DECREES:

Article 1.- The National Reserve Department is a Government agency performing the function of State management over all the national reserve activities and directly managing a number of national reserve commodities as assigned by the Government.

Article 2.- The National Reserve Department shall perform the tasks and powers as prescribed in Article 21 of Decree No.15-CP of March 2nd, 1993 of the Government and also the following concrete tasks and powers:

1. To submit to the Government the draft laws, ordinances, strategies, plans, policies and management mechanism with regard to the national reserve; and provide guidance, instruction and inspection for the implementation of the above matters after they are approved.

2. To issue within its jurisdiction the documents on the management regulations, processes, procedures, rules, criteria, economic and technical norms in the field of national reserve and inspect the implementation of these documents.

3. To integrate into a single document the demands for national reserve materials and commodities, and coordinate with the agencies concerned (the State Planning Committee, the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries entrusted by the Government to manage the national reserves) in mapping out, balancing and allocating the national financial reserve in the annual State plan so as to submit to the Government for decision.

4. To control and inspect the management of the national reserves by the Government-entrusted agencies. To be entitled to request the agencies managing national reserves to make periodical or irregular reports on their respective managing role in the national reserves so as to make an overall report to the Prime Minister.

5. To study and apply technological, scientific and technical advances to the preservation and management of the national reserves; to renew and modernize step by step the system of storehouses, equipment and technologies for the preservation of the national reserves.

6. To provide guidance for the purchase, sale, preservation, delivery and reception of national reserves under the direct management of the National Reserve Department as assigned by the Government. To be entitled to directly import and export a number of commodities in service of the national reserve by decision of the Prime Minister.

7. To promote international cooperation in the field of national reserve in accordance with the stipulations of the Government.

8. To draw up projects and plans; and to organize professional training and fostering for the officials and employees of the national reserve service.

9. To organize and manage its non-business apparatus and units, State enterprises, staff, properties and finance in accordance with the stipulations of the Government.

Article 3.- The organizational structure of the National Reserve is composed of:

A- The organizations to assist the Director in the implementation of State management functions:

- The National Reserve Policies Department.

- The Planning Department.

- The Finance and Accounting Department.

- The Preservation Techniques Department.

- The Capital Construction Department.

- The Organization and Personnel Department.

- The Inspectorate.

- The Office.

B- The Sub-Departments for the management of national reserves along territorial lines.

C- The non-business units:

- The Center for Preservation Science and Technologies

- The School of Personnel Training and Fostering

The Director of the National Reserve Department shall stipulate the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structures of the above-said attached units<%0>.

Article 4.- The National Reserve Department is headed by a Director who is assisted by Deputy Directors. The Director and Deputy Directors shall be appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister at the proposal of the Minister-Chairman of the Government Commission on Organization and Personnel.

Article 5.- This Decree takes effect from the date of its promulgation, replacing Decision No.236-TTg of May 12, 1994 of the Prime Minister and other previous stipulations which are contrary to this Decree.

The Director of the National Reserve Department, the Ministers, the Heads of the agencies at ministerial level, the Heads of the agencies attached to the Government, the Presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government shall have to implement this Decree.

On behalf of the Government

For the Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister