The Implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW in 2025

REPORT

Summary of the Implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW

dated October 25, 2017 by the 12^th Party Central Committee

The Implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW in 2025

To:

– The Politburo;

– The Central Directing Committee for the summary of the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW.

In implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017, by the 12^th Party Central Committee, over the past 07 years, the Government has deployed various tasks and synchronous solutions aimed at innovating and organizing a streamlined, effective, and efficient political system as required by the Resolution.

In the context of significant international fluctuations, natural disasters, and unpredictable disease developments posing substantial pressures and demands on executive activities, with considerable efforts, high determination, and decisive actions in innovating and organizing the political system as required by Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the Government has gradually promoted its position, role, function, duties, and authority as the highest state administrative body, exercising executive power, building a government that serves the people, is democratic, rule-of-law, professional, modern, streamlined, facilitating, coherent, effective, and efficient.

To meet the state’s management requirements in the forthcoming period — the era of national rise, innovating the organization of the government apparatus in conjunction with restructuring and enhancing the quality of cadres, civil servants, and public employees is a particularly important task, requiring continued research and effective implementation with scientific, reasonable, and substantive steps.

Implementing Plan No. 04-KH/BCD dated November 13, 2024, of the Central Directing Committee for the summary of the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017, by the 12^th Party Central Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Central Directing Committee) and Document No. 05-CV/BCD dated November 13, 2024, of the Central Directing Committee, based on reports from ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies, the Government’s Party Committee summarizes and reports the results of the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW by the Government as follows:

1. ORGANIZATION OF STUDY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESOLUTION
2. Study, Mastery, and Propaganda

Implementing Guideline No. 51-HD/BTGTW dated November 13, 2017, by the Central Propaganda Department on the study, mastery, propaganda, and implementation of the Resolution of the 6th Central Conference of the 12^th Party Central Committee, the study, mastery, and propaganda of the Resolution have been seriously, timely, synchronously, creatively, and effectively carried out by the Government’s Party Committee, party committees, and organizations at ministries, sectors, and localities.

The Government and the Prime Minister have assigned the Ministry of Information and Communications to coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Central Propaganda Department, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and ministries, agencies, localities, media, and press agencies to effectively carry out information and propaganda work to bring the Resolution to life, diversifying organizational forms (direct and online conferences) from the central to grassroots levels; improving the quality of study and mastery, saving time and costs.

In reality, communication work in recent years has been highly valued by the Government and localities, identified as one of the key and regular tasks, with many innovations in both form and content, thereby achieving important results, creating a shift in awareness and actions of cadres, party members, civil servants, public employees, and workers regarding the continued innovation and organization of a streamlined, effective, and efficient political system; at the same time, contributing to consolidating people’s trust, creating social consensus;

being vigilant and proactively having solutions to prevent the sabotage activities of hostile forces and bad elements taking advantage of the organization of the political system and staff streamlining to distort, sabotage, and divide internally; promptly detecting places and issues that are urgent, sensitive, and complex to timely fight and refute distorted information and arguments that go against the Resolution’s policies.

2. Leadership, Direction, Inspection, and Preliminary Review of Implementation

Implementing Plan No. 07-KH/TW, the Government’s action program, party committees, leaders of agencies, and units have developed specific programs and plans, strengthened leadership, direction, inspection, and supervision of the adherence to regulations on organizing the streamlined political system and staff streamlining in accordance with Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW. In performing the assigned tasks, the Government’s Party Committee has submitted the 05-year preliminary review report of the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW (Report No. 1403-BC/BCSDCP dated December 5, 2022) to the Central Organization Committee for consolidation and reporting to the Politburo.

Implementing Plan No. 04-KH/BCD and Document No. 05-CV/BCD, to focus on organizing and streamlining the government apparatus, the Prime Minister has established the Directing Committee for the summary of the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW (hereinafter referred to as the Government Directing Committee).

Based on Conclusion No. 09-KL/BCD dated November 24, 2024, by the Central Directing Committee, on November 30, 2024, the Government Directing Committee held a meeting to organize and streamline the government apparatus according to the suggestions and orientations of the Central Directing Committee and issued Conclusion Notice No. 134/TB-BCDTKNQ18 to focus on unified direction in implementing the organization and streamlining of the government apparatus;

at the same time, issued Decision No. 138/QD-BCDTKNQ18 dated December 4, 2024, on the Organizational and Operational Regulations of the Directing Committee, and Decision No. 139/QD-BCDTKNQ18 dated December 4, 2024, on the Plan for summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and the 20-year summary project of the government apparatus model, in which specific assignments have been made to members of the Directing Committee to direct tasks within the responsibility of the Government’s Party Committee.

To ensure consensus and high unity in organizing and streamlining the government apparatus, on December 4, 2024, the Government held a conference to disseminate the directives of the Central Directing Committee on summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW. Based on the suggested content, orientations for organizing and streamlining the government apparatus as required by the Central Directing Committee and the contents disseminated at the meeting,

the Government’s Directing Committee issued Plan No. 141/KH-BCDTKNQ18 dated December 6, 2024, on orientations for organizing and streamlining the government apparatus. This plan assigned responsibilities to relevant ministries, sectors, and agencies to implement key tasks, ensuring compliance with the plan, schedule, and meeting the requirements of both the Central Directing Committee and the Government’s Directing Committee. The Government’s Directing Committee also held 06 sessions to discuss and provide opinions on the matters within its authority.

According to Plan No. 141/KH-BCDTKNQ18, following the assignment of the Prime Minister, Head of the Directing Committee, Deputy Prime Ministers have presided over and directly commanded ministries and sectors to perform the tasks of merging, consolidating, and receiving functions, tasks, and organization of the apparatus; and at the same time, directed the internal restructuring of ministries and sectors following the orientation content of the Central Directing Committee and the Government’s Directing Committee.

Ministries and sectors have established Directing Committees to summarize the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, propose plans for organizing and streamlining the apparatus as required by the Central Directing Committee and the Government’s Directing Committee; ministries and sectors subject to merger and consolidation have established a joint Directing Committee to guide the development of consolidation schemes, propose plans for organizing and streamlining the apparatus of the new ministries and sectors according to the requirements of the Government’s Directing Committee.

3. Concrete Implementation and Institutionalization of the Resolution into Plans, Action Programs, and Projects

Implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and Plan No. 07-KH/TW, the Government’s Party Committee has led and directed the Government to urgently develop and issue Resolution No. 10/NQ-CP dated February 3, 2018, on the Government’s Action Program implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, Plan No. 07-KH/TW, and

Resolution No. 56/2017/QH14, in which specific contents and key tasks were clearly defined for the Government and relevant ministries, sectors to focus on directing and successfully implementing the goals, tasks, and solutions set forth in Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, building a streamlined, effective, and efficient state administrative apparatus, reducing intermediate levels, decreasing internal focal points, enhancing decentralization, constructing a modern administration that serves the People.

After the Politburo issued Conclusion No. 50-KL/TW, the Government’s Party Committee has led and directed the Government to develop and issue Resolution No. 99/NQ-CP dated July 10, 2023, on the Government’s Action Program implementing Conclusion No. 50-KL/TW, which continues to define key tasks and solutions aimed at continuing to organize and streamline the apparatus for effective and efficient operations.

Based on the requirements of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, Plan No. 07-KH/TW, Resolution No. 10/NQ-CP, and Resolution No. 99/NQ-CP, party committees and organizations of ministries and sectors have issued plans, action programs, and projects suitable to the conditions and characteristics of their respective ministries, sectors, agencies, and units; clearly defining regular tasks, tasks according to the roadmap,

and the timeframe for each task; assigning specific tasks to subordinate party committees, advisory agencies, and assisting bodies of the party committees in innovating, organizing, and consolidating the apparatus within the scope of management according to the spirit of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW.

1. IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS OF THE RESOLUTION
2. On the Implementation of Tasks and Solutions

1.1. On Institutionalizing the Resolution

1.1.1. On Improving Policies and Laws Regarding Organizational Reform

Implementing the Resolutions of the 12^th Party Central Committee (Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW), and Resolution No. 56/2017/QH14 dated November 24, 2017, of the National Assembly, the Government and the Prime Minister have focused on timely leading and directing the development and completion of institutions, ensuring alignment with the policy of streamlining the organizational apparatus, enhancing effectiveness and efficiency, promoting decentralization and delegation of authority as per the Resolutions of the Party and the National Assembly, providing a foundation for ministries, sectors, and localities to implement.

In particular: 

(1) The National Assembly passed the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants and the Law on Public Employees; the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Government Organization and the Law on Local Government Organization at the 8^th session of the 14^th National Assembly; 

(2) The Standing Committee of the National Assembly issued 48 resolutions on the reorganization of district and commune-level administrative units for the 2019-2021 period; 51 resolutions for the 2021-2024 period; 47 resolutions on the establishment, dissolution, merger, and adjustment of administrative boundaries of administrative units in provinces and centrally-run cities from 2019-2024;

(3) From the beginning of the term to September 2024, ministries and sectors have submitted to competent authorities for issuance 43 laws, 735 Government resolutions, 402 Government decrees, 91 legal normative decisions, and 1,280 circulars of ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies. Among these, the Government issued 33 decrees và 10 resolutions of the Government to direct and guide the organization of the state administrative apparatus, public service units, staffing, staffing streamlining, and management of cadres, civil servants, and public employees.

Accordingly, the amendments and supplements to the Law on Local Government Organization have clearly defined the duties, powers, and responsibilities of provincial, district, and commune-level governments; specified the mechanisms for decentralization, delegation of authority, and the execution of duties and powers when decentralized or delegated among different levels of local governments.

The amendments and supplements to the Law on Government Organization and Government decrees have clarified the functions, tasks, and powers of each agency within the executive system from central to local levels, the minimum staffing required to establish an organization, and the maximum number of deputy leaders appropriate for each level, sector, and locality. Specifically:

(1) Establish criteria for the formation and minimum staffing required to organize subordinate units of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies; stipulate the organization of specialized agencies under provincial and district people’s committees, the criteria for establishment (including minimum staffing criteria) of subordinate units of specialized agencies under provincial people’s committees;

(2) Define the tasks and powers of the Government in stipulating the maximum number of deputies for the heads of subordinate units of government-affiliated agencies, specialized agencies under provincial and district people’s committees, and subordinate units of specialized agencies under provincial people’s committees;

(3) Amend, supplement, and clearly define the tasks, powers, and responsibilities of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated agencies, local governments, specialized agencies under provincial and district people’s committees; stipulate the contents of decentralization and delegation of authority regarding organizational structure and personnel among levels of government from central to local…

Additionally, the Government has directed ministries and sectors to complete policies and laws related to the organization of the apparatus, staffing management, and job positions to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of agencies, units, and organizations within the executive system.

These efforts closely adhere to the Party’s guidelines, align with innovations in the Party’s leadership methods, and build and improve the socialist rule-of-law State according to the Party’s resolutions and the National Assembly’s resolutions. Consequently, the requirements of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW have been fundamentally institutionalized. Specifically, as of October 2024:

– The Government has issued 27 out of 27 decrees defining the functions, tasks, and powers of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies.

– 19 out of 19 ministries have issued circulars guiding the functions, tasks, and powers of specialized agencies under provincial and district people’s committees.

– 12 out of 15 ministries have issued circulars guiding the criteria for classification, conditions for establishment, merger, consolidation, and dissolution of public service units by sector.

– 12 out of 15 ministries have issued circulars guiding the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Management Board and conditions for appointment and dismissal of Management Board members and the Chairperson of the Management Board.

– The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued circulars guiding job positions for civil servants, leaders, and managers; common professional expertise; support and service positions in administrative agencies and organizations; and job positions for common professional titles; support and service positions in public service units; Circular guiding the determination of civil servant rank structure.

– 20 out of 20 ministries have issued circulars guiding job positions for specialized civil servants.

– 15 out of 15 ministries have issued circulars guiding job positions for leaders, managers, and professional titles; the structure of public employees by professional title in public service units.

1.1.2. On Improving Policies and Laws for Decentralization and Delegation of Authority

According to the Government’s annual work program, especially during the specialized sessions on law-making, the Government, ministries, sectors, and localities regularly focus on directing the development of institutions within their management scope. They emphasize drafting laws and ordinances to be submitted to the National Assembly and the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and issuing a large number of decrees guiding the implementation of laws and ordinances to institutionalize the Party’s policy on promoting decentralization and delegation of authority.

Implementing Resolution No. 50/NQ-CP dated May 20, 2021, on the Government’s Action Program for implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, based on the proposals from ministries, sectors, and localities, the Government issued Resolution No. 04/NQ-CP on January 10, 2022, to promote decentralization and delegation of authority in state management among the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries, sectors, and local governments.

It specifies the legal documents that need to be amended, supplemented, or newly issued to implement decentralization and delegation of authority (including the amendment, supplementation, or issuance of 30 laws, several resolutions of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, 23 Government decrees, 03 Prime Minister’s decisions, and 09 ministers’ circulars).

As of September 2024, to promote decentralization and delegation of authority, the Government submitted 14 laws and 12 resolutions on piloting special mechanisms and policies for 07 localities and several fields; the Government amended, supplemented, or replaced 27 decrees; the Prime Minister issued 19 decisions; ministries and sectors issued 08 circulars.

The Government and the Prime Minister continue to direct ministries managing sectors and fields to review and propose content orienting decentralization and delegation of authority; based on the capacity and conditions of localities to receive decentralization and delegation of authority, they develop a list of legal documents needing amendment, supplementation, or new issuance, clearly indicating the content of decentralization and delegation of authority; implement the drafting of legal documents within the deadlines set by Resolution No. 04/NQ-CP.

