The Vietnam Banks Association (VNBA) was established pursuant to Decision No. 247 of the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam dated May 14, 1994 and Decision No. 131/TCCP of the Minister - cum - Chairman of the Government Personnel Commission (currently the Ministry of Home Affairs) approving the Charter of VNBA, dated May 10, 1994; and Decision No. 43/2003/QD-BVN of the Minister of Home Affairs on approval of the revised Charter of VNBA.
VNBA is a voluntary professional organization of credit institutions in Vietnam; it operates in a voluntary principle of autonomy and self-responsibility; it gathers and motivates its Members to cooperate and support one another in their operations; it protects legitimate rights and interests of the Members; it acts as a link between the Members and the government agencies; it aims at stable, effective, prudential, and healthy development of the credit institutions of Vietnam and contributes to the implementation of the monetary policies for socio-economic development.
VNBA currently has 53 members, including 39 commercial banks, 2 joint-venture banks, and 11 finance companies.
VNBA joined the ASEAN Bankers Association (ABA) on September 8, 1995, right after Vietnam became a full member of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). VNBA is a full member and has official representatives at all the ABA Permanent Committees. VNBA has so far established relation of cooperation with more than 30 banks associations of such countries, regions, and territories as ASEAN, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Sweden, Poland, Europe, the United States, and Canada. VNBA is a full member and has official representatives at all the ABA Permanent Committees. VNBA is a full member of the Asian Bankers Association and a national representative of the APEC Financiers Group, an organization under the annual APEC Finance Ministers Conference.
VNBA signed a memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation with the Lao Bankers' Association on June 21, 1999, and with the Banks Association of the Federation of Russia on November 11, 2007.
VNBA successfully hosted the 30th ASEAN Banking Council Meeting and 13th ASEAN Banking Conference (2000) and the 37th ASEAN Banking Council Meeting (2007) of the ASEAN Bankers Association in Hanoi. It also took part in organizing successfully the Asian Banker Summit in Hanoi in March 2008.

OBJECTIVES AND OPERATIONAL SCOPE

1. Representing for the Members in internal and external relationship in relation to the activities of the banking sector and the Association;
2. Protecting legitimate rights and interests of the Association and its Members;
3. Carrying out communication to raise the awareness of its Members on law compliance for prudential banking activities;
4. Exchanging experience and expertise and organizing training courses and scientific research in banking technology.
5. Providing necessary information to the Members and publishing books, magazines, and newspapers specialized in banking operations in accordance with law; communicating and disseminating the objectives of the Association and banking activities domestically and internationally.
6. Participating in formulation and finalization of banking-related legal documents, conveying wishes and proposals of the Members and making proposals to relevant authorities on issues relating to the development of the banking sector and legitimate rights and interests of the Members; working closely with relevant organizations or agencies to fulfill the tasks of the Association;
7. Providing advice and counter-argument on banking issues at the request of organizations and individuals.
8. Solving disputes among the Members;
9. Self funding by collecting membership fees and from services provided in accordance with law to cover operation costs; and receiving legal funding from the state and domestic or international organizations and individuals in accordance with law;
10. Cooperating with and joining global and regional associations and cooperating with bilateral and multilateral financial and monetary organizations in accordance with law.
(According to the revised Charter of the Association in 2003)

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

THE GENERAL MEETING
The General Meeting, the highest authority of VNBA, comprises all the Members and has a 4-year term with the following tasks:
1. Adopting the operational review of VNBA for the previous term and making decisions on fundamental issues, tasks and directions for the next term; evaluating operations of VNBA in the last year and making decisions on the action plan for the year ahead;
2. Making decisions on major principles of revenue and expenditure of VNBA; adopting final financial statements of the last year and approving the budget for the coming year;
3. Approving a new Charter or revising the existing charter of VNBA;
4. Electing the Council of VNBA; electing new members or dismissing members of the Council of VNBA;
5. Making decisions on other issues.

