THE MINISTER OF POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To promulgate together with this Decision the Regulation on the issuance of commemorative postal stamps.

Article 2.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its signing.

Article 3.- The director of the Office, the director of the Post Department, the director of the Legal Department, the director of the International Cooperation Department, the director of the Planning and Finance Department, the directors of the regional Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Divisions and the heads of the concerned enterprises and social organizations shall have to implement this Decision.

For the Minister of Post and Telecommunications
Vice Minister
TRAN NGOC BINH

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.- Objectives and significance

1. This Regulation is promulgated to enhance the work of State management over the planning and formulation of topical programs for issuance of commemorative postal stamps and commemorative postal stamp prints (hereinafter referred to as commemorative stamps); guide organizations and individuals in proposing themes for issuance of commemorative stamps; create conditions for Vietnam’s Post Service to take initiative in activities related to postal stamps; and at the same time serve postal stamp users and collectors.

The promulgation of this Regulation also aims to unify the management over the issuance of postal stamps, raise the quality and value of Vietnamese postal stamps by diversifying expression contents and themes of annually issued commemorative stamps.

2. The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications shall exercise the State management over activities related to the planning and formulation of commemorative stamp theme programs by managing the following specific contents:

- Themes for issuance of commemorative stamps;

- Time for issuance of commemorative stamps;

- Frequency of issuance of commemorative stamps;

- Procedures for proposing the issuance of commemorative stamps;

- Responsibility for formulating and deciding on stamp theme programs.

All organizations and individuals engaged in relevant activities must comply with the provisions of this document.

Article 2.- Interpretation of terms

In this Regulation, a number of terms are construed as follows:

1. Commemorative postal stamps mean postal stamps with contents associated with to a historical, economic, political, cultural, scientific or social event or a personage, and issued on the occasion of anniversary or occurrence of related events.

2. Commemorative postal stamp prints mean postal stamp prints with contents associated with a historical, economic, political, cultural, scientific or social event or a personage, and issued on the occasion of anniversary or occurrence of related events. Commemorative postal stamp prints specified in this document include aerograms, envelopes and postcards with pre-printed stamps.

3. Commemorative stamp themes mean those on historical, economic, political, cultural, scientific and social events and personages selected for the issuance of commemorative stamps.

Chapter II

COMMEMORATIVE STAMP ISSUANCE THEMES

Article 3.- General regulations on themes of commemorative stamps

Themes of commemorative stamps to be issued must deal with or relate to the following:

- Vietnamese historical, economic, political, cultural, scientific or social personages or events;

- Foreign historical, economic, political, cultural, scientific or social personages or events, that are related to or have influence on Vietnam;

- World historical, economic, political, cultural, scientific or social personages or events, of great significance for mankind.

Article 4.- Themes on domestic historical events

Themes of commemorative stamps on domestic historical events must reflect:

- Historical events of great importance and great significance in the process of national construction and defense of the Vietnamese nation;

- Typical and prominent historical events of each period, being important historical landmarks, marking the development of the country;

- Typical and influential historical events in the region and the world.

Article 5.- Themes on domestic economic, political, cultural, scientific and social events

Themes of commemorative stamps on domestic economic, political, cultural, scientific and social events must reflect:

- Major undertakings, lines and policies of the Party and the State, big national programs in each period of national development;

- Typical economic, political, cultural, scientific and social events of great significance and impact in each period of national development;

- Cultural traditions and identity of the Vietnamese nation;

- Thoughts, aspirations, feeling and will of the Vietnamese people.

Article 6.- Themes on domestic personages

Themes of commemorative stamps on domestic personages must present:

- Prominent personages, who have made great contributions to the country in the economic, political, cultural, scientific and/or social domains;

- Prominent revolutionaries, patriots and heroes in each period of national development;

- Prominent scientists and culturists, who have made great contributions to the science and culture of Vietnam and the world.