Simultaneously, the Government also tasks ministries and sectors with reviewing functions, tasks, powers, organizational structure, job positions, and adjusting staffing levels to effectively implement regulations on decentralization and delegation of authority in state management; proactively completing regulations on planning, standards, regulations, economic-technical norms, pricing management mechanisms, etc., to create a basis for uniform, synchronized, and effective implementation nationwide.

1.1.3. On Researching and Clarifying the Theoretical and Practical Basis for Multi-sectoral and Multi-field Management of Certain Ministries and Sectors

The Government’s Party Committee has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to develop and report to the Prime Minister the Project “Theoretical and Practical Basis for Multi-sectoral and Multi-field Management” (Document No. 86/BC-BNV dated March 10, 2020, of the Ministry of Home Affairs).

The project’s content has clearly identified the management content and scope for sectors and fields to ensure unified assignment, decentralization, and implementation, guaranteeing unified management and effective, efficient management from central to local levels. Accordingly, the multi-sectoral and multi-field management model of certain ministries and sectors, especially those with overlapping functions and tasks, will continue to be implemented with appropriate solutions for consolidating and organizing the apparatus, streamlining focal points in the future.

This ensures a streamlined, effective, and efficient operation, improves the Government’s performance quality, reduces overlaps and obstacles in task execution among ministries, and facilitates the Prime Minister’s management and direction, aiming to enhance the Government’s capacity, effectiveness, and efficiency, ensuring unity and smooth state management activities; streamlining the apparatus and reducing costs for state management activities.

1.1.4. On Amending Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of Public Associations

The Government’s Party Committee has led and directed the Government and relevant ministries and sectors to research and amend regulations on the establishment and operation of public associations based on principles of voluntarism, self-management, self-financing, and compliance with the law; the State only provides funding to carry out tasks assigned by the Party and the State.

Accordingly, implementing Resolution No. 10/NQ-CP and the Prime Minister’s comments (in Document No. 2580/VPCP-TCCV dated April 1, 2019, from the Government Office), the Government reported to the Politburo for consideration and provided opinions on several important contents of state policy towards associations; based on this, Decree No. 126/2024/ND-CP dated October 8, 2024, on the organization, operation, and management of associations was developed and issued, replacing Decree No. 45/2010/ND-CP dated April 21, 2010, of the Government.

1.2. On Continuing to Review and Adjust the Functions, Tasks, and Powers of Ministries, Ministerial-level Agencies, and Government-affiliated Agencies

Based on a comprehensive review and assessment of the functions, tasks, and powers of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies, the Government has issued decrees defining the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of these entities.

This resolves overlapping or unclear issues, clarifies the responsibilities and tasks of each ministry and sector, and enhances the effectiveness of state management. The review and adjustment of functions, tasks, and powers of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies have improved the effectiveness and efficiency of each agency, organization, and unit, linked with streamlining the apparatus, reducing staffing, and promoting decentralization and delegation of authority. Specifically:

1.2.1. For Ministries and Ministerial-level Agencies

The functions and tasks of each ministry and ministerial-level agency have been reviewed, adjusted, and clearly assigned, ensuring consistent implementation of the principle that each task is assigned to only one agency or individual. For tasks involving multiple agencies, the main responsible agency and coordinating agencies are clearly identified.

The state management functions and tasks of ministries and ministerial-level agencies, as assigned by the Government, have been inherited and maintained over four government terms (from the 12^th to the 15^th terms); meanwhile, they have been adjusted, supplemented, and refined to address overlaps and intersections, ensuring alignment with the Party’s directives, specialized legal regulations, and practical state management requirements for sectors and fields.

This ensures consistency in the organization and execution of state management tasks for sectors and fields; studies appropriate transfer of tasks that do not necessarily require execution by the Government or administrative agencies at all levels to social organizations, non-governmental organizations, enterprises, and individuals, thereby streamlining the administrative apparatus and enhancing overall societal effectiveness.

Consequently, ministries and ministerial-level agencies focus on macro management, institutional, policy, strategy, planning, and plan development for sectors and fields, along with guidance, inspection, supervision, and violation handling within their management scope as per the assigned tasks and legal regulations. Certain interrelated and interconnected sectors and fields have been reviewed and assigned to a single ministry for management, aiming to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of state management for those sectors and fields.

1.2.2. For Government-affiliated Agencies

Agencies The positions, functions, tasks, and powers of government-affiliated agencies continue to be refined and clarified to ensure streamlining, effectiveness, and efficiency, meeting the requirements of state management. Accordingly, Decree No. 10/2016/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree No. 47/2019/ND-CP) stipulates that government-affiliated agencies are established by the Government, with functions serving the state management tasks of the Government; they perform certain public services with important characteristics and nature that the Government must directly manage. Government-affiliated agencies are subject to the state management of the ministries managing their respective sectors and fields.

Additionally, implementing Resolution No. 12-NQ/TW dated June 3, 2017, of the 5^th Central Conference of the 12^th Party Central Committee, and Notice No. 40-TB/TW dated September 14, 2017, of the Politburo, which directs the gradual separation of state management functions in sectors and fields from the supervisory management functions of state ownership for state-owned enterprises and business management of enterprises,

the Government issued Resolution No. 09/NQ-CP dated February 3, 2018, establishing the State Capital Management Committee at enterprises as a government-affiliated agency; assigned by the Government to exercise the rights and responsibilities of representing state ownership for enterprises with 100% state-owned charter capital and state-invested capital in joint-stock companies and limited liability companies with two or more members, as stipulated by law.

1.3. On Organizing the Apparatus

1.3.1. On Organizing the Internal Apparatus of Ministries, Ministerial-level Agencies, and Government-affiliated Agencies

Implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and Resolution No. 56/2017/QH14, the Government issued Decree No. 101/2020/ND-CP dated August 28, 2020, and Decree No. 47/2019/ND-CP, which served as a basis for consolidating the internal structure of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies.

The Prime Minister issued decisions to streamline the internal structure of certain General Departments under ministries, ensuring alignment with functions, tasks, management scope, and operational nature, guaranteeing effective and efficient operations.

Concurrently, within their assigned authority, based on government criteria for organizational establishment, ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies have reviewed and arranged internal organizations such as: divisions under departments; divisions and sub-departments under departments of ministries, and departments of General Departments; ensuring a streamlined, effective, and efficient operation. Specifically:

– Administrative organizations:

+ 2017-2021 period: reduced 11 departments or equivalents under ministries, reduced 07 departments under General Departments, reduced 492 sub-departments under departments of General Departments, significantly reduced divisions under departments, departments, and General Departments.

+ 2021-2023 period: reduced 17 General Departments and equivalent organizations; reduced 10 departments under General Departments and ministries; reduced 144 departments/offices under General Departments and ministries; reduced 108 divisions (excluding the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense).

+ Organizations operating in a vertically integrated manner from central to local levels (e.g., taxation, customs, state treasury, social insurance, market management, statistics, civil judgment enforcement, etc.) have been organized and managed by inter-provincial and inter-district areas.

– Public service units:

+ 2015-2021 period: The total number of public service units nationwide in 2021 was 48,442 units (including 1,113 units of ministries and sectors and 47,329 units of localities), a decrease of 7,449 units, corresponding to a reduction of 13.32% compared to 2015 (55,891 units).

+ 2021-2023 period: The total number of public service units nationwide in 2023 was 47,596 units (including 1,056 units of ministries and sectors and 46,540 units of localities), a decrease of 846 units compared to 2021.

1.3.2. On Organizing District, Commune, Village, and Neighborhood-level Administrative Units

The Government’s Party Committee has led and directed the Ministry of Home Affairs and relevant ministries and sectors to instruct localities to reorganize district and commune-level administrative units as required by the Central, National Assembly, and Government directives.

Accordingly, during the 2019-2021 period, 21 district-level and 1,056 commune-level administrative units were reorganized, resulting in a reduction of 08 district-level and 561 commune-level administrative units. During the 2023-2025 period, 38 district-level and 1,178 commune-level administrative units were reorganized, resulting in a reduction of 09 district-level and 563 commune-level administrative units. Concurrently, during the 2016-2021 period, 46,216 village and neighborhood units were reduced (from 136,824 units in 2016 to 90,508 units in 2021).

The reorganization of administrative units, streamlining of the administrative apparatus, reduction of staff in administrative units, and reduction of non-specialized personnel have saved the state budget trillions of dong in the preceding period, significantly saving funds for wage policy reforms; simultaneously addressing fundamental issues and obstacles in the arrangement, utilization, and policies for commune-level officials and non-specialized personnel in villages and neighborhoods.

1.3.3. On the Number of Deputy Leaders and Managers

– Number of Deputy Ministers and Equivalents in Ministries and Ministerial-level Agencies

According to the provisions of the Law on Government Organization 2015 (amended and supplemented in 2019), the number of Deputy Ministers and Deputy Heads of ministerial-level agencies must not exceed 05 (except for the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which may have up to 06).

In cases of ministry or ministerial-level agency mergers or requirements for the reassignment or rotation of officials by competent authorities, the Prime Minister submits to the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration and decision. Upon review, at the time of reporting, all ministries and ministerial-level agencies had the number of Deputy Ministers equal to or less than the prescribed number.

– Number of Deputies in Administrative Organizations within Ministries and Ministerial-level Agencies

According to the provisions of the Law amending and supplementing certain articles of the Law on Government Organization and the Law on Local Government Organization, the number of deputies for the heads of General Departments must not exceed 04;

ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies decide the number of deputies for the heads of departments, offices, inspectorates, departments, and public service units, ensuring an average of no more than 03 deputies per unit. For the number of deputies of departments, divisions under General Departments, sub-departments, and offices, the regulations are specified in Decree No. 101/2020/ND-CP.

Based on the summarized reports from ministries and ministerial-level agencies, at the time of reporting, the number of deputy leaders of departments, departments, General Departments, and equivalent organizations under ministries, offices, sub-departments, and equivalent units (excluding the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security) did not exceed the legal limits. Consequently, approximately 788 deputy leaders in General Departments, departments, divisions, and public service units were reduced in the organizational structure.

– Number of Deputies in Government-affiliated Agencies

Based on the summarized reports from government-affiliated agencies, the number of deputy leaders in departments/divisions and their equivalents, as well as offices under departments/divisions, did not exceed the legal limits.

However, in certain ministries, sectors, and central agencies, due to the nature of work and to ensure policies for officials and civil servants when reassigned to central agencies, the “hàm” (rank) title was appointed. Implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, which requires specifying standards, conditions, and policies to reduce the scope and subjects of rank appointments, the Central Organization Committee led the research and development of the Project “Building Standards, Policies for Experts; Standards,

Policies for Assistants and Secretaries to the Politburo, Secretariat, and Leaders of the Party and State” to address the appointment of rank positions in agencies, organizations, and units; submitted to the Secretariat to issue Conclusion No. 33-KL/TW dated April 1, 2022, on implementing policies for officials holding rank positions. This ended the appointment of officials to rank positions in agencies and organizations within the political system from April 1, 2022,

and assigned the Central Organization Committee to research standards and conditions to implement the senior expert regime and policies for officials engaged in strategic research and consultancy in the Party’s advisory and assistance agencies at the central level, the Office of the President, the Government Office, and the Office of the National Assembly, to be submitted to the Secretariat for consideration.

Thus, after 07 years of implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the basic objectives and tasks set forth have been initially achieved, especially in organizing and consolidating certain organizations and restructuring internal organizations; gradually reducing intermediate levels,

focal points at the General Department, department, and office levels as required by Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, and reorganizing district and commune-level administrative units in conjunction with staffing reduction. The organizational apparatus of agencies, units, and organizations within the political system has gradually been renewed, streamlined, operating effectively and efficiently,

meeting the new situation’s requirements. The reorganization of public service units has initially achieved positive results, aligned with restructuring, and improving the quality of operations of public service units by sector. This is a significant effort by the Government, ministries, sectors, and localities during the past period.

1.4. On Reorganizing Inter-sectoral Coordination Organizations

Implementing the policy stated in Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the Government’s Party Committee has directed a review and proposed the dissolution and reduction of inter-sectoral coordination organizations that have completed their tasks, operated inefficiently, or were inactive (in the years 2020 and 2024).

According to the review results and reports from ministries and ministerial-level agencies, as of December 31, 2023, there were a total of 147 organizations, including: 138 organizations established by the Prime Minister and 09 organizations established by ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies.

Among them, 101 inter-sectoral coordination organizations were established and operated under Decision No. 34/2007/QD-TTg dated March 12, 2007, and Decision No. 23/2023/QD-TTg dated September 18, 2023, by the Prime Minister; 31 inter-sectoral coordination organizations were established according to the provisions of laws, ordinances of the National Assembly Standing Committee, resolutions,

Government decrees, and Prime Minister’s decisions; and 15 organizations of a specialized and professional nature requiring the participation of multiple ministries and sectors, established according to international treaties and agreements to which Vietnam is a member, or specialized inter-sectoral legal regulations.

Overall, the inter-sectoral coordination organizations have been established with clear functions, tasks, organizational forms, principles of organization and operation, meeting the establishment conditions as stipulated. The practical organization and operation of these inter-sectoral coordination organizations have created a synchronized coordination mechanism among ministries and sectors, as well as established direct and concentrated leadership by the Prime Minister to promptly and effectively address tasks that exceed the authority of a single ministry or sector and require inter-ministerial coordination.

The inter-sectoral coordination mechanism under Decision No. 34/2007/QD-TTg has facilitated the concentration of resources to address significant and complex issues posed to the Government and the Prime Minister in managing and directing fields related to the state management tasks of ministries and sectors; particularly for certain sectors and fields with overlapping state management tasks.

The existence of inter-sectoral coordination organizations is an objective necessity in the context of our country’s development, needed during the transitional phase of building and refining a streamlined, effective, and efficient Government structure as required by Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW.

