utilizing the most of in-house capacities, potential human resources and commensurate advantages of Vietnam.

2. Implement the international integration process in labor and society in active manner, maintain independence and sovereignty, defend interests of the country, implement international undertakings responsibly and take effective advantage of international cooperation, resources and privileges with the aim of developing the sector of labor and society.

3. Implement the international integration process extensively, synchronously and gradually in every focal aspect of labor and society, in line with the economic and social growth of the country. The international integration in labor and society shall harmonize with the international economic integration, in combination with objectives, missions and solutions for the development of labor and society.

4. Expedite multilateral cooperation with regard to labor and society. Implement the international integration process in labor and society on the basis of ASEAN integration in culture and society. Esteem and expand bilateral cooperation; collaborate with non-government organizations.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

Implement the international integration process in labor and society in order to utilize the in-house capacities and commensurate advantages of Vietnam, take most advantage of the international ambiance and resources to contribute to the development of labor and society towards 2020, with a vision towards 2030; strive to develop labor and society on par with the ASEAN-6 by 2020 and with the ASEAN-4 by 2025.

2. Specific objectives

a) Ameliorate regulations on labor and society by regional and international standards, which include those of the International Labor Organization (ILO). Ratify the remaining fundamental treaties and other conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO). Internalize all international undertakings in labor and society into domestic legislation by 2030.

b) Develop demand-based human resources of high caliber for regional and global workforce markets; augment the opportunities of high-quality employment for laborers. Increase the quantity of trained occupations whose degrees and certificates are accredited by foreign countries.

c) Develop the national social security system towards efficiency, and protect disadvantaged groups in conformity to regional and international standards. Achieve the minimum standard of earning, education, health care, housing, clean water and information access for citizens by 2020; meet international criteria of social security floors; assess and implement poverty eradication policies through various directions; eradicate extreme poverty by 2030; expedite gender equality and social justice.

d) Utilize most of the resources from multilateral and bilateral cooperation and from collaboration with foreign individuals and non-government organizations in order to formulate and implement campaigns for development of labor and society in effective manner.

III. MISSIONS

1. Augment regulations with regard to labor and society

a) Research, sign and enter international treaties, standards and agreements with regard to labor and society in accordance with the economic and social growth of the country.

b) Internalize international treaties, standards and agreements in labor and society, to which Vietnam is a signatory, into domestic legislation.

c) Employ approaches and assessment criteria regarding labor and society in conformity to international and regional practices.

- Reform administrative procedures and heighten the effect of state management of labor and society;

- Formulate and implement regulations and policies on labor and society actively and effectively amid the process of integration on the principle of equitable and mutually beneficial cooperation as to protect the interests of the country, welfares of workers and, in particular, disadvantaged groups, and benefits of enterprises.

d) Forecast and handle issues of labor and society, which ensue during the advancement and implementation of international undertakings, in active manner.

dd) Incorporate gender quality in the formulation and augmentation of regulations on labor and society as to meet the demands of international integration.

2. International integration with regard to labor and employment

a) Continue expediting sustainable employment programs.

b) Develop the workforce market and make forecasts; expedite the transformation of labor structures, move workers locally and globally, particularly export skilled workers; improve employment policies; manage the flow of international workers, of judicial persons and employment organizations; establish and implement public employment programs by regional and international norms.

c) Improve policies and legislations on salary; expedite greater work performance and competitiveness of Vietnamese workers.

d) Develop harmonious, stable and progressive labor relations; elaborate the legislation of labor relations in conformity to regional and international standards of labor.

dd) Promote occupational safety and hygiene in workplaces in accordance with technical standards and regulations, and promote services of occupational safety and hygiene.

e) Enhance abilities of labor inspectors to meet requirements for efficient labor management amid international integration.

3. Integration with regard to vocational education

a) Standardize occupational skills, teachers and their training, academic programs and textbooks and quality accreditation in accordance with regional and international standards.

b) Actualize commitments and contribute to the establishment, amendment and enhancement of the standards of ASEAN and the world on vocational education; prioritize improving the national qualifications framework; take part in formulating the ASEAN qualifications reference framework.

c) Strengthen associations in education, transfer curricula, carry out pilot trainings for focal occupations at ASEAN and international levels; participate in networks of vocational training research and knowledge transference with countries in the region and across the world.

d) Establish and develop the vocational quality assurance system, which training institutions shall adopt, in conformity to regional and international standards.

dd) Negotiate and enter agreements on mutual accreditation of vocational diplomas and certificates with countries in the region and across the world.