THE COUNCIL
Elected by the General Meeting, the Council of VNBA is responsible for leading the activities of the Association during the interval between 2 terms of the General Meeting. The total number of the Council's members is determined by the General Meeting, but not less than 9 full members and the Secretary General.
The Council of VNBA has the following rights and tasks:
1. Studying and proposing necessary actions and measures to fulfill the tasks and mandate of the Association and the resolution of the General Meeting;
2. Electing or dismissing the positions of Chairman, Vice Chairman, or Secretary General;
3. Determining affairs in relation to the personnel; working regulation; salary regime for the Permanent Office of the Association and its affiliated entities; travel allowances for the members of the Council and the Inspectorate; start-up salaries for leading positions of the Permanent Office; and appointing or dismissing the position of Deputy Secretary General, Directors or Deputy Directors of functional departments of the Permanent Office, and Heads of affiliated entities at the written request of the Secretary General;
4. Issuing the Regulations for Organizational Structure and Operations of the Council, Inspectorate, and Permanent Office of the Association;
5. Reporting on work performance and the proposed directives and activities of the Association for the whole term or each year.
6. Submitting the proposed budgets and final annual financial statements to the Council of the Association;
7. Determining admission or dismissal of members;
8. Adopting 6-month and annual reports of the Association submitted by the Secretary General.

THE INSPECTORATE
1. The Inspectorate has at least 3 members, elected by the Council from the full Members and the Head Office. A member of the Council is appointed as the Head of the Inspectorate to direct its activities.
2. The Inspectorate has the following tasks and rights: checking the protocol of the member; inspecting the implementation of the Charter of the Association, Resolutions of the General Meeting and the Council and the financial status of the Association.
3. The Inspectorate has the right to request full Members and the Head Office to send qualified staff to participate in an inspection team if necessary;
4. The Inspectorate is responsible for reporting results of inspection or appraisal and has the right to propose necessary measures to the General Meeting and the Council for decision.

THE PERMANENT OFFICE
1. The Permanent Office of VNBA is supposed to make direct advice, execute rights and duties of the Association as stated in the Charter, and implement resolutions of the General Meeting, the Council and the instruction of the Chairman of the Association.
2. The Permanent Office of VNBA is composed of:
- The Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General,
- Specialized departments and affiliated entities.

MEMBERS
Credit institutions of Vietnam such as the State-owned commercial banks, Joint-stock commercial banks, the Vietnam Development Bank, Joint-venture Banks; Finance Companies, the Deposit Insurance of Vietnam, and other organizations who accept the Charter of the Association, submit written application for membership on a voluntary basis, and are approved by the Council of the Association, can become a full member of VNBA.

THE PERMANET OFFICE OF THE VIETNAM BANKS ASSOCIATION

THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
Functions and tasks:
• Setting up monthly, semi-annual, or annual working schedules for the Permanent Office, monitoring and supervising the implementation of the schedules after approval; and arranging weekly and monthly working schedules for the Secretary General;
• Drafting reports for presentation at meetings of the Permanent Office, the Council, and the General Meeting of the Association;
• Implementing plans to organize meetings for the Permanent Office, the Council, and the General Meeting of the Association as planned and at the request of the Chairman and Secretary General of the Association; arranging secretarial activities, finalizing Resolutions, and announcing the conclusions of these meetings;
• Organizing activities of international relations for the Association;
• Executing administrative, archive, librarian, and treasury activities;
• Executing personnel management of the Permanent Office as regulated;
• Executing such administrative activities as planning, recommendation, preparing procument budget, capital construction, maintenance, etc.; and managing facilities and equipment for all activities of the Permanent Office;
• Organizing work for security, fire prevention, and environmental protection;
• Executing protocol activities;
• Managing the use of cars as regulated;
• Monitoring and supervising the implementation of the office regulation for the Permanent Office;
• Acting as the standing Council for Emulation and Rewards for the Permanent Office;
• Advising the Secretary General on emulation and rewards under the instruction of the Council for Emulation and Rewards of the Association;
• Executing other tasks assigned by the Secretary General of the Association.
Tel: 04. 38218679 - 04 38218687. Fax: 04. 38218732. Email: vnba01@hn.vnn.vn