Based on the directives in Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and Resolution No. 56/2017/QH14, the Government’s Party Committee has led and directed the completion of the institutional framework for establishing inter-sectoral coordination organizations.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 23/2023/QD-TTg dated September 18, 2023, assigning ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies to review, report, and propose to the Ministry of Home Affairs for consolidation, reorganization, or dissolution of inter-sectoral coordination organizations proposed by ministries and ministerial-level agencies,

aiming to reduce inter-sectoral coordination organizations as required by Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW. The Prime Minister has directed ministries and sectors to implement the dissolution procedures as stipulated for 23 inter-sectoral coordination organizations that have completed their tasks, operated inefficiently, or were inactive (Document No. 7749/VPCP-TCCV dated October 22, 2024, from the Government Office on reviewing, reorganizing, and consolidating inter-sectoral coordination organizations).

1.5. On Staffing Management

During the 2015-2021 period, staffing management and streamlining were tightly conducted following the Party’s and State’s policies; accordingly, the number of civil servant and public employee staff exceeded the target set by the Politburo.

Overall, in state administrative agencies of ministries, sectors, and localities, from 2015 to 2021, the number of civil servant staff was reduced by 10.01% (equivalent to 27,530 positions); the number of public employee staff receiving state budget salaries was reduced by 11.67% (equivalent to 236,366 positions). Specifically, ministries and sectors reduced civil servant staff by 10.01% and public employee staff receiving state budget salaries by 25.19% (exceeding the targets set out in Resolutions No. 18 and 19-NQ/TW).

During the 2022-2026 period, implementing Regulation No. 70-QD/TW by the Politburo, the Government manages the staffing of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies. Based on the Party’s policies and regulations on staffing management for the 2022-2026 period in Regulation No. 70-QD/TW, and Decision No. 73-QD/TW dated July 18, 2022, and to implement the policy of promoting decentralization and delegation of authority in Resolution No. 04/NQ-CP, for civil servant staffing,

the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1259/QD-TTg approving the staffing of civil servants for ministries and sectors for the 2022-2026 period, in which staffing for ministries and sectors is approved for the entire 5-year period and grants the autonomy for ministries and sectors to decide annual staffing for agencies, organizations, and units within their management scope, ensuring by the end of 2026 the number of civil servants is as approved by the Prime Minister.

For public employee staffing, based on the Party’s regulations and the policy of promoting decentralization and delegation in staffing management mentioned above, and following the direction of the Deputy Prime Minister in Document No. 6185/VPCP-TCCV dated September 19, 2022, from the Government Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs has reviewed and approved public employee staffing as proposed by 29 ministries and sectors for the 2022-2026 period, ensuring that by the end of 2026 the maximum staffing is as approved by the Politburo. Specifically:

– Civil Servant Staffing:

+ In 2022: Maintain stable civil servant staffing as in 2021 (106,890 positions).

+ During 2022-2026: The allocated civil servant staffing is 101,509 positions, a reduction of 5,381 positions, corresponding to a 5.03% reduction compared to the staffing allocated in 2021, matching the number approved by the Politburo.

– Public Employee Staffing:

+ In 2022: The reviewed number of public employee staffing receiving state budget salaries is 108,454 positions, a reduction of 11,021 positions, corresponding to a 9.22% reduction compared to 2021. The number of public employee positions in ministries and sectors was reviewed based on the principle of reducing an average of at least 2%,

with certain ministries and sectors reducing more due to increased autonomy of public service units and the socialization of public service activities (e.g., the Ministry of Industry and Trade reduced by 28.81%, the Ministry of Transport reduced by 34.43%, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reduced by 70.07%…).

+ During 2022-2026: The reviewed number of public employee staffing receiving state budget salaries is 101,356 positions, a reduction of 18,119 positions, corresponding to a 15.17% reduction compared to the staffing allocated in 2021; 6,174 positions lower than the number approved by the Politburo (107,530 positions). For staffing receiving salaries from operational revenue, most ministries and sectors have not yet approved the autonomy plans according to Decree No. 60/2021/ND-CP.

Therefore, during the review of public employee staffing, the Ministry of Home Affairs has requested that ministries and sectors urgently approve autonomy plans and determine the number of workers receiving salaries from operational revenue corresponding to the financial autonomy level of public service units as required by Resolution No. 75/2022/QH15 dated November 30, 2022, of the National Assembly on questioning activities at the 4^th session of the 15^th National Assembly.

Overall, since 2022, staffing management has been implemented by the Government in accordance with the Politburo’s policies and regulations in Conclusion No. 40-KL/TW, Regulation No. 70-QD/TW, and Decision No. 73-QD/TW, ensuring unified management and following the staffing reduction roadmap for the 2022-2026 period to ensure that by 2026, the number of civil servant and public employee staff receiving state budget salaries does not exceed the number approved by the Politburo.

Staffing management and streamlining continue to be organized and implemented according to the Party’s requirements, with the participation of the entire political system; the results achieved meet the objectives and requirements, creating significant consensus in society and public opinion.

The streamlining of staffing, linked with organizing the apparatus and restructuring the team of officials, civil servants, and public employees, gradually removes those who do not meet job requirements, contributing to the continuous improvement of the quality of the team of officials, civil servants, and public employees, and building public trust.

The reorganization of district and commune-level administrative units has also contributed to staffing reduction and reduced the number of district-level officials and civil servants, as well as commune-level officials, civil servants, and non-specialized personnel.

Specifically, during the 2019-2021 period, 706 redundant positions were cut at the district level; 18,142 redundant positions were cut at the commune level; during the 2023-2025 period, 865 redundant positions were cut at the district level; 12,530 redundant positions were cut at the commune level. This has significantly saved the state budget and fundamentally addressed existing issues and obstacles in the arrangement, utilization, and policies for commune-level officials and non-specialized personnel in villages and neighborhoods.

The Government has also promoted decentralization and delegation of authority in state management of staffing for ministries and sectors, coupled with enhanced inspection and supervision. Ministries and sectors use the allocated staffing appropriately (ensuring that the allocated staffing does not exceed the number approved by competent authorities), proactively develop action programs, staffing management plans, and staffing reduction plans linked with promoting financial autonomy for each agency, organization, and unit within their management scope.

The decentralization of approval and decision-making in staffing reduction has enabled ministries and sectors to take the initiative in implementing staffing reduction policies, developing annual staffing reduction plans, and taking responsibility for approving the list of staff subject to reduction and the funding for implementing staffing reduction within their management scope.

1.6. On Developing Job Positions

To fulfill the task of building a system of job positions for officials, civil servants, and public employees as directed by the Standing Secretariat, the Government’s Party Committee has led and directed the implementation of various solutions from the beginning of the term until now to complete the development of job position schemes nationwide. Additionally, periodic monitoring, evaluation, and reporting to competent authorities on the results of job position development have been conducted. Specifically:

– Establishment of the Directing Committee for the development and management of job positions in administrative agencies, public service units, and the organization of a national conference on implementing job position development and management in administrative agencies and public service units.

– Issuance of numerous documents to guide and urge ministries, sectors, and localities to promptly complete circulars guiding job positions in the sectors and fields they manage, as well as develop and complete job position schemes for agencies, organizations, and units, ensuring progress and quality.

Overall, based on the guiding circulars issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and sector-managing ministries, ministries, sectors, and localities have proactively and actively developed plans and directed, organized the implementation of job position approvals. Identifying job position approval as a key task needing early completion and effectively decentralizing job position approval, ensuring the implementation of job position approvals following the guidance of sector-managing ministries consistently, uniformly, and timely, to meet the wage policy reform roadmap according to Party and legal regulations.

Ministries, sectors, and localities have seriously and cautiously developed and approved job position schemes; additionally, they have conducted reviews to ensure alignment with organizational structure, functions, tasks, and allocated staffing/working personnel, implementing the utilization, arrangement, deployment, training, and fostering of officials, civil servants, and public employees aligned with job descriptions and competency frameworks for each job position. As of now, 100% of ministries, sectors, and localities have completed job position scheme approvals.

The implementation and approval of job positions have facilitated the management and operational activities of agencies, organizations, and units; gradually, effectively recruiting, managing, and utilizing linked with restructuring and enhancing the quality of the team of officials, civil servants, and public employees by job position.

Accordingly, the utilization, arrangement, deployment, and management of officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers are reasonably carried out, with each job position suitably arranged according to the level and competency of officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers. Additionally, ministries, sectors, and localities also pay attention to periodically reviewing, updating, and adjusting job positions, ensuring alignment with assigned tasks in each period.

1.7. On Managing Civil Servants and Public Employees

1.7.1. On the Preliminary Review and Evaluation of the Project “Innovation in Recruitment Methods and Selection of Department, Division, and Section-Level Leaders”

To summarize and report to the Politburo and the Secretariat on the results of pilot implementation, the Government’s Party Committee led and directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to coordinate with the Central Organization Committee to organize a national online conference for the preliminary review of 3 years of implementing the

Project “Innovation in Recruitment Methods and Selection of Department, Division, and Section-Level Leaders” (hereafter referred to as the Project) and provided a report to the Politburo. Following the assigned tasks in the Politburo and Secretariat’s 2022 Work Program, the Party Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs submitted to the Government’s Party Committee and the Prime Minister a summary of 05 years of implementing the Project.

As of December 16, 2022, of the 36 agencies and localities selected for the pilot project, 32/36 agencies and localities have implemented the project (88.9%), 04/36 agencies and localities have not implemented it (11.1%). Additionally, 12 localities have implemented the selection of department, division, and section-level leaders following the Politburo’s conclusions, and the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance as encouraged by the Secretariat in Document No. 3135-CV/VPTW from the Office of the Party Central Committee.

In the 32 agencies and localities that implemented the pilot project, a total of 2,917 officials, civil servants, and public employees registered for the examination for 1,228 leadership positions, including 1,940 internal candidates (66.5%) and 977 external candidates (33.5%). Through the examinations, 1,194 candidates were selected, including 70 at the central level (58 department-level leaders and equivalents, 12 division-level leaders and equivalents) and 1,124 at the local level (66 provincial department-level leaders and equivalents, 1,058 division-level leaders and equivalents).

The project created a healthy competitive environment, contributed to innovation in the appointment process, and provided opportunities for officials to be tested, gain experience, and demonstrate their capabilities. However, the implementation of the project in the selected pilot agencies and localities did not achieve the desired results; the number of registered candidates was not high, the number of leadership positions open for examination was limited, and the quality of some candidates did not meet the requirements, with some participating merely for formality. Some agencies and localities included in the pilot list did not organize examinations.

The selection of leaders through examinations in some cases did not ensure a comprehensive evaluation of moral qualities, reputation, leadership, and management capabilities, and work experience of the candidates, nor did it fully integrate with the overall assessment of officials, especially assessments linked to specific work results and contributions.

Following the assigned task, the Government’s Party Committee is continuing to research and summarize the implementation of the Project; advising the Politburo on orientation and solutions in the near future.

1.7.2. On Addressing Violations and Issues in Recruitment

Implementing Conclusion No. 48-KL/TW dated April 26, 2019, by the Secretariat on the results of inspection and review of personnel work, Conclusion No. 71-KL/TW dated March 24, 2020, by the Secretariat on handling violations in the recruitment of officials, civil servants, and public employees according to Conclusion No. 43-TB/TW dated December 28, 2017, Conclusion No. 27-KL/TW dated February 21, 2022, by the Secretariat on handling violations in personnel work according to Conclusion No. 48-KL/TW dated April 26, 2019, and Conclusion No. 71-KL/TW dated March 24, 2020,

the Government’s Party Committee led and directed the Government to implement the contents of the Conclusions, focusing on strengthening leadership, direction, inspection, supervision, and preventing negativity in personnel work in general, and recruitment of officials, civil servants, and public employees in particular: promptly detecting, correcting, and handling under authority agencies and units that did not comply with regulations on recruitment of officials, civil servants, and public employees.

According to summarized reports from ministries, sectors, and localities, as of November 30, 2021, there were 88,888 cases of recruitment violations according to Conclusion No. 71-KL/TW; in 2022, there were 12,656 cases of recruitment violations according to Conclusion No. 27-KL/TW; 1,021 recruitment decisions were revoked for violation cases. In the future, the Government’s Party Committee will continue to assign competent authorities to advise and develop guidance documents to handle cases of recruitment violations, ensuring implementation according to specific cases in the Secretariat’s conclusions.

1.7.3. On Priority Policies in Recruitment, Training, Fostering, and Utilization of Officials, Civil Servants, and Public Employees Who Are Ethnic Minorities

In recent years, the Party and the National Assembly have enacted several policies, on economic, social, and national defense and security development for ethnic minorities, which state “focus on developing human resources and building the team of ethnic minority officials”, “enhance the leadership capacity and combat strength of party committees and party organizations at all levels, the quality of the team of officials and party members, especially ethnic minority officials; pay attention to training, fostering, and mentoring the next generation of officials, female officials, and ethnic minority officials”.

Based on these policies, the Government’s Party Committee has led and directed the Government to continue promoting civil service reform, institutionalizing the Party’s guidelines and policies on ethnic minority personnel work, focusing on developing human resources and building the team of ethnic minority officials, enhancing both the quantity and quality, ensuring the proportion of ethnic minority officials, civil servants, and public employees in the state apparatus in the new period. This includes amending and supplementing recruitment regulations for officials, civil servants, and public employees such as: 

(1) The principle of priority recruitment for ethnic minorities;

(2) Recruiting civil servants through selection for those who volunteer to work for 05 years or more in ethnic minority areas, ethnic minorities sent for study under the prescribed selection regime, returning to work in the locality where they were sent for study after graduation;

(3) Exemption from foreign language exams in recruitment, rank promotion exams for civil servants, and rank promotion reviews for public employees for ethnic minorities;

(4) Priority in determining successful candidates in rank promotion exams, and rank promotion review, etc. 

