02/03/2021
On 8th December 2020, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 42/CT-TTg on strengthening the management and control of invasive alien species. The Directive clearly states that the management and control of invasive alien species is a consistent view of Việt Nam in practice to maintain ecological balance, conserve biodiversity, protect the environment and people's health, contributing to sustainable development of the country. Over the past time, the legal system of management and control of invasive alien species of Việt Nam has been gradually improved, meeting practical requirements, in accordance with the international conventions that the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam is a member. The Ministries, sectors and local authorities have taken many drastic and consistent solutions to prevent and control invasive alien species.
However, recently, a number of invasive alien species appear in some localities, with the risk of negatively affecting biodiversity, environment, socio-economy, especially in the field of agriculture, forestry and fishery; the risks of illegally importing, farming and spreading invasive alien species in Việt Nam are quite high. The main reason is due to insufficient awareness of the harmful risks of illegally importing, farming and releasing invasive alien species; in some localities, the control of alien species has not been given adequate attention, lack of initiative, new cases are handled with lack of consistent involvement of law enforcement agencies to control invasive alien species.
In order to promptly prevent and control invasive alien species, the Prime Minister requests Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Governmental agencies, Chairmen of People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to direct the strict implementation of the legal provisions on farming, developing and trading invasive alien species; strengthen the management and control of invasive alien species according to their assigned competence, functions and tasks.
Some aquatic invasive alien species in Việt Nam
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the ministries, sectors, local authorities and concerned agencies in urgently summarizing and evaluating the results of the implementation of the project on preventing and controlling invasive alien species in Việt Nam up to 2020 according to Decision No. 1896/QD-TTg dated 17th December 2012 of the Prime Minister; plan to prevent and control invasive alien species in Việt Nam in the coming time; review and evaluate legal provisions and propose plans to supplement and perfect the system of legal documents on control and eradication of invasive alien species to meet practical needs; issue guidelines for assessing the risks of invasive alien species; update, supplement and promulgate the List of invasive alien species; coordinate with ministries, sectors and local authorities in strengthening inspection, investigation, and enforcement of legal provisions on prevention and control of invasive alien species; guide the organization of propaganda, dissemination and awareness raising activities on invasive alien species; develop and distribute propaganda materials, organize training courses, guide the identification of invasive alien species.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and local authorities in enhancing measures to control invasive alien species and alien species having invasive risks in agricultural, forestry and fishery production; strictly manage activities of farming alien species having invasive risks; direct and guide the application of measures to control and eradicate invasive alien species in agricultural, forestry and fishery production.
The Ministry of Public Security shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the ministries, sectors, local authorities in taking measures to combat, prevent and strictly handle illegal acts in importing, spreading, farming and developing, transporting and trading invasive alien species; The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall direct the Market Surveillance Agency to coordinate with relevant specialized agencies to strengthen the inspection and handling of illegal trading invasive alien species in accordance with the Law; The Ministry of Information and Communications shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Television and relevant agencies in strengthening propaganda and popularization in the media about the harmful effects of invasive alien species and legal provisions on control of invasive alien species for people’s information and implementation; assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors, local authorities in strengthening the prevention and handling of acts of taking advantage of the provision and use of the Internet and online information for the purposes of advertising, propagation and sale of goods and services related to invasive alien species; The Ministry of Science and Technology shall promote research and application of scientific and technological advances in controlling and eradicating invasive alien species; organize the implementation of scientific research projects applying biological control measures and integrated solutions to control and eradicate invasive alien species, determine the transmission paths of invasive alien species due to the impacts of climate change; The Ministry of Finance shall direct the Customs forces (especially the border customs force) to proactively coordinate with quarantine units to strengthen inspection and control, ensuring effective prevention of intrusion of invasive alien species; assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the MONRE and relevant agencies in developing HS codes to control illegal import of species in the List of invasive alien species; allocate recurrent funding to ministries, ministerial-level agencies and centrally-run agencies according to their assigned functions and tasks to control invasive alien species; The Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Television and press agencies shall strengthen propagation and dissemination of information on the harmful effects of invasive alien species, the legal provisions on control of invasive alien species to people for information and implementation.
The People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities shall urgently review and evaluate the results of the implementation of the project on prevention and control of invasive alien species in their areas in accordance with Decision No. 1896/QD-TTg dated 17th December 2012 of the Prime Minister; plan to strengthen prevention and control of invasive alien species in their areas in the coming time; strengthen the inspection and supervision of the implementation of legal provisions on control of invasive alien species and alien species having invasive risks in the areas; implement law propaganda and dissemination and awareness raising for the community about not importing, trading, farming, developing and releasing invasive alien species; proactively inform and report promptly when detecting or spreading out invasive alien species; conduct investigation and assessment of invasive alien species in the areas and take measures to control and eradicate.
Trần Thị Hồng Gấm
