THE PRIME MINISTER
Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government of December 25, 2001;
At the proposals of the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment and the Minister-Director of the Government Commission for Organization and Personnel,
DECIDES:
Article 1.- Contents of the State management over numeral codes and bar codes include:
1. Promulgating legal documents and criteria on numeral code and bar code activities.
2. Exercising the uniform management over the national numeral code bank and the issuance of numeral codes and bar codes.
3. Guiding the activities of technological research into and development of numeral codes and bar codes in production and business as well as other fields.
4. Organizing and managing international cooperation activities regarding numeral codes and bar codes; the operation of Vietnamese representation at the European Article Numbering � International (EAN-International).
5. Managing assorted charges collected from numeral code and bar code activities.
6. Examining and inspecting the observance of legal documents on numeral code and bar code activities; settling complaints and denunciations, and handling violations of the legislation on numeral code and bar code activities.
Article 2.- The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment shall be held responsible before the Government for:
1. Exercising the uniform State management over numeral code and bar code activities throughout the country.
2. Working out the scheme on development and management of numeral code and bar code activities, prescribing the work assignment and management decentralization in this field.
Article 3.- The Ministry of Finance shall coordinate with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment in setting the charge levels for numeral code and bar code activities; guiding the implementation of the regime on the collection, payment, management and use of the charge money collected from numeral code and bar code activities.
Article 4.- The ministries, the ministerial-level agencies, the agencies attached to the Government and the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall organize the application of numeral code and bar code technology under the guidance of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.
Article 5.- This Decision takes effect after its signing. All the previous stipulations which are contrary to this Decision are hereby annulled.
Article 6.- The ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the heads of the agencies attached to the Government and the presidents of the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall have to implement this Decision.
For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
PHAM GIA KHIEM