In addition, regulations on training and fostering ethnic minority officials, civil servants, and public employees have been supplemented and refined, specifically: 

(1) Ethnic minority officials and civil servants at the commune level, or those working in mountainous, border, island, remote, ethnic minority, and socio-economically disadvantaged areas, who commit to serving at their agencies for at least twice the training period after completing their training programs, are sent for intermediate, college, or university-level training.;

(2) There are policies to support training and fostering expenses for ethnic minority officials, civil servants, and public employees who are sent for training and fostering as per legal regulations. 

Fundamentally, priority policies in recruiting, utilizing, and managing ethnic minority officials, civil servants, and public employees have adhered to the Party’s policies, motivating ethnic minority officials to work with peace of mind; those selected for study are arranged and assigned work by localities after graduation. This has contributed to increasing the quantity and quality of ethnic minority officials, civil servants, and public employees, strengthening the political system in ethnic and mountainous regions; maintaining political stability, social order, and security, and national defense.

1.7.4. On Amending and Supplementing Training Programs to Update Knowledge for Civil Servants and Public Employees According to Professional Standards

The Government’s Party Committee has led and directed the Government to improve the institutional framework for training and updating knowledge for civil servants and public employees, as a basis to enhance the effectiveness of training, fostering, and updating knowledge according to professional standards. Specifically, the Government issued Decree No. 89/2021/ND-CP dated October 18, 2021, amending and supplementing some provisions of Decree No. 101/2017/ND-CP dated September 1, 2017, on training and fostering officials, civil servants, and public employees.

Accordingly, the decree eliminated the mandatory requirements for computer science and foreign language training certificates in recruitment and rank promotion exams: reduced 61/64 civil servant grade training certificates and 89/145 public employee professional title grade training certificates. Based on the provisions of Decree No. 89/2021/ND-CP, ministries, sectors, and localities have reviewed, evaluated quality, and completed rewriting the programs and materials under their authority:

(1) Training programs for skill standards by grade: specialists and equivalents, senior specialists and equivalents, principal specialists and equivalents.

(2) Training programs according to the professional title standards for public employees in specialized fields.

(3) Training programs for leadership and management positions: department level and equivalents, district level and equivalents, provincial department level and equivalents, central department level and equivalents.

(4) Training programs for professional and operational job positions.

(5) Training programs and materials according to the standards for positions of commune-level officials and civil servants.

The new programs have been updated to include new public management knowledge and skills; new leadership methods, meeting the requirements arising from administrative reform, building e-government, digital government, and the context of deep international integration across all fields.

To continue implementing decisively and effectively the Party’s policies, the Government’s regulations, and the Prime Minister’s directives, in the coming period, ministries and sectors will focus on:

(1) Completing amendments and supplements to regulations on civil servant grade standards and public employee professional title standards.

(2) Advising and amending current regulations to minimize administrative procedures in recruitment and rank promotion. Eliminating the requirement for rank promotion exams for public employees and retaining only the rank promotion review regulation, progressing towards researching the abolition of professional title grade regulations in alignment with wage mechanism reforms based on job positions.

(3) Guiding localities to uniformly implement the Government’s decree on reducing computer science and foreign language certificate requirements while awaiting the amendment of circulars by ministries and sectors.

1.8. On Administrative Procedure Reform

1.8.1. On Promoting Administrative Procedure Reform

Most administrative procedures have been gradually standardized, announced, listed, and publicly disclosed at the reception and processing places of administrative procedures, and published on the electronic portals of ministries, sectors, and localities, as well as in the National Database on Administrative Procedures as per regulations. This facilitates easy, accurate access, understanding, and implementation for individuals and organizations.

The one-stop-shop, interconnected one-stop-shop mechanism, Public Administration Service Centers, and centralized reception and results-return sections at the provincial and district levels have been implemented in localities according to legal regulations and have achieved positive results, creating significant changes in resolving administrative procedures for citizens and businesses.

Implementing Decree No. 61/2018/ND-CP dated April 23, 2018, by the Government, 100% of ministries, sectors, and localities have completed the consolidation of one-stop-shop sections at all levels to resolve administrative procedures. Among these, 59 out of 63 localities have established provincial-level Public Administration Service Centers. Notably, some localities have implemented the “5 at place” method for resolving administrative procedures, such as the Quang Ninh Provincial Public Administration Service Center. Many localities have closely integrated the establishment of both physical and electronic one-stop-shops to facilitate users, including: Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Dong Nai, Ca Mau, and Binh Duong.

1.8.2. On Promoting the Development of E-Government

The Government has decisively directed and implemented numerous solutions to innovate strongly and make breakthroughs in building e-government and digital government towards a digital economy and society, ensuring the integration of information technology applications with administrative reforms, creating transparency in the operations of administrative agencies. Specifically: 

(1) The Government has completed the legal framework, facilitating the implementation of tasks for building and developing e-government and digital government, and has issued numerous directives to effectively and practically implement these tasks;

(2) The Government has enhanced the platform for developing e-government, achieving many positive results, meeting the requirements of each stage.;

(3) The Government continues to promote the provision of online public services, with increasing rates of online dossier resolution and online payment for administrative procedures.

As a result, the Government has significantly transformed the working methods of state administrative agencies in directing, operating, and providing public services, and resolving administrative procedures for citizens and businesses; applied the results of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution, vigorously developing e-government towards a “paperless” government and administration managed based on databases; established a one-stop electronic information system connecting all levels of government to enhance service quality, strictly control the resolution of administrative procedures through the operations of provincial Public Administration Service Centers; the method of performing administrative procedures for citizens and businesses has made a breakthrough transition from direct provision at state agencies to online provision via the internet, significantly reducing time, costs, and paperwork for citizens and businesses.

2. Overall Assessment

2.1. Advantages

– The Government has progressively built and improved the legal framework and regulations regarding the organizational apparatus, ensuring alignment with the policy of streamlining the organizational apparatus, enhancing operational efficiency and effectiveness, and promoting decentralization and delegation of authority as per the Party’s and National Assembly’s resolutions. Accordingly:

+ Regulations on the functions, tasks, powers, working relationships, and organizational structure of agencies, units, and organizations from central to local levels have been gradually reviewed, supplemented, and completed according to the requirements of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the regulations of the Politburo, the Secretariat, the National Assembly, the Government, and are suitable to the characteristics and situation of each ministry, sector, locality, agency, organization, and unit. In this, the Government has initially addressed overlapping issues regarding functions and tasks among ministries and sectors, and continues to review and more clearly delineate the authority and responsibility of each level and sector in implementation, ensuring that one agency performs many tasks and one task is assigned to one main responsible agency.

+ Regulations on decentralization and delegation of authority in state management by sector and field between the Government and ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and between the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries, and ministerial-level agencies with local governments have been gradually adjusted according to administrative reform requirements, linked with mechanisms for power control;

ensuring centralized and unified management by the Government, while promoting local governments’ autonomy and accountability, leveraging the potential, advantages, and resources of localities to enhance state management efficiency and effectiveness in each sector and field. Implementing decentralization linked with reforming budget allocation mechanisms and promoting financial autonomy for state administrative agencies has initially contributed to enhancing budget management and utilization efficiency, saving public expenditure, and promoting the innovation and reorganization of a streamlined, efficient administrative apparatus and public service units.

– After 07 years of implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the basic objectives and tasks have been initially achieved, especially in reorganizing and consolidating certain organizations and restructuring internal organizations; gradually reducing intermediate levels, minimizing focal points at the General Department, department, and division levels as required by Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, and reorganizing district and commune-level administrative units linked with staffing reduction.

The organizational apparatus of agencies, units, and organizations within the political system has gradually been renewed, operating effectively and efficiently. The number of organizations and leadership positions has been fundamentally reduced, especially at the division, team, and unit levels. Vertical organizations such as taxation, customs, treasury, social insurance, market management, statistics, civil judgment enforcement, etc., have gradually been organized and managed by inter-provincial and inter-district areas, fundamentally meeting the requirements of state management by sector and field.

This is the effort and determination of the Government, ministries, sectors, and localities over the past period. Simultaneously, ministries and sectors have also reviewed and reorganized inter-sectoral coordination organizations to reduce numbers; reorganized and limited inter-sectoral coordination organizations with specialized assisting units.

– The management of staffing and staffing reduction has been organized and implemented closely following the Party, National Assembly, and Government’s requirements, strictly adhering to the Central Directing Committee’s directives on unified staffing management within the political system. Accordingly, the initial objectives of staffing reduction for civil servants and public employees for the 2015-2021 period have been achieved.

– Ministries, sectors, and localities have gradually implemented and arranged civil servants and public employees according to job positions and standards for civil servant and public employee grades corresponding to job descriptions and competency frameworks for each position. Specifically:

(1) Competitive recruitment exams for appointing leadership positions have initially been implemented;

(2) The methods, processes, and content for recruiting civil servants have been regularly innovated; ministries, sectors, and localities have applied information technology to organize computer-based multiple-choice exams; set up surveillance cameras to monitor exam supervision;

(3) The application of information technology and development of personnel management software have been implemented in many ministries, sectors, and localities, initially forming a database of officials, civil servants, and public employees, serving the management, direction, and implementation of policies for officials, civil servants, and public employees.

2.2. Limitations

– The issuance of some detailed regulations and implementation guidelines for the organizational apparatus has been untimely, leading to passivity and reduced coherence in organizational consolidation at agencies. The institutionalization of the Party’s policies, completion of mechanisms, policies, and legal regulations for public service units, and the implementation of these institutions by ministries, sectors, and localities have been slow, partially affecting the results of reorganization and promoting financial autonomy mechanisms for public service units under ministries and sectors.

– Some sectors and fields, as regulated by specialized laws, still require coordinated management by multiple ministries. However, coordination efforts are limited, so the effectiveness and efficiency of management in these sectors and fields are not high. Some tasks still have overlaps and intersections between ministries and ministerial-level agencies that need to be promptly adjusted and resolved.

– Although the reorganization and streamlining of the state administrative apparatus have achieved some important results, they are still somewhat mechanical and have not truly met the requirements for improving efficiency and effectiveness. The reorganization of public service units has initially focused on consolidating small, overlapping units with similar functions and tasks, without deeply restructuring, enhancing operational quality, or strongly implementing financial autonomy mechanisms for public service units by sector. This is not yet linked with staffing reduction and restructuring, enhancing the quality of public employees, or improving the quality of public services provision.

– The content related to decentralization and delegation of authority between central and local levels in the process of institutional improvement still has limitations, such as: the Government and the Prime Minister still need to decide on many specific issues according to specialized legal documents, which does not fully meet the requirements for innovating government operations as per the spirit of the 12^th and 13^th Party Congresses’ resolutions; there remains a situation where direct delegation of authority to ministries and sectors is included in specialized laws, especially regarding some sectors where multiple ministries participate in management, not ensuring the unified management of the Government according to the Law on Government Organization 2015 (amended and supplemented in 2019), etc.

– The management and utilization of staffing in ministries and sectors still have limitations such as:

(1) Some ministries and sectors have not fully utilized the staffing allocated by competent authorities and managed staffing not in accordance with legal regulations, such as using public employee staffing to perform state management tasks in administrative agencies and organizations;

(2) The promotion of socialization and transition to financial autonomy mechanisms for public service units to reduce the number of people receiving salaries from state budget is still slow and has not met the requirements of Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW;

(3) Although the staffing reduction has met quantitative targets, it remains somewhat mechanical and has not truly linked with restructuring and enhancing the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees according to job positions. 

The natural and mechanical population increase due to free migration in provinces with many industrial zones and developed urban areas has led to a significant rise in the number of students and the scale of schools and classes, resulting in a substantial demand for additional teachers in localities. Additionally, the continued requirement for staffing reduction as per the Party’s Conclusion No. 40-KL/TW poses challenges and difficulties for ministries and sectors in the context of increasing work complexity and volume, with higher quality requirements.

– Developing job positions is a challenging task that must be done cautiously and gradually. It must both generalize the work requirements of agencies, organizations, and units and meet the demands of organizing and streamlining the apparatus, ensuring that the right people are assigned to the right jobs, aligning with socio-economic development orientations and requirements. Quantifying work and determining output products are very difficult, making it challenging to accurately determine civil servant staffing, the number of people corresponding to job positions, and the structure of civil servant grades and public employee professional titles.

– The quality of the team of officials, civil servants, and public employees, including leaders and managers in some sectors, fields, agencies, units, and localities, remains limited and does not truly meet the requirements for rapid and sustainable development of the country during the period of industrialization, modernization, and international economic integration.

– The structure of officials, civil servants, and public employees does not truly meet task requirements.

– The recruitment, utilization, appointment, and dismissal of officials, civil servants, and public employees holding leadership and management positions in some agencies and organizations still have limitations and inadequacies, with some content being formalistic and not fully complying with legal regulations.

– The training and fostering of officials and civil servants have not undergone significant innovation and are not truly effective.

– Corruption, negativity, and harassment of the people still occur among some officials and civil servants. Administrative discipline and order are not strict; the inspection and supervision of public duties are not frequent; detecting negative cases is not timely and limited; handling officials and civil servants violating the law is not thorough.

– Although there have been certain innovations in the evaluation and classification of officials, civil servants, and public employees, the annual evaluation and classification results of ministries, sectors, and localities do not reflect the actual task performance of the team of officials, civil servants, and public employees, and are not linked with reviewing, screening, and removing from the apparatus those officials and civil servants who do not meet standards, lack qualities and capabilities.

