With the aim of fully and effectively implementing the main contents and tasks in the EVFTA Implementation Plan in accordance with its functions and duties; VSS requires its affiliated units, the social security agencies of provinces and centrally-run cities to continue to closely follow the tasks and solutions set out in the VSS's action program to implement the resolutions of the Government and to concretize basic tasks.

VSS requires the units to strengthen propagation and dissemination of information about the EVFTA Agreement and the EVFTA Implementation Plan of VSS for civil servants and officials in the entire Industry, employers, employees and entities participating in social insurance through the media of the Industry (VSS Portal, electronic information portal system of social insurance of provinces and cities, Social Insurance Magazine, publications, propaganda materials, training classes, seminars, etc.) to raise awareness and understanding of committed content and tasks need to be done to effectively deploy and minimize the challenges that the EVFTA implementation brings.

Along with that, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of information, propaganda and dissemination of legal policies on social, health and unemployment insurance to all levels, sectors, workers and people, especially to pay special attention to employers and employees of the private economic sector; to focus on propagating and disseminating new points of policies and laws on social, health  and unemployment insurance and benefits, roles and responsibilities of participation in social, health and unemployment insurance. To promote external information, provide consultancy and answers about policies on social, health and unemployment insurance for foreign organizations and individuals in Vietnam and Vietnamese in overseas, especially for those who are directly affected when Vietnam signs the EVFTA Agreement with the EU.

For the building of laws and institutions; VSS requires the affiliated units and social security agencies of provinces and centrally-run cities to review the provisions of law within the VSS's functions, tasks and management fields to propose to the competent authorities to amend, supplement, abolish or issue new legal documents to ensure compliance with the EVFTA Agreement in order to seriously, fully and effectively implement commitments and obligations of Vietnam when joining the EVFTA Agreement.

Illustrative image (Source: Internet)

To coordinate with social security organizations of EVFTA member countries to study and propose a mechanism to coordinate the implementation of commitments under the EVFTA Agreement related to the social security field within the VSS's functions and tasks. To participate in the negotiation and implementation of bilateral agreements on social insurance and health insurance to create conditions for Vietnamese workers working abroad to easily access social security regimes and policies, and reform administrative procedures to guarantee Vietnamese workers' rights when working abroad; to well carry out overseas Vietnamese related tasks.

In terms of enhancing competitiveness and developing human resources, affiliates and social security agencies of centrally-affiliated cities and provinces need to strengthen effective coordination between units inside and outside the industry in the development of implementing the tasks of the Industry to contribute to improving the business environment and enhancing national competitiveness. There is also a need to promote administrative reform, in which the key task is the reform of administrative procedures and application of information technology in the fields of social, health and unemployment insurance.

To focus on reviewing, reducing and simplifying administrative procedures under the jurisdiction of the VSS; to strictly control and not to incur additional administrative procedures out of regulations. To continue to standardize and complete data on pensioners and social insurance recipients to connect and share information with providers of payment services and intermediary payment services to serve payment of pension and social insurance allowance via banks. To step up the development of the national database on social insurance, ensure connectivity and share data with relevant national databases. To implement the tasks of administrative procedure reform related to the "components of social insurance premium payment" in order to increase the ranking of the index of "Paying taxes and social insurance premiums" to meet the Government targets (by 2021 striving to reach 30-40 levels higher than the published reports by the World Bank in 2018).

To deploy standardization of data information and measures to encourage strong development of electronic payment (according to Decision No. 241/QD-TTg dated February 23, 2018 of the Prime Minister); to strive to reach 50% of pensioners and recipients of social insurance allowances, burial and death fees by 2021, etc. using non-cash payment means in urban areas (according to Resolution No. 02/NQ-CP dated January 1, 2020 of the Government). To deploy the plan of information technology application in the activities of the social insurance industry, striving for most public services to be provided online at level 4 by 2021. To promote the application of information technology and connect, deploy database of ministries and branches to coordinate the implementation of administrative procedures. To strengthen training and retraining of social insurance officials and employees so that they will be professional and qualified to meet the requirements of effective implementation of policies on social, unemployment and health insurance under the conditions of implementation of the EVFTA Agreement. To strengthen cooperation with other countries and international organizations in the field of training, retraining and improving service quality of VSS. To attract funding sources for the training and retraining of civil servants and public employees; to improve the foreign language proficiency of civil servants and public employees through overseas training and retraining programs to meet international integration requirements.

Also according to the plan, to ensure the implementation of policies on social security, environmental protection and sustainable development, the affiliated units and the social security agencies of provinces and centrally-run cities need to actively participate with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and socio-political organizations in continuing to assess and quantify the impacts of the EVFTA Agreement on labor, employment, society, etc. and the formulation and synchronous promulgation of policies on financial support, vocational training to change careers, support for training and advanced fostering vocational skills qualifications to maintain jobs for workers; to provide job counseling services and unemployment benefits to help workers who went unemployed due to the uncapablity of businesses to stand firm in the competition process. To join the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and other socio-political organizations in studying and amending the Labor Code as committed in the EVFTA Agreement.

Besides, it is crucial to continue to expand coverage, develop participants and improve the effectiveness of the implementation of policies on social insurance and unemployment insurance. To research and participate with the authorities in building pension adjustment policy in accordance with the Law on Social Insurance when implementing the new salary regime. To join the Ministry of Health in developing and implementing policies to ensure conditions and health at the workplace for employees. To increase the number of people participating in health insurance and develop a roadmap to adjust health insurance premiums associated with a roadmap for accurately and fully calculating health service prices.

VSS assigned the Department of International Cooperation to act as the focal point and coordinate with affiliates of the VSS and the provincial social security agencies in implementing, urging and monitoring the implementation of the Plan; to coordinate with the national focal agency in implementing the EVFTA Agreement. Funds for the implementation of the Plan are allocated according to the regulations from the annual management expenses of social, health and unemployment insurance assigned to the units by the VSS.

Based on the functions and tasks of units and assigned tasks in the Appendix to this Plan, heads of units directly under the VSS and the provincial social security agencies shall organize the implementation of the Plan to ensure progress, quality and effectiveness; to periodically synthesize the implementation of the Plan into annual reports in accordance with the Regulations on the management of external activities of the VSS and send it to the Department of International Cooperation to synthesize the results of the implementation of the VSS, which shall be sent to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for summarization and reported to the Prime Minister according to regulations.

VSS required its affiliated units and the provincial social security agencies to seriously implement the Plan. In the course of implementation, may any problem arise, it is requested to promptly report it to Vietnam Social Security (through the Department of International Cooperation) for consideration and settlement.