4. International integration with regard to social security

a) Apply regional and international criteria gradually to strive and to measure the provision of social security; given initial priority to the determination of poverty criteria, programs and coverage of social insurance programs, social aids and social services.

b) Establish and elaborate policies on social insurance (mandatory and voluntary social insurance, additional retirement insurance), unemployment insurance; provide social aids to the elderly; conduct studies to enter and implement the social insurance cooperation programs with other countries; conduct studies to enhance the legislation of social security.

c) Eradicate poverty sustainably by the approach of multi-directional pauperism assessment; lessen the distance of progression between urban and rural areas, between regions and between ethnic groups; maintain social justice.

d) Formulate and implement policies, in active manner, on social supports to groups of individuals affected by international integration, particularly to severely handicapped people, children, solitary and destitute elders, ethnic minorities, trafficking victims; develop jobs for social works; prevent and combat social evils; respond to impacts of climate change and sea level rise against citizens’ employment and income.

dd) Uphold social justice in social security policies; promote gender equality, prioritize lessening the gender distance, predetermined bias and gender inequality in society, in employment, in family relationship in rural areas, financially challenged areas, mountainous areas and ethnic minorities’ areas.

e) Strengthen the protection and care of children in special circumstances; prevent children from being molested, mistreated and trafficked and provide supports thereof, prevent and reduce child labor; develop and support children to access convenient, equitable and effective services for children protection.

g) Develop the community-based social service system.

5. ASEAN integration with regard to labor and society

Formulate plans to implement objectives of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community in effective manner by 2025; put initial focus on the development of human resources, particularly personnel of high caliber.

IV. SOLUTIONS

1. Policies

a) Continue elaborating regulations on labor and society in connection with the socialist-oriented market economy to meet requirements of integration and international practices; strengthen supervisory activities through tri-party mechanism, regional and international cooperation.

b) Review general and specific international undertakings regarding labor and society; formulate plans to implement and legislate international undertakings domestically in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and other United Nations' bodies; fulfill the 1998’s Declaration of the International Labor Organization (ILO) with regard to principles and fundamentals of workplace; research, ratify and adopt international labor standards as an active member of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

c) Research and formulate barrier mechanisms and supports to minimize adverse impacts upon Vietnam's implementation of international undertakings.

d) Supplement and elaborate the General strategy for development of labor and society in 2016 to 2020, with a vision towards 2030, in line with international integration; incorporate the activities of international integration into the formulation and implementation of strategies, plans and schemes for advancement in labor and society.

dd) Establish and conduct the National target program in sustainable poverty eradication and campaigns and plans, for 2016 to 2020, for the development of vocational education, employment, occupational safety, social support system and other programs in labor and society, through which needs and priorities regarding international cooperation shall be defined in accordance with sponsors' orientation towards priorities.

e) Plan negotiations and actualize new undertakings of international integration (involving two or several parties or non-government organizations) with regard to labor and society.

2. Propaganda

a) Propagandize and propagate, through the mass media, the policies of international integration in labor and society; establish the portal for international integration in labor and society.

b) Equip personnel of ministries, central and local authorities, and enterprises with knowledge in international integration in labor and society in order to heighten the awareness of needs, contents, opportunities and challenges regarding international integration and implementation of international undertakings, to attain unanimity and aggrandize responsibilities and to perform activities of international integration and cooperation unanimously.

3. Human resources training for international integration

a) Review and assess the existing personnel according to requirements for international integration; plan the development of human resources to meet requirements of international integration in labor and society.

b) Train and foster public personnel for sectors of labor and society, in general, and for international integration, in particular, to meet requirements of international integration in labor and society on the basis of the Project for improvement of knowledge and skills of public officials and employees involved in international integration as approved by the Prime Minister via the Decision No. 2007/QD-TTg dated November 16, 2015; devise human resources training programs and proceed to have Vietnamese specialists employed by international organizations for labor and society, starting within ASEAN, in conformity to the Scheme for engagement in new organizations and forums and for preparation of Vietnamese personnel for vital positions in international organizations.

4. Organization

a) Complete and maintain the specialized regime capable of steering, operating and coordinating activities of international integration in labor and society from the central state to local authorities.

b) Establish a mechanism that coordinates activities of international integration in labor and society for central bodies and between the central state and local authorities.

c) Reform administrative formalities and apply information technology in the management, operation and supervision of activities of international integration and cooperation in terms of labor and society.

d) Carry out science research, reviews of actual achievements, exchange and acquisition of experience with the world.