2.3. Causes

2.3.1. Subjective Causes

– The overall model of the political system’s organizational apparatus has not been perfected, with some parts and fields not meeting the requirements and tasks of the new period.

– The awareness and responsibility of institutional and policy advisory agencies by sector and field are still limited and inadequate, lacking determination and thoroughness in institutional development and completion and consistently implementing the spirit of streamlined, efficient, and effective organizational reform, promoting decentralization and delegation as per the Central Committee’s resolutions and the provisions of the 2013 Constitution, the Law on Government Organization, and the Law on Local Government Organization.

– In some government terms, there has been a lack of consistency in reorganizing and consolidating the Government’s organizational structure and addressing overlapping functions and tasks among ministries and sectors due to multiple legal procedures and processes. Additionally, provisions of specialized laws still have overlaps, leading to intersections in functions and tasks among ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

– The heads of some ministries and sectors have not been determined and resolute in implementing assigned tasks, especially in organizing a streamlined apparatus and reducing intermediate levels; some ministries and sectors still have a mentality of avoidance, fear of conflict, and protecting sectoral interests; they have not been thorough, resolute, or proactive in inspecting, monitoring, and promptly detecting and handling violations in public service activities within their sectors and fields.

– The capacity, responsibility, and administrative discipline of some officials, civil servants, and public employees are limited. The research, policy proposal, and advisory capacity of some officials, civil servants, and public employees do not meet requirements; work coordination is still slow. The mindset of law development and enforcement in some officials and civil servants has not been renewed, not keeping pace with practical requirements, not fully appreciating the market’s role in mobilizing and allocating social resources, not fully understanding the significance, importance, and urgency of promoting decentralization and delegation linked with strengthening inspection, monitoring, and power control to enhance state management effectiveness in sectors and fields, meeting practical needs.

– Organizing and streamlining the apparatus in the political system in general, including public service units, is challenging and complex, affecting the provision of public services to the public and society, as well as the rights of related units and individuals, requiring time and a roadmap for implementation to achieve a shift from collective and individual awareness to action.

2.3.2. Objective Causes

– The issue of reorganizing and consolidating the apparatus in the spirit of Resolution 18-NQ/TW is sensitive and complex, requiring comprehensive institutional completion, legal basis, and careful implementation with an appropriate roadmap.

– The socio-economic landscape is rapidly changing, with many new social relationships emerging and difficult to predict; the impact of both domestic and international factors, especially the Covid-19 pandemic, has affected society’s operations and the Government’s activities.

2.4. Lessons Learned

Firstly, adhere closely to the Party’s policies and practical task requirements, creating high unity in awareness and action in renewing and reorganizing the state administrative apparatus from central to local levels, in line with renewing and reorganizing the streamlined and effective political system apparatus, ensuring harmonious integration between inheritance, stability, renewal, and development. Ensure comprehensiveness, consistency, and continuous implementation of the state administrative system, meeting immediate and long-term requirements, developing and aligning with social movement trends.

Secondly, achieve high unity from the Party’s policies and guidelines, concentrated leadership and direction from the Government, especially the Prime Minister, and the genuine, determined, and resolute participation of policy-making advisory agencies, including the role of ministry and sector heads. In implementation, maintain high political determination, significant efforts, and resolute actions; develop specific, focused, and phased plans; identify resources and clearly assign tasks, emphasizing collective and individual responsibility, especially of the heads.

Thirdly, focus on completing institutions towards promoting decentralization and delegation in line with the principles of organization and operation of agencies within the state administrative apparatus from central to local levels, linked with strengthening inspection, monitoring, and effective power control, ensuring the Government’s unified management. At the same time, foster the proactive, creative, and responsible role of each level and sector, and enhance accountability in implementing decentralized and delegated contents. Accordingly, the Government, ministries, and ministerial-level agencies focus on macro-management, developing strategies, plans, institutions, mechanisms, and policies.

Fourthly, emphasize political and ideological education, uphold the spirit of responsibility and exemplary role of party members; promote propaganda work, creating unity in awareness and action among officials, party members, civil servants, public employees, and workers, and garner public consensus in implementing the resolution.

Fifthly, harmonize the relationship between state, collective, and individual interests; address appropriate policies and regimes for officials, civil servants, and public employees, especially those directly affected by organizational rearrangement and staffing reduction.

III. PROPOSED TASKS, SOLUTIONS, AND OPTIONS FOR REORGANIZING AND STREAMLINING THE APPARATUS

1. Options for Reorganizing and Streamlining the Government’s Apparatus

Based on the Central Directing Committee’s guiding principles and synthesizing proposals from ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies, the Government’s Party Committee has identified viewpoints, objectives, principles, and options for reorganizing and streamlining the Government’s apparatus as follows:

1.1. Viewpoints, Objectives, and Principles

1.1.1. Viewpoints

(1) Thoroughly grasp and concretize the directives and requirements of the Politburo, the Central Committee, and the instructions of General Secretary Tô Lâm on continuing to implement Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, building a political system that is “STREAMLINED – STRONG – EFFICIENT – EFFECTIVE,” ensuring alignment with the Constitution, Political Platform, Party Charter, Central Committee resolutions, Politburo directives, meeting the requirements of building and perfecting a socialist rule-of-law state, developing a socialist-oriented market economy, and international integration; truly achieving a revolution in reorganizing and streamlining the apparatus.

(2) Uphold the principles of organization and operation and emphasize the discipline and order of the Party and State laws; strictly implement the principle of the Party’s unified leadership in renewing, reorganizing, and managing the organizational apparatus and staffing of the political system. Ensure the centralized and unified leadership and direction of the Central Committee, while promoting the positive, proactive, and creative roles of each level, sector, and locality; clearly define the responsibilities of the collective and individuals, especially the heads.

(3) Inherit achievements, continue innovating the Government in tandem with innovating the National Assembly and judicial agencies based on building a democratic, professional, modern, clean, strong Government, ensuring transparent, innovative, smooth, effective, and efficient operations. Fully utilize the position, role, functions, tasks, and powers of the Government as the highest state administrative agency, exercising executive power, and as the executive body of the National Assembly as per the 2013 Constitution and other laws.

(4) Create consensus and unity in the entire political system in the process of reorganizing and proposing options for consolidating the apparatus. Ensure the participation of the entire political system with high determination, significant efforts, resolute and effective actions. Centralized and unified leadership; continuous, consistent, active, and strong implementation with focus and clarity, ensuring a steady roadmap and progress, meeting both immediate and long-term requirements.

(5) Implement the principle of one agency performing multiple tasks and assigning one task to one leading agency responsible for its execution. The model and scale of the apparatus must align with the nature, characteristics, functions, and tasks of each agency, unit, and locality. Develop options, fully prepare necessary conditions to reorganize the apparatus, officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers upon decisions by competent authorities. The new apparatus must be better than the old one and immediately operational, without work interruptions, time gaps, vacant areas, or fields, and without affecting the normal activities of society and the people.

1.1.2. Objectives

Continue to perfect the functions, tasks, powers, and consolidate the organizational structure of the XV Government, ensuring it is streamlined, effective, and efficient based on the reasonable organization of multi-sector, multi-field ministries; fully utilize the position, role, functions, tasks, and powers of the Government as stipulated in the Constitution to build a democratic, professional, modern, clean, strong, transparent Government that serves the People, strengthens smooth management from central to local levels, based on reasonable decentralization and delegation, meeting the requirements of building and perfecting a socialist rule-of-law state in Vietnam.

1.1.3. Principles

(1) Adhere closely to the reorganization direction as required by Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and the Central Directing Committee’s requirements for summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW.

(2) Reasonably organize multi-sector, multi-field ministries, implementing the principle of one agency performing multiple tasks and one task assigned to one leading agency responsible for its execution, ensuring no overlaps, intersections, no missing functions or tasks, and enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of state management.

(3) Enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of state management operations, meeting the conditions for building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law state in Vietnam in the new period.

1.2. Options for Reorganizing and Streamlining the Organizational Apparatus under Government Management

1.2.1. General Tasks

(1) Agencies and organizations shall terminate the activities of party committees, develop plans to establish Party Committees, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies under the Government’s Party Committee; simultaneously, build working regulations and working relationships of the ministry’s Party Committee after reorganizing the apparatus of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies, ensuring alignment with the Central Directing Committee’s direction for reorganization and streamlining.

(2) Reorganize and streamline the apparatus of the Government and internal organizations of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies (reducing a minimum of 15%-20% of internal organizational units excluding merged organizations with overlapping functions and tasks when implementing merger plans for ministries) based on the aforementioned viewpoints, objectives, and principles, ensuring alignment with the Central Directing Committee’s direction for reorganization and streamlining; concurrently, review all activities of the Directing Committees to terminate unnecessary ones, retaining only those with essential functions and tasks.

(3) Reorganize the apparatus linked with staffing reduction for officials, civil servants, and public employees, restructure, and enhance the quality of the team, improving state management efficiency to meet task requirements in the new situation.

(4) Propose regimes and policies for officials, civil servants, and public employees, ensuring their rights when reorganizing the apparatus of the political system.

(5) Guide the reorganization and streamlining of specialized agencies under the provincial and district People’s Committees, aligning with the Government’s apparatus reorganization and streamlining, ensuring consistency, unity, and interconnectivity in state management by sector from central to district levels.

(6) Review the legal documents related to the Government’s apparatus to propose solutions during reorganization; develop and issue regulations on functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies.

(7) Develop plans to manage finances, budgets, public assets, and transition the management of public investment projects during the reorganization and consolidation of the political system’s apparatus.

1.2.2. Specific Options for Reorganizing the Government’s Apparatus

1.2.2.1. Terminating the Activities of the Government’s Party Committee, Establishing the Government’s Party Committee

Terminate the activities of the Government’s Party Committee; establish the Government’s Party Committee directly under the Central Committee. The Government’s Party Committee will include the Party Committees of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies (excluding the Army Party Committee and the Public Security Party Committee, which will remain directly under the Central Committee). The Party Committees of enterprises currently under the Party Committee of the Central Business Bloc will be transferred to the Government’s Party Committee, along with one Party Committee of the Government Party Committee’s agency.

The Government’s Party Committee will have an executive committee, standing committee, secretary, and deputy secretaries. The standing committee will consist of current members of the Government’s Party Committee and one specialized deputy secretary for party work. The Government’s Party Committee will have specialized advisory and assistance agencies as guided by the Central Committee, with dedicated officials and civil servants sourced from the Government’s Party Committee Office and the two Central Business Bloc Party Committees.

The Government’s Party Committee will be a Party Committee under the Central Committee, subject to direct and regular leadership and direction from the Politburo and the Secretariat.

1.2.2.2. For Ministries and Ministerial-Level Agencies

1. a) Maintain 07 ministries and ministerial-level agencies (with internal reorganization and streamlining)

– For ministries: (1) Ministry of National Defense; (2) Ministry of Public Security; (3) Ministry of Justice; (4) Ministry of Industry and Trade.

– For ministerial-level agencies: (1) Government Office; (2) Government Inspectorate; (3) State Bank of Vietnam.

The proposal to maintain these ministries and ministerial-level agencies is necessary, ensuring stability, continuity, and suitability with current practical requirements.

1. b) Structure, Reorganization, and Merger of Ministries and Ministerial-Level Agencies

– For Ministries Subject to Merger:

(1) Merger of the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance

+ Name: Ministry of Economy and Finance.

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance, and research and propose improvements to the draft functions and tasks of the Ministry of Economy and Finance based on the directives of the General Secretary as per Official Dispatch No. 33-CV/BCPĐ dated December 14, 2024, by the Central Directing Committee.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 66 units (including 9 units from the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises and Vietnam Social Security), reduced to 35 units after reorganization, a reduction of 31 units, equivalent to 47%. Specifically, reorganize the General Departments and equivalent organizations as follows:

Reorganize the General Department of Taxation into the State Tax, equivalent to a department-level organization (with 12 departments/offices), and reorganize the Tax Departments of 63 provinces and cities into 35 regional Tax Departments, equivalent to sub-department level; reorganize 420 district-level and inter-district Tax Sub-departments into 350 regional tax teams. After reorganization, the units will be reduced by approximately 1,005/4,141 (24.27%).

Reorganize the General Department of Customs into Vietnam Customs, equivalent to a department-level organization (with 12 departments/offices), and reorganize 35 regional Customs Departments into 20 regional Customs Departments, equivalent to sub-department level; reorganize 181 Customs Sub-departments into 165 border and non-border customs units, equivalent to team level. After reorganization, the units will be reduced by approximately 485/902 (53.77%).

Reorganize the State Treasury (general department level) into the State Treasury, equivalent to a department-level organization (10 departments/offices), and reorganize 63 provincial State Treasuries into 35 regional State Treasuries, equivalent to sub-department level. After reorganization, the units will be reduced by approximately 431/1,049 (41.09%).

Reorganize the General Department of State Reserves into the State Reserves, equivalent to a department-level organization (with 7 departments); reorganize 22 regional State Reserves into 15 regional State Reserves, equivalent to sub-department level.

Reorganize the General Department of Statistics into the State Statistics, equivalent to a department-level organization (with 16 units), and reorganize 63 provincial Statistics Departments into 63 provincial State Statistics, equivalent to sub-department level; reorganize 565 district-level Statistics Sub-departments into regional teams, reducing 15-20% of units.

– Reorganize Vietnam Social Security into a public service unit under the Ministry of Finance, with 14 departments (reducing 7 units); reorganize the internal structure of 63 provincial Social Security offices (reducing 126/513 offices); reorganize 640 district Social Security offices into 350 regional Social Security offices (inter-district), eliminating 147 task teams (reducing 651/1,465 units, equivalent to 44.4%).