Article 7.- Themes on world historical events

Themes of commemorative stamps on world historical events must reflect:

- Typical historical events in the world with global impacts;

- Typical historical events in the world, which are of great significance, marking important historical landmarks in the mankind’s development process.

Article 8.- Themes on world economic, political, cultural, scientific and/or social events

Themes of commemorative stamps on world economic, political, cultural, scientific and/or social events must reflect:

- World economic, political, cultural, scientific and/or social events of great significance, and global magnitude, being important historical landmarks and marking the mankind’s development;

- World economic, political, cultural, scientific and/or social events which have greatly impacts on, or are much related to, Vietnam.

Article 9.- Themes on world personages

Themes of commemorative stamps on world personages must present:

- Great ideologists, typical personages of progressive tendencies in each period of mankind’s development;

- Typical personages of national liberation, social progress and world peace movements;

- Typical scientists and culturists, who have made great contributions to the progressive science and culture of the mankind.

Chapter III

TIME AND FREQUENCY OF ISSUANCE OF COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS

Article 10.- Issuance time and frequency

1. Themes of commemorative stamps on domestic and/or foreign historical events shall be issued on the occasion of the founding anniversary or traditional dates of such events at time landmarks being multiples of 50.

2. Themes of commemorative stamps on domestic and foreign economic, political, cultural, scientific and social events shall be issued before or at the time of their occurrence or on the occasion of their anniversaries at time landmarks being multiples of 50.

3. Themes of commemorative stamps on domestic or foreign personages shall be issued on the occasion of their birth or death anniversaries or related events at time landmarks being multiples of 50.

Article 11.- Other issuance time and frequency

The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications shall decide on the issuance of commemorative stamps featuring the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State and the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, domestic or foreign personages, as well as economic, political, cultural, scientific and social events of particular importance, at an issuance frequency different from that prescribed in Article 10 of this Regulation.

Chapter IV

PROCEDURES FOR PROPOSING THE ISSUANCE OF COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS

Article 12.- For organizations and individuals at home and abroad

1. The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications encourages all organizations and individuals at home and abroad to propose themes for issuance of Vietnamese commemorative stamps.

2. The proposal of themes for issuance of commemorative stamps must be presented in writing. Written proposals on commemorative stamp themes must clearly state the names of themes, number of stamp specimens, dates of issuance, issuance objectives and significance, summarized theme contents and other relevant proposals. At the same time, the proposing organizations and individuals shall have to send principal materials related to the proposed themes.

3. Written proposals on commemorative stamp themes must be signed and affixed with valid seals by leaders or authorized persons of the ministries, commissions, branches, People’s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities or organizations (if proposers are agencies or organizations); or clearly inscribed with full names and addresses of proposers (if proposers are individuals).

4. Proposals on themes of commemorative stamps must be sent to the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications or Vietnam Post Service 15 months before the expected date of issuance of proposed theme stamps. In special cases, proposals must be sent at least 12 months before.

Article 13.- Responsibilities for formulating or deciding on stamp theme programs

1. Theme programs for issuance of commemorative stamps comprise program names, number of stamp specimens to be issued and issuance time for each theme.

2. Annually, basing itself on the orientation set forth by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and proposals of organizations and individuals at home and abroad, Vietnam Post Service shall study, suggest and formulate commemorative stamp theme programs, then submit them to the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.

3. The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications shall decide on annual commemorative stamp theme programs at requests of Vietnam Post Service and proposals of organizations and individuals at home or abroad.

Chapter V

ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

Article 14.- Organization of implementation

1. On the basis of this Regulation, Vietnam Post Service shall organize the implementation, promulgate procedures and documents guiding its attached units in implementing this Regulation.

2. Organizations and individuals shall propose themes for issuance of commemorative stamps according to Article 12 of this Regulation.

3. Any problems arising in the course of implementation should be reported by organizations and individuals to the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications for study and solution.-