In furtherance of the Law on Environment Protection, Clause 1, Article 71 of the Road and Urban Traffic Order and Safety Regulation, issued together with the Government�s Decree No. 36/CP of May 29, 1995 stipulates: "Motorized vehicles of various types using leaded petrol and emitting black smoke that cause environmental pollution are banned from operation".

In order to prevent the harms caused to the people�s health and environment, especially urban environment, by lead emitted by land-road motorized vehicles using leaded petrol, the Prime Minister has decided that as of July 1, 2001, the non-lead petrol shall be used throughout the Vietnamese territory; and the ministries, branches and People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities are assigned to immediately perform the following tasks:

The Ministry of Communications and Transport:

1. To complete the surveying and research in order to determine the impacts of the use of non-lead petrol on the technical properties of motorized vehicles with petrol-operated engines. Attention must be paid to the peculiarities of some sectors such as defense and public security, which are using a great number of leaded petrol-operated vehicles, so as to work out appropriate solutions to the alteration.

2. To issue technical criteria for various types of vehicles suitable to each type of petrol as well as criteria on exhausted gas for each type of vehicles. To control and determine the exhausted smoke emitted by motori-zed vehicles of various types, first of all in big cities.

3. To assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with other ministries and branches in working out the plan on elimination of leaded petrol and use of non-lead petrol, then submit it to the Prime Minister for approval before January 31, 2001. The plan must point out economic, technical, environmental and social solutions, based on information and practical experiences on the elimination of leaded petrol and use of non-lead petrol in some regional countries or countries with the circumstance similar to ours.

4. To organize the coordination among central agencies, mass organizations, and the provincial/municipal People�s Committees in propagating and disseminating the use of non-lead petrol, which aims at environment protection and in service of the national cause of industrialization and modernization.

5. To assume the prime responsibility in taking advantages of international assistance and support (if really necessary) for the implementation of research plans as well as cooperation projects relating to the elimination of leaded petrol.

The Ministry of Trade:

1. To work out plan on the importation and distribution of non-lead petrol throughout the country, so as to ensure the normal supply of petrol to consumers. Special attention must be paid to ensuring that non-lead petrol price shall not exceed the price of leaded petrol.

2. To coordinate with the Ministry of Communications and Transport in making the list of vehicles of various types and models using leaded petrol to be banned from import as from January 1, 2001.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment:

1. To issue the non-lead petrol standards.

2. To work out plans and contents for the determination of environment�s quality before and after the use of non-lead petrol.

The provincial/municipal People�s Committees:

To closely coordinate with the ministries and branches in organizing the implementation of this Directive in their respective localities.

The Prime Minister requests the ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the head of the agencies attached to the Government and the presidents of the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities to strictly organize the implementation of this Directive.

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
NGUYEN TAN DUNG