– Transfer the ownership rights, duties, and responsibilities for 18 state-owned corporations currently managed by the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises (except for MobiFone Corporation, which will be transferred to the Ministry of Public Security as proposed by the Ministry of Public Security) to the Department of Corporate Finance, Department of Enterprise Development, some functional departments, and the office of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, ensuring no increase in the number of units after receiving these 18 corporations.

+ Staffing after the merger of the two Ministries and associated units: 71,875 civil servant positions; 18,238 public employee positions.

(2) Merger of the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Transport

+ Name: Ministry of Construction and Transport.

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Transport.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 42 units, reduced to 24 units after reorganization, a reduction of 18 units, equivalent to 43%.

+ Staffing after the merger of the two Ministries: 2,080 civil servant positions; 619 public employee positions.

(3) Merger of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

+ Name: Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 55 units, reduced to 31 units after reorganization, a reduction of 24 units, equivalent to 43.6%.

+ Staffing after the merger of the two Ministries: 2,900 civil servant positions; 1,388 public employee positions.

(4) Merger of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs

+ Name: Ministry of Home Affairs and Labor.

+ Functions and Tasks: Perform the current functions and tasks of the Ministry of Home Affairs and state management functions over labor, wages, employment, people with meritorious services, occupational safety and hygiene, social insurance, and gender equality from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs; transfer the state management function of vocational education from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs to the Ministry of Education and Training;

transfer the state management function of social protection, children, prevention, and control of social evils (with drug detoxification and post-detoxification management tasks transferred to the Ministry of Public Security) from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs to the Ministry of Health; transfer the state management function of poverty reduction from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs to the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 35 units (excluding units transferred to the Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Health, and Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs); after reorganization, there will be 23 units, reducing by 12 units, equivalent to a 35% reduction. Additionally, the Ministry of Home Affairs will coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics to develop a plan to merge the National Academy of Public Administration into the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and coordinate with the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs to reorganize the Government Committee for Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs.

+ Staffing after the merger of the two Ministries: 870 civil servant positions; 251 public employee positions.

(5) Merger of the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Science and Technology

+ Option 1: Based on Conclusion No. 09-KL/BCD, merge the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Science and Technology to perform state management functions over science, technology, and digital transformation; transfer the state management function over the press from the Ministry of Information and Communications to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Name: Ministry of Science, Technology, and Digital Transformation.

Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Information and Communications; transfer the state management function over the press from the Ministry of Information and Communications to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 42 units, reduced to 28 units after reorganization, a reduction of 14 units, equivalent to 33.3%.

Staffing: 1,495 civil servant positions; 352 public employee positions.

+ Option 2: Implement the option of the Government’s Directing Committee, specifically: merge the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Science and Technology into the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Communications.

Name: Ministry of Science, Technology, and Communications.

Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 47 units, reduced to 32 units after reorganization, a reduction of 15 units, equivalent to 32%.

Staffing after merging the two Ministries in their entirety: 1,652 civil servant positions; 352 public employee positions.

– For Ministries and Agencies Receiving Functions, Tasks, and Apparatus

Following Plan No. 141/KH-BCDTKNGQ18, the ministries and agencies (including the Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs) have developed reorganization and consolidation plans to receive functions, tasks, and organizational apparatus from other ministries and agencies as directed by the Central Directing Committee and the Government’s Directing Committee. Specifically:

(1) Ministry of Education and Training

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Education and Training and receive the state management function over vocational education from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs; take over the management of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 24 units (including the General Department of Vocational Education from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs); after reorganization, there will be 19 units, a reduction of 5 units, equivalent to 20.8%.

+ Staffing after Function and Task Transfer: 633 civil servant positions; 492 public employee positions.

(2) Ministry of Health

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Health and receive some tasks from the Central Health Protection Committee; take over the state management function of social protection, children, and prevention and control of social evils (with the drug detoxification and post-detoxification management tasks transferred to the Ministry of Public Security) from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 25 units (including 4 units received from the Central Health Protection Committee, Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs); after reorganization, there will be 21 units, a reduction of 4 units, equivalent to 16%.

+ Staffing after Function and Task Transfer: 762 civil servant positions; 296 public employee positions.

(3) Ministry of Foreign Affairs

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and take over the main tasks of the Central Foreign Affairs Committee, and the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee, including: (1) Research and strategic and policy advisory work on parliamentary diplomacy within the overall strategy of the Party and State’s foreign policy; (2) Planning, coordinating, and implementing foreign affairs activities of National Assembly leaders (outgoing and incoming delegations, high-level guests of the National Assembly Chairperson, and Deputy Chairpersons); (3) Leading and advising on hosting and participating in inter-parliamentary conferences; (4) Unified advisory implementation on state protocol.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 40 units (including 15 units received from the Central Foreign Affairs Committee and the National Assembly Office); after reorganization, there will be 25 units, a reduction of 15 units, equivalent to 37.5%.

+ Staffing after Function and Task Transfer: 1,111 civil servant positions; 380 public employee positions.

(4) Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs receiving the state management function over religion (Government Committee for Religious Affairs) from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

+ Name: Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs.

+ Functions and Tasks: Based on inheriting the functions and tasks of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and completing and supplementing the state management function over ethnic affairs; simultaneously, take over the state management function over religion (Government Committee for Religious Affairs) from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the task of poverty reduction from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 16 units (including the Government Committee for Religious Affairs); after reorganization, there will be 13 units, a reduction of 3 units, equivalent to 18.8%.

+ Staffing: 281 civil servant positions; 151 public employee positions.

– For Other Ministries and Agencies

Based on the Central Directing Committee’s directives and the Government’s Directing Committee, the ministries and agencies (including: Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Government Office, Government Inspectorate, and State Bank of Vietnam) have developed plans to reorganize and consolidate their internal structures. Specifically:

(1) Ministry of National Defense

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Management Board.

+ Organizational Structure: The Ministry of National Defense will continue to implement Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW dated January 17, 2022, by the Politburo on organizing the Vietnam People’s Army for the period 2021-2030 and beyond, and will have a separate proposal and report to the Politburo.

(2) Ministry of Public Security

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks of the Ministry of Public Security and plan to take on additional tasks from other ministries and agencies as stipulated by specialized laws and decisions of competent authorities (as proposed by the Ministry of Public Security in Document No. 3838-CV/ĐUCA dated December 18, 2024).

Following the conclusion of the sixth session of the Directing Committee (December 29, 2024) and the Prime Minister’s directives at the working session with the Ministry of Public Security (December 30, 2024), the Government’s Party Committee reports to the Politburo and Central Directing Committee on agreeing to transfer three groups of tasks currently assigned to other ministries and agencies to the Ministry of Public Security: (1) State management of drug detoxification and post-detoxification management (from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs); (2) State management of judicial records and provision of public services for issuing judicial record certificates (from the Ministry of Justice); (3) State management of motor vehicle driver testing and licensing as per the 2024 Law on Road Traffic Safety.

+ Organizational Structure: The Ministry of Public Security will continue to implement Resolution No. 12-NQ/TW dated March 16, 2022, by the Politburo on strengthening the construction of the People’s Public Security Forces, ensuring they are truly clean, strong, regular, elite, and modern, meeting new task requirements, and will have a separate proposal and report to the Politburo.

(3) Ministry of Justice

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Justice; transfer the state management function of judicial records and provision of public services for issuing judicial record certificates to the Ministry of Public Security.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 25 units, reduced to 20 units after reorganization, a reduction of 5 units, equivalent to 20%. Additionally, reorganize the General Department of Civil Judgment Enforcement into the Department of Civil Judgment Enforcement Management; reorganize the 63 provincial Civil Judgment Enforcement Departments into provincial judgment enforcement agencies (equivalent to sub-department level) under the Department of Civil Judgment Enforcement Management; reorganize the 694 district-level Civil Judgment Enforcement Sub-departments into 427 district or inter-district judgment enforcement teams.

+ Staffing: 818 civil servant positions; 839 public employee positions.

(4) Ministry of Industry and Trade

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 28 units, reduced to 23 units after reorganization, a reduction of 5 units, equivalent to 17.9%. Additionally, reorganize the General Department of Market Management (after transferring the 63 provincial Market Management Departments into 63 Market Management Sub-departments under the Departments of Industry and Trade) and the Domestic Market Department into the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development.

+ Staffing: 1,010 civil servant positions; 494 public employee positions.

(5) Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

+ Option 1: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall assume state management functions over the press from the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Name: Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Tourism.

Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and assume state management functions over the press from the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Organizational Structure: There are currently 30 units. After assuming state management functions over the press from the Ministry of Information and Communications and reorganizing, there will be 25 units, reducing by 5 units, a reduction of 16.7%.

Staffing: 843 civil servant positions; 241 public employee positions.

+ Option 2: Maintain the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and streamline the internal organizational structure, corresponding to the implementation of the merger option of the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherit the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Organizational Structure: There are currently 25 units. After rearrangement, there will be 21 units, reducing by 4 units, a reduction of 16%.

Staffing: 686 civil servant positions; 241 public employee positions.

(6) Government Office

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherits the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Government Office.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 20 units. After rearrangement, it reduces by 02 units, a reduction of 10%, ensuring suitability with the requirements for assisting the Government, the Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Ministers in all sectors and fields.

+ Staffing: 852 civil servant positions.

(7) Government Inspectorate

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherits the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Government Inspectorate.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 19 units. After rearrangement, there will be 16 units, reducing by 3 units, a reduction of 15.8%.

To strengthen inspection, supervision, and control work under the conditions of decentralizing and delegating authority to local governments, the Government’s Party Committee has assigned the Government Inspectorate to lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies to develop a plan to streamline the inspection system by administrative level, ensuring efficient and effective operation, based on reorganizing and restructuring the internal organization of the Government Inspectorate, and reorganizing and restructuring provincial and district inspectorates of 63 localities into 20 regional inspectorates. Consequently, the activities of provincial and district inspectorates will be terminated, maintaining specialized inspections under the professional agencies of the provincial People’s Committees (with a separate plan attached).

+ Staffing: 323 civil servant positions; 163 public employee positions.

(8) State Bank of Vietnam

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherits the functions and tasks currently assigned to the State Bank of Vietnam.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 23 units (excluding the Banking Academy as it is excluded from the Decree). After rearrangement, there will be 19 units, reducing by 4 units, a reduction of 17.4%. Simultaneously, rearranging the 63 provincial branches of the State Bank to 15 branches.

+ Staffing: 1,924 civil servant positions; 88 public employee positions.

1.2.2.3. For Government Agencies and Other Agencies

(1) Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherits the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 38 units. After reorganization, there will be 24 units, reducing by 14 units, a reduction of 36.8%.

+ Staffing: 2,220 public employee positions.

(2) Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherits the functions and tasks currently assigned to the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 38 units. After reorganization, there will be 26 units, reducing by 12 units, a reduction of 31.6%.

+ Staffing: 1,471 public employee positions.

(3) Vietnam Television

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherits the functions and tasks currently assigned to Vietnam Television and assumes related functions and tasks from People’s Television, National Assembly Television, News Television, VOV Television, and VTC Television. It also reorganizes and consolidates its internal structure and develops a restructuring plan to ensure the effective performance of its duties as the national television station with appropriate specialized channels.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 27 units. After reorganization, there will be 21 units, reducing by 6 units, a reduction of 22.2%.

(4) Voice of Vietnam

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inherits the functions and tasks currently assigned to Voice of Vietnam, focusing on building it as the national radio station, concentrating on print, electronic, and radio (VOYV) media to fulfill political tasks.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently, there are 26 units. After reorganization, there will be 21 units, reducing by 5 units, a reduction of 19.2%. This includes terminating the activities of VTC Digital Television and developing a plan to integrate VTC News Electronic Newspaper (a public non-business unit ensuring regular expenditure) into the organizational structure of Voice of Vietnam.

+ Staffing: 1,331 public employee positions.

(5) Vietnam News Agency

+ Functions and Tasks: Essentially inheriting the current functions and tasks assigned to the Vietnam News Agency, focusing on building the Vietnam News Agency as the national news agency.

+ Organizational Structure: Currently has 26 focal points; after reorganization, there will be 22 focal points, a reduction of 4 focal points, corresponding to a 15.4% decrease.

+ Staffing: 987 public employee positions.

(6) Transfer the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Management Board into the organizational structure of the Ministry of National Defense.

(7) Merge Vietnam Social Security into the Ministry of Economy and Finance, reorganizing Vietnam Social Security into a public non-business unit under the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

(8) Terminate the activities of the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises, transferring 18 state groups and corporations currently managed by the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises to the Ministry of Finance for management. Specifically, the MobiFone Telecommunications Corporation will be transferred to the Ministry of Public Security for management.

In implementing this plan, the party organization of 18 groups and corporations will be under the Government Party Committee. The Ministry of Finance will be the representative agency of ownership for these groups and corporations, handling tasks related to personnel management, enterprise financial management, and the efficiency of production and business operations. The sectoral management ministries will assist the Government in developing strategies for the development of these groups and corporations according to their main business sectors and fields.

Additionally, the Ministry of Economy and Finance will advise the Government and the Prime Minister to issue regulatory documents to decentralize the implementation of rights, obligations, and responsibilities of the owner representative to the Board of Members or Board of Directors at these groups and corporations, ensuring the enhancement of the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the groups and corporations. The Ministry of Home Affairs is assigned to submit to the Government the resolution to dissolve the Committee according to its authority.

(9) Terminate the activities of the National Financial Supervisory Commission, transferring its functions to the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank of Vietnam, and related agencies. The Ministry of Home Affairs is tasked with submitting to the Prime Minister the decision to dissolve the Commission according to its authority.