5. Finance

a) The state budget allocates annual expenditure to ministries, bodies, central and local authorities according to current regulations on state budget.

b) Mobilize resources from community and society to the max; call for funding from international organizations, local and foreign entities in active manner, and sustain the activities of international integration in labor and society.

c) Other legitimate sources

V. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY

1. Supervision and assessment

Make periodic supervision and assessment reports on the implementation of the Strategy according to the norms for supervision and assessment, statistics system and unified database on international integration in labor and society.

2. Progress of implementation

a) From 2016 to 2020

- Implement the Strategy for international integration in labor and society according to 5-year and annual priority missions.

- Evaluate the result of priority missions in 2016 to 2020 and at the end of 2020 and propose revisions for the progress towards 2030.

b) From 2021 to 2030

- Adopt the Strategy for international integration in labor and society synchronously in line with the general Strategy for international integration towards 2020, with a vision towards 2030.

- Key on in-depth international integration in labor and society and augment the quality of international integration.

3. Projects for implementation of the Strategy

Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social affairs shall lead and cooperate with relevant ministries and bodies to carry out the following missions:

a) General planning to adopt the Strategy for international integration in labor and society.

- In cooperation with: Ministry of Foreign affairs and relevant ministries and bodies.

- Time: 2016 - 2030.

b) Projects on formulating and adopting norms for supervision and assessment of international integration in labor and society.

- In cooperation with: Ministry of Foreign affairs and relevant ministries and bodies.

- Time: 2016 - 2020.

c) Projects on reviewing legal regulations on labor and society in comparison with international undertakings and standards of the United Nations, World Trade Organization, International Labor Organization (ILO), ASEAN and free trade agreements, and propositions for improvement.

- In cooperation with: Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and relevant ministries and bodies.

- Time: 2016 - 2020.

d) Projects on implementing and analyzing the potential participation in international treaties of the United Nations and International Labor Organization (ILO) with regard to labor and society from 2016 to 2020 and towards 2030.

- In cooperation with: Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign affairs, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and relevant ministries and bodies.

- Time: 2016 - 2030.

dd) Projects on cooperation with one or several parties and with non-government organizations with regard to international integration in labor and society from 2016 to 2020 and towards 2030.

- In cooperation with: Ministry of Foreign affairs and relevant ministries and bodies.

- Time: 2016 - 2030.

e) Projects on establishing the database on international integration in labor and society

- In cooperation with: Ministry of Planning and Investment (General Statistics Office) and relevant ministries and bodies.

- Time: 2016 - 2030.

g) Projects on training public officials and employees for international integration in labor and society from 2016 to 2020

- In cooperation with: Ministry of Foreign affairs and Ministry of Home affairs.

- Time: 2016 - 2020.

h) Projects on propagandizing policies on international integration in labor and society

- In cooperation with: Ministry of Foreign affairs, Ministry of Information and Communications.

- Time: 2016 - 2020.

4. Responsibilities of relevant ministries, bodies and agencies

a) Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social affairs shall lead and cooperate with relevant ministries and bodies, socio-political organizations, social organizations and provincial People’s Committees to implement the Strategy for international integration in labor and society towards 2020, with a vision towards 2030, on nation-wide scale. Moreover, it shall formulate general plans to adopt the Strategy from time to time, inspect, supervise and summarize annual operations and 5 years' activities to report to the Prime Minister. Finally, it shall carry out preliminary review by 2020 and full review by 2030.

b) Ministry of Foreign affairs, as per its missions and assignments, shall provide supports to cope with issues that ensue amid the international integration in labor and society. Moreover, it shall maintain the adherence to the policies and directions of Vietnam Communist Party and the Government’s legislative regulations on international integration.

c) National Steering Committee for international integration and Interdisciplinary Steering Committee for international integration in culture, society, science, technology, education and training, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government authorities and provincial People's Committees, as per their functions, missions and authority, shall cooperate closely with the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social affairs to actualize details of the Strategy.

d) Provincial People’s Committees shall lead and cooperate with the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social affairs to devise annual and 5-year plans for specific objectives and missions of international integration in labor and society under the management of local authorities on the basis of the Strategy for international integration in labor and society towards 2020, with a vision towards 2030, and of the general plans by the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social affairs for adoption of the Strategy from time to time. Moreover, they shall implement activities thereof and report to the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social affairs on annual basis for the latter's compilation and reporting of data to the Government, Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee for international integration.

Article 2.This Decision comes into force from the date that it is signed.

Article 3.Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government agencies, Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees shall be responsible for implementing this Decision./.