(10) Regarding the two National Universities: The Ministry of Education and Training shall coordinate with the two National Universities to develop a plan to transfer the two National Universities to be managed by the Ministry of Education and Training (when drafting the Decree stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training, it will clearly define the management of the two National Universities by the Ministry of Education and Training). Concerning the operational mechanisms and specific policies for the two National Universities, the Ministry of Education and Training is responsible for leading and coordinating with relevant ministries to draft and submit to the Government a Decree regarding the two National Universities.

1.2.3. Plan for Rearranging Internal Organizations within Ministries and Ministerial-level Agencies

1.2.3.1. For General Departments and Equivalent Organizations

The Government’s Directing Committee has directed ministries and sectors to reorganize all 13 General Departments and equivalent organizations into departments and equivalent organizations under ministries and sectors, terminating the General Department model under ministries.

1.2.3.2. For Departments, Offices, and Public Non-business Units

1. a) For units with comprehensive advisory functions:Each ministry shall maintain only one focal organization corresponding to the following fields: (1) Personnel Organization, (2) Legal Affairs, (3) International Cooperation, (4) Office, (5) Financial Planning, (6) Inspection.
2. b) For departments and offices performing advisory functions and organizing the implementation of specialized state management tasks:

– Review, reorganize, and consolidate these organizations to be streamlined and appropriate with state management requirements for sectors and fields, maintaining only departments and offices with specialized management objects, ensuring they meet the criteria and conditions stipulated by the Government.

– Departments and offices with interconnected and related tasks should be reorganized and consolidated into a single focal organization.

– Generally, offices are not converted into departments, except in cases where it is necessary to strengthen the decentralization of authority in accordance with the state management functions of the ministry.

1. c) For public non-business units:Rearrange and consolidate public non-business units according to the requirements of Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017, of the 6th Conference of the 12th Central Committee, the Central Directing Committee on summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the Directing Committee on summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the Government’s regulations, and the Prime Minister’s directives, including:

(1) For ministries and ministerial-level agencies:

– For non-business units within the organizational structure: Only maintain public non-business units that perform the function of serving state management, associated with internal organizational rearrangement, ensuring streamlining and meeting the criteria for establishing organizations as prescribed.

– For public non-business units outside the organizational structure (public non-business units under ministries, outside the Decree stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of ministries and sectors):

+ Only retain units that serve political tasks and leading units associated with the state management functions and tasks of ministries and sectors, meeting the criteria and conditions for establishment as prescribed, and in accordance with the network planning of public non-business units by sector and field. Convert to joint-stock companies when meeting the conditions prescribed by law. Simultaneously, review and rearrange the internal organizational structure of public non-business units, ensuring compliance with the Government’s criteria for establishing organizations and the requirement of streamlining organizational structure.

+ Vocational education institutions (colleges, intermediate schools): Rearrange according to Decision No. 73/QD-TTg dated February 10, 2023, of the Prime Minister approving the network planning of vocational education institutions for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045, including 4 levels: national, regional, sectoral, and provincial, ensuring that by the end of 2025, vocational education institutions will be self-financing for regular expenditures.

+ Academies, universities, and colleges: Ensure self-financing for regular expenditures by 2025, and simultaneously review and rearrange according to the network planning of educational and training institutions, enhancing financial autonomy in accordance with the roadmap for full cost recovery of public service prices by sector and field.

+ For hospitals: Only retain hospitals under the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security; a few leading specialized hospitals, and hospitals of universities. By the end of 2025, medical examination and treatment facilities (except those operating in specific medical fields) will be public non-business units that self-finance regular expenditures or more.

+ For non-business units under offices, departments under ministries, and departments under General Departments under ministries: Rearrange public non-business units that provide basic and essential public services related to sectors and fields under the management scope, ensuring streamlining, effective, and efficient operation. Other public non-business units must self-finance regular expenditures or more.

+ For the remaining public non-business units: Improve operational efficiency and financial autonomy. Develop financial autonomy plans and convert to joint-stock companies when meeting the conditions prescribed by law.

(2) For agencies under the Government: Rearrange and reorganize public non-business units within the management scope in a streamlined manner to ensure effective and efficient operation. This will be done in accordance with the principle that one public non-business unit can provide multiple similar public services, significantly reducing the number of focal points, and addressing overlapping, fragmented, and duplicated functions and tasks.

1.3. Results of the Organizational Restructuring and Streamlining of the Government

1.3.1. Organizational Structure of the 15th Government (Term 2021-2026)

According to the direction of the Central Directing Committee and based on the implementation of the aforementioned plan, the organizational structure of the 15^th Government is streamlined as follows:

– There are 14 Ministries and 3 ministerial-level agencies (reduced by 5 ministries and ministerial-level agencies), including: (1) Ministry of National Defense; (2) Ministry of Public Security; (3) Ministry of Justice; (4) Ministry of Industry and Trade; (5) Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Tourism (or Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism); (6) Ministry of Foreign Affairs; (7) Ministry of Education and Training; (8) Ministry of Health; (9) Ministry of Economy and Finance; (10) Ministry of Construction and Transportation;

(11) Ministry of Agriculture and Environment; (12) Ministry of Science, Technology and Digital Transformation (or Ministry of Science, Technology and Communications); (13) Ministry of Home Affairs and Labor; (14) Ministry of Ethnic Affairs and Religion; (15) Government Office; (16) Government Inspectorate; (17) State Bank of Vietnam.

– There are 5 government agencies (reduced by 3 government agencies), including: (1) Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology; (2) Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; (3) Vietnam Television; (4) Voice of Vietnam; (5) Vietnam News Agency.

1.3.2. On Internal Organization of Ministries, Ministerial-level Agencies, and Government Agencies after Reorganization

Following the principle of streamlining the organizational structure of the Government, the Government Party Committee has directed the reorganization and streamlining of internal organizational focal points for the agencies, the specific results are as follows:

– Reduced all 13 General Departments and equivalent organizations.

– Reduced 451 departments and equivalent organizations (including a reduction of 55 departments and equivalent organizations under ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies, and a reduction of 396 departments and equivalent organizations under General Departments).

– Reduced 214 offices and equivalent organizations (including a reduction of 116 offices and equivalent organizations under ministries and ministerial-level agencies, and a reduction of 98 offices and equivalent organizations under General Departments).

– Reduced 2,666 sub-departments and equivalent organizations.

– Reduced 201 public non-business units (including public non-business units not stipulated in the Decree defining the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies).

1.3.3. General Assessment

After streamlining the focal points and adjusting the state management functions and tasks of ministries and ministerial-level agencies, the overlapping issues have been fundamentally addressed. This plan has advantages, limitations, and impacts as follows:

– Advantages:

+ Perfecting the multi-sector, multi-field management ministry model for certain fields as required by Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, 19-NQ/TW, Resolution No. 56/2017/QH14, Conclusion No. 74-KL/TW, Conclusion No. 50-KL/TW, Conclusion No. 62-KL/TW, and the directives of General Secretary To Lam. This also includes reasonable adjustments in state management assignments for certain sectors and fields, addressing overlapping and intersecting functions and tasks among ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

+ Along with the reorganization of the Government’s structure, the internal organizations of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies will be reorganized to be streamlined, effective, and efficient. Additionally, restructuring the workforce of officials, civil servants, and public employees to improve the quality of the workforce and thoroughly reduce staff, in line with policies to attract talented individuals into the public sector as directed by the Politburo and the Central Committee of the Party.

– Limitations:

+ Due to the large number of agencies involved in the reorganization and the wide scope of impact, it is inevitable that it will affect the mindset of officials, civil servants, and public employees, especially those in leadership positions.

+ Implementing this reorganization plan will result in a large scale and scope of certain multi-sector, multi-field management ministries, imposing high demands on the leadership of ministries and their leadership teams. Therefore, careful preparation in personnel work is necessary to ensure the synchronous and effective implementation of the plan.

– Impact Assessment:

+ The reorganization of the Government’s apparatus involves adjusting the names, functions, and tasks of some ministries and ministerial-level agencies, as stipulated in specialized laws. To ensure consistency and uniformity in implementation after reorganization, when submitting to the National Assembly a resolution to establish certain ministries based on the reorganization of some ministries and ministerial-level agencies of the Government for the 15^th National Assembly term, there should be a provision to transition the functions, tasks, and powers of the ministries and ministerial-level agencies subject to reorganization, as defined in specialized laws, international treaties, and international commitments, to the ministries as specified in this resolution.

+ To mitigate the impact of the reorganization and streamlining of the Government’s apparatus on officials, civil servants, and public employees, the Government Party Committee has directed the development of strong and outstanding policies for those affected by the reorganization process. These policies aim to reduce ideological and psychological pressure on officials, civil servants, and public employees, and to ensure their rights during the reorganization and streamlining of the Government’s apparatus.

2. Regarding Other Tasks and Solutions

2.1. On Developing the Proposal for Terminating the Activities of the Government’s Party Committee and Establishing the Government’s Party Committee

According to the assigned tasks, the Government Party Committee has developed the Proposal for terminating the activities of the Government’s Party Committee and establishing the Government’s Party Committee, and has submitted it to the Central Directing Committee (with a separate submission). Simultaneously, it has prepared a plan for receiving and arranging the staff of the Party Committee of Central Agencies and the Party Committee of Central Enterprises. Based on this, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies will study, develop, and implement the establishment of Party Committees under the Government’s Party Committee.

2.2. Regarding the Regime and Policies for Officials, Civil Servants, Public Employees, and Workers During the Reorganization and Streamlining of the Administrative Apparatus; Guidelines for Arranging and Reassigning Officials, Civil Servants, Public Employees, and Workers under Labor Contracts during the Reorganization of the Administrative Apparatus

In implementing the policy of reorganizing and streamlining the administrative apparatus associated with staff reduction and restructuring, and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees as required by the Central Directing Committee, strong and prominent regimes and policies have been developed to address the regimes and policies for officials, civil servants, public employees, commune-level officials, civil servants, and workers under labor contracts due to the reorganization of the administrative apparatus and administrative units of the political system.

The Government Party Committee submitted Report No. 3740-TTr/BCSDCP dated December 22, 2024, to the Politburo regarding the draft Government Decree on the regime and policies for officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers during the reorganization of the political system’s apparatus. The report identifies groups of regimes and policies for each subject for the competent authorities to review.

On December 25, 2024, the Politburo held a meeting and provided feedback; based on this, the Ministry of Home Affairs completed the draft Decree, sent it to the Ministry of Justice for appraisal on December 26, 2024, and incorporated feedback for the Government to issue Decree No. 178/2024/ND-CP on December 31, 2024, regarding the policies and regimes for officials, civil servants, public employees, workers, and armed forces during the reorganization of the political system’s apparatus.

Additionally, the Ministry of Home Affairs submitted for the Government’s issuance of Decree No. 179/2024/ND-CP on December 31, 2024, stipulating policies to attract and retain talented individuals to work in administrative agencies and public non-business units of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and socio-political organizations; and Decree No. 177/2024/ND-CP on December 31, 2024, stipulating the regimes and policies for cases of non-reelection, reappointment, and officials retiring according to their wishes.

Moreover, to guide the uniform implementation of the arrangement and reassignment of officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers during the reorganization of the administrative apparatus, the Government assigned the Ministry of Home Affairs to study, develop, and issue Document No. 7968/BNV-CCVC dated December 8, 2024, on the orientation for developing plans for arranging and reassigning officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers under labor contracts during the reorganization of the administrative apparatus. Based on this, ministries, sectors, and localities are urged to promptly study, develop, and complete the plans for arranging and reassigning officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers during the reorganization of the administrative apparatus.

2.3. On the Orientation for the Organization of Specialized Agencies under Provincial and District People’s Committees

To ensure consistency, uniformity, and connectivity in state management of sectors and fields from the central to district levels, while also reducing internal focal points, staff, and restructuring to enhance the quality of officials and public employees, the Government Directing Committee issued Document No. 24/CV-BCDTKNQ18 dated December 18, 2024, providing orientation and suggestions on the organization of specialized agencies under provincial and district People’s Committees. Based on this, localities will complete their plans and implement them uniformly after receiving the Central Committee’s conclusions on reorganizing the apparatus within the entire political system.

A preliminary summary of the reorganization plans for specialized agencies under the provincial and district People’s Committees of 63 localities is expected to reduce 340 specialized agencies under provincial People’s Committees and reduce 1,438 specialized agencies under district People’s Committees.

2.4. On Reviewing the System of Legal Documents Affected by the Reorganization of the Administrative Apparatus

The Ministry of Justice issued Document No. 7083/BTP-KTraVB dated December 9, 2024, providing guidance and urging ministries, sectors, and agencies to review the system of legal documents related to the reorganization of the administrative apparatus. It compiled the review results from ministries, sectors, and agencies, proposed solutions to address obstacles, and reported to the Government for consideration and decision, ensuring no legal gaps during the reorganization process (Report No. 540/BC-BTP dated December 25, 2024, of the Ministry of Justice on the results of reviewing the system of legal documents affected by the reorganization of the administrative apparatus).

The review of legal documents by 22 out of 22 ministries and ministerial-level agencies showed that a total of 5,026 documents were directly affected by the reorganization of the administrative apparatus (including: 160 laws and codes, 08 resolutions of the National Assembly, 10 ordinances, 02 resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, 833 decrees, 01 resolution of the Government, 287 decisions of the Prime Minister, 03 directives of the Prime Minister, and 3,722 ministerial-level documents). Among these:

– The group of legal documents related solely to the change of names of agencies, organizations, and units includes 2,804 documents (including: 95 laws, 07 resolutions of the National Assembly, 09 ordinances, 02 resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, 520 decrees, 01 resolution of the Government, 179 decisions of the Prime Minister, 03 directives of the Prime Minister, and 1,988 ministerial-level documents).

– The group of legal documents with content that “needs immediate handling” (other than changing the names), includes 1,897 documents (including 58 laws, 1 resolution of the National Assembly, 270 decrees, 89 decisions of the Prime Minister, and 346 ministerial-level documents), among these, there are issues of a general nature among ministries and issues of a specific nature unique to each ministry, sector.

(1) Legal documents that need immediate handling but can be addressed using general principles: 716 documents (including 55 laws, 01 resolution of the National Assembly, 237 decrees, 79 decisions of the Prime Minister, and 344 ministerial-level documents).

(2) Legal documents that need immediate handling but are specific in nature and cannot be addressed using general principles, thus requiring amendments and additions of specific content: 70 documents (including 07 laws, 36 decrees, 11 decisions of the Prime Minister, and 16 ministerial-level documents).

– The group of legal documents that need handling but are not urgent enough to require immediate action (to be amended according to a timeline): 326 documents (including 07 laws, 01 ordinance, 44 decrees, 19 decisions of the Prime Minister, and 255 ministerial-level documents).

Based on this, along with the proposal to the National Assembly to issue a Resolution on the organizational structure of the Government for the 15^th National Assembly term and a Resolution on the number of members of the Government for the 15^th National Assembly term, at the extraordinary session in February 2025 of the 15^th National Assembly, the Government will report to the National Assembly to issue a “Resolution (or Law) on handling arising issues related to the reorganization of the administrative apparatus” to adjust and address several issues as follows:

– The change of names due to the transfer, reception, and merger of functions, tasks, and powers of agencies, organizations, and units.

– Other general issues at ministries and ministerial-level agencies to prevent disruption of normal activities of the state apparatus, people, and enterprises, such as: the reception, transfer, and execution of tasks and powers; the authority to impose administrative penalties; the implementation of specialized inspection functions; resolving some difficulties and challenges when agencies change their organizational model; and resolving administrative procedures related to people and enterprises….

– Transitional issues related to the use of seals, office premises, assets, and budgets of agencies, organizations, and units; and documents and materials issued by authorized agencies and individuals before the reorganization of the administrative apparatus…

2.5. On Developing Plans for Financial, Budgetary, and Public Asset Management, and Transition of Public Investment Project Management during the Reorganization and Consolidation of the Administrative Apparatus

The Ministry of Finance issued Document No. 13749/BTC-NSNN dated December 14, 2024, providing guidelines for handling financial, budgetary, and public asset management during the reorganization and consolidation of the Government’s administrative apparatus. The Ministry of Planning and Investment issued Document No. 10304/BC-BKHDT dated December 13, 2024, providing guidelines for managing the transition of public investment projects during the reorganization and consolidation of the Government’s administrative apparatus. Accordingly, during the reorganization of the administrative apparatus, agencies, organizations, and units will research, develop plans for financial, budgetary, and public asset management, and transition of public investment project management, and organize effective implementation to ensure compliance with legal regulations.

3. Recommendations and Proposals for General and Breakthrough Solutions

3.1. General Solutions

3.1.1. Provide unified direction throughout the entire political system on implementing the policy of streamlining the organizational apparatus, improving operational effectiveness and efficiency, reducing staff, restructuring, and enhancing the quality of the cadre, civil servants, and public employees to meet the requirements of the new era.

3.1.2. Implement comprehensive solutions related to reorganizing the streamlined and efficient apparatus, reducing staff according to the directives and orientations of the Politburo and the Central Directing Committee.

3.1.3. Along with reorganizing and streamlining the administrative system’s apparatus, simplify processes, decisively eliminate unnecessary procedures and regulations, and prioritize building framework principles instead of unnecessarily detailing regulations.

3.2. Breakthrough Solutions

3.2.1. Improving Institutions

– Streamline the institutional system to create strong new momentum to promote economic development, ensuring growth targets in the coming period, and bringing the country into a new era. Improve institutions to promote decentralization and delegation, clearly delineating the authority of the National Assembly, judicial bodies, and executive bodies. Accordingly, develop and promulgate the (amended) Law on Government Organization and the (amended) Law on Local Government Organization, forming the basis for clearly defining the authority of each level and sector in specialized laws.

– Improve institutions to promote decentralization and delegation to local governments, enhancing the autonomy and accountability of agencies, units, and levels of government, while strengthening the accountability of heads, controlling power, and allocating resources.

– Review and perfect legal documents related to the organizational apparatus, stipulating the functions, tasks, and powers of agencies in the political system to avoid legal gaps, ensuring seamless, synchronized, and continuous operation of agencies and units after the reorganization of the apparatus.

– Monitor the implementation of regimes and policies for officials, civil servants, public employees, workers, and armed forces during the reorganization of the political system’s apparatus, and promptly report to the competent authorities for amendments and supplements as appropriate.

3.2.2. Enhancing the Quality of Officials, Civil Servants, and Public Employees

– Link the reorganization of the apparatus with the restructuring and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees to meet task requirements. Research and promulgate breakthrough policies and solutions to attract and retain talented individuals in the public sector; develop strategies for training, restructuring, and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees; and effectively implement the work of evaluation and classification.

– Pay attention to selecting the heads of agencies, organizations, and units after the reorganization of the apparatus who are capable and dedicated to ensuring improved quality and efficiency after the reorganization.

3.2.3. Promoting Tradition and the Spirit of Great National Unity

Highly promote the tradition of solidarity, culture, self-reliance, and resilience of the nation, the entire political system, the cadre, party members, and the whole society, taking the people as the center to create great motivation for the country to enter a new era, the era of national advancement.

4. Recommendations for Amending, Supplementing, or Issuing New Party Policies and State Laws

To ensure the effective and substantive reorganization and streamlining of the apparatus, associated with restructuring and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees, while addressing the policies for those affected by the reorganization, the following policy regulations are recommended:

4.1. Review, amend, and supplement the Party’s regulations on the management of the apparatus and the management of the cadre and Party members to be appropriate. Provide guidance within the political system to review and appoint leadership levels in agencies, organizations, and units after the reorganization, especially the heads, thereby selecting individuals with sufficient capacity, dedication, and appropriate for the tasks.

4.2. Amend and supplement legal documents related to the organizational apparatus, decentralization, and delegation in a synchronized manner; review and amend overlapping, inadequate, and development-hindering documents with urgency to promptly clear bottlenecks and create a conducive environment for development for people and enterprises, providing significant motivation for the country’s socio-economic development.

1. RECOMMENDATIONS
2. Recommendations to the Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat

1.1. Issue resolutions and conclusions of the Central Committee and the Politburo on the reorganization and streamlining of the political system’s apparatus, serving as a basis for uniform and consistent implementation nationwide.

1.2. Continue to decisively, comprehensively, and uniformly direct the Party, National Assembly, and Government agencies to ensure the reorganization and streamlining of the political system’s apparatus meet the requirements of “STREAMLINED – STRONG – EFFECTIVE – EFFICIENT” as directed by the General Secretary.

1.3. Direct agencies within the political system to deeply instill in all officials, civil servants, and public employees, especially the heads of each level and sector, the requirements of the reorganization and streamlining revolution of the political system’s apparatus. Timely motivate and reward exemplary, serious, and well-performing agencies, organizations, units, and individuals, and take measures against those who evade or lack determination in implementing the Central Directing Committee’s requirements.

1.4. For ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies with broad state management scope after reorganization, prepare in advance for key personnel, selecting suitable individuals who meet task requirements and possess sufficient capacity, qualities, qualifications, and reputation to lead and manage in the new situation.

1.5. Regularly review, summarize, and evaluate the effectiveness of the organizational apparatus of agencies within the political system. Based on this, continue to orient and perfect the organizational apparatus, ensuring it is streamlined, strong, effective, and efficient, in line with practical requirements and socio-economic development conditions.

2. Recommendations to the National Assembly and the Government

2.1. For the National Assembly

2.1.1. Proactively and flexibly establish the legislative program, innovate the process of promulgating legal documents to promptly amend and supplement laws, especially those related to agencies and organizations within the political system such as: the Law on Organization of the National Assembly, the Law on Government Organization, the Law on Local Government Organization, the Law on Organization of the People’s Courts, the Law on the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Law on Inspection, etc., ensuring they align with the overall changes in the organizational structure of the political system and the relationships among agencies and organizations during implementation.

2.1.2. Proactively review laws and resolutions under the National Assembly’s authority, propose amendments and supplements as appropriate, closely following the provisions of the 2013 Constitution, especially those regarding the tasks and powers of the National Assembly and the Government, ensuring state agencies perform their functions as stipulated by the Constitution, creating flexibility and proactivity for the Government in executing its assigned functions, tasks, and powers.

2.1.3. Issue a resolution on the establishment of certain ministries based on the reorganization of some ministries and ministerial-level agencies of the Government for the 15^th National Assembly term (2021-2026).

2.2. For the Government

2.2.1. The Government’s Party Committee shall continue to thoroughly and timely implement the directives to ensure the objectives, requirements, and progress according to the directions of the Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Central Directing Committee.

2.2.2. Based on the Central Committee’s Resolution and the Politburo’s Conclusions on the reorganization and streamlining of the political system’s apparatus, including the Government’s apparatus, the Government shall develop a draft Resolution of the National Assembly on the establishment of certain ministries based on the reorganization of some ministries and ministerial-level agencies of the Government for the 15th National Assembly term (2021-2026) and submit it to the National Assembly for approval.

2.2.3. After the National Assembly issues the Resolution on the establishment of certain ministries based on the reorganization of some ministries and ministerial-level agencies of the Government for the 15^th National Assembly term (2021-2026), the Government’s Party Committee shall lead and direct the Government to promptly implement tasks, ensuring that the reorganization of the apparatus does not affect the performance of tasks according to the functions and duties of new agencies, organizations, and units, ensuring smooth, effective, and efficient operations without any disruption to work.

2.2.4. The Government’s Party Committee shall lead and direct the Government and ministries to implement the following:

a) Advise and propose to complete and improve the quality of institutions and laws to meet the needs of accelerating industrialization, modernization, and international integration. Lead and direct ministries to continue reviewing the legal system related to the sectors within their management scope that need amending, supplementing, or issuing new regulations to address limitations and obstacles, ensuring a streamlined apparatus, enhancing operational effectiveness and efficiency.

Delineate the authority between the Government and ministries, and between the Government, ministries, and local governments to promote reasonable decentralization and delegation between central and local levels, and between higher and lower levels, linking authority with responsibility, in line with the spirit of the 13^thParty Congress Resolution, the 2013 Constitution, and the 2015 Law on Government Organization (amended and supplemented in 2019). Research and establish framework regulations for specialized agencies at provincial and district levels so that localities can reorganize their apparatus in accordance with rural, urban characteristics, and the governance model of each locality.

b) Reorganize and streamline the apparatus according to the plan approved by the Politburo and the Central Directing Committee. Conduct effective propaganda, political, and ideological work to create consensus and unity among officials, civil servants, and public employees during the reorganization process. Direct ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies to proactively continue reviewing and perfecting their functions, tasks, powers, and working relationships.

Reorganize and consolidate the structure of administrative agencies and public non-business units within the management scope, ensuring a streamlined, effective, and efficient operation, reducing intermediary levels, in line with the perspectives and principles approved by the Politburo and the Central Directing Committee. Streamline staff in conjunction with restructuring the cadre of officials, civil servants, and public employees.

Develop a roadmap for reviewing and adjusting the number of civil servant and public employee positions, ensuring compliance with general regulations and suitable functions and tasks of newly formed agencies and units after the reorganization, ensuring streamlined, strong, effective, and efficient operations.

c) Innovate, reorganize, and restructure public non-business units, enhance their autonomy, and promote the provision of public services according to market mechanisms, encouraging socialization in providing public services as required by Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW.

d) Continue to strictly implement the Regulations and Conclusions of the Politburo on the management of the political system’s staffing, and on improving the effectiveness of staffing management in the political system for the period 2022-2026. Implement staff reduction associated with completing job positions according to the Party’s policy. Link staff reduction with organizational innovation, salary reform, restructuring, and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees, attracting virtuous and talented individuals to work in the political system.

đ) Continue to focus on reviewing and completing the construction and management of job positions in the political system according to the Party’s, National Assembly’s, and Government’s regulations, and the guidance of sectoral management ministries. Link the approval of job positions in administrative agencies and public non-business units with restructuring and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees, and implement the reduction of civil servant and public employee positions funded by the state budget. Innovate the recruitment, management, use, training, fostering, and evaluation of civil servants according to job positions linked to output results, and implement salary payment according to job positions in line with the salary policy reform roadmap.

e) Promote the reform of the civil service and civil servant regime, focusing on institutionalizing the Party’s policies and guidelines on cadre work in a unified, synchronized, interconnected, and consistent manner within the political system and in line with reality. Promote decentralization and delegation to increase the autonomy and accountability of ministries, sectors, and localities in improving the quality of the workforce according to sectors, fields, and authority.

Enhance the quality of training and fostering officials, civil servants, and public employees by promoting the application of information technology, linked to job positions and civil servant titles. Focus on training, fostering, updating new knowledge, and improving leadership and management skills for officials at all levels, linked to title standards and planning. Emphasize international cooperation in training and fostering.

g) Promote the implementation of the comprehensive state administrative reform program for the period 2021-2030. Strengthen inspection and supervision to promptly detect and resolutely handle violations in public service performance; enhance administrative discipline and order, emphasize the responsibility of heads of state administrative agencies at all levels; build a team of officials and civil servants with strong political will, clear ethical qualities, and appropriate professional qualifications and competencies; complete regulations on the evaluation of officials, civil servants, and public employees; promote the application of information technology in recruitment and promotion exams for civil servants, ensuring openness and transparency.

Above is the Report of the Government’s Party Committee on summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017, of the 12^th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, submitted to the Central Directing Committee for summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW for consolidation and reporting to the Politburo for consideration and decision./.

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