PROFESSIONAL DEPARTMENT
Functions and tasks:
• Organizing various activities and maintaining links among the members in banking activities;
• Monitoring and updating banking activities of the members to pinpoint their difficulties or bottle necks in order to reflect to the relevant authorities for settlement;
• Organizing and coordinating with relevant entities to communicate and introduce banking-related mechanisms, policies, regimes, formalities, and regulations to the members;
• Providing inputs to the relevant agencies on mechanisms, policies, formalities, and technical issues in the banking sector.
• Expending cooperation with domestic professional associations in banking-related issues;
• Studying the practical situation of the domestic banking sector and international experience and practices as a basis counter-arguments or comments on mechanisms, policies and formalities of the State Bank of Vietnam;
• Acting as a the standing council for the Bank Card Association of Vietnam;
• Executing other tasks assigned by the Secretary General of the Association.
Tel: 38218673 - 04.38218681. Fax: 04.397423308.

LEGAL DEPARTMENT
Functions and tasks
Participating in legislative work:
• Participating in the formulation and improvement of draft laws on banking and other banking-related draft laws;
• Monitoring and timely reporting obstacles or difficulties in the implementation of the Banking Laws and other related laws, making proposals to the relevant authorities on issuance or revision or supplement of legal documents for a perfection banking law and other related laws.
• Disemination of legal issues:
• Coordinating with the relevant authorities and organizations to disseminate the Banking Laws to the members of the Association.
• Protecting legitimate rights and interests of the members:
• At the requests of the members or proactively mastering the situation and information on violation of the legitimate rights and interests of the members to request the relevant authorities or individuals to act in line with law;
• Representing and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the members against disputes and complaints relating to administrative, labor, economic, and civil issues;
• Advising and making recommendations on complaints and denunciation relating to the members for legal settlement between the members and the concerning agencies;
• Timely and proactively supporting the members with legal advice in case of adverse shocks, force des majeures, and emergency to maintain stability for the members and the whole banking system;
• Advicing members on the settlement of their disputes;
• Advising on legal and banking issues at the request of the members and individuals;
• Studying legal systems of other countries and international practices and treaties on banking organizational structures and operations to serve the legislative work of the Association;
• Acting as a standing entity for the banking lawyers sub-association (upon establishment);
• Executing other tasks assigned by the Secretary General of the Association.
Tel: 04. 39740402 - 04. 38218684. Fax: 04. 38218732.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT - FINANCIAL AND MONETARY MARKET REVIEW
Functions and tasks:
• Setting up programs and goals on information and communication for specific periods of the development of the Association; and cooperating with the mass media agencies inside or outside the banking sector to implement these programs.
• Publishing and circulating the Financial and Monetary Market Review and other publications of the Association;
• Communicating and disseminating policies and directives of the Communist Party and the Government of Vietnam relating to the financial, monetary, and banking sectors; acting as a forum for exchanging banking-related issues and supporting the members in achieving operational objectives and meeting the requirements of international integration;
• Propagandising the activities of the Association and the members, formulating a network of freelance;
• Providing and exchanging information with domestic and international organizations concerning the activities of the Association and the members;
• Operating and organising the website of the Association;
• Managing the traditional chamber of the Association;
• Executing other tasks assigned by the Secretary General.
Tel: 04 38218685-04, 38218683-04. 38218733. Fax: 04. 39742307

THE TRAINING CENTER
Functions and tasks:
• Preparing plans and syllabus for training and refresher courses, and study tours at the requests of the members of the Association and other counterparts, or according to program funded by other countries for updated knowledge, skills, and expertise in banking activities and governance;
• Organizing training and refresher courses, study tours domestically and internationally according to plans approved by the Secretary General at the request of the members and demanding counterparts;
• Cooperating with domestic and international institutes, research institutions, universities, vocational schools, training centers in training, scientific research, and banking technology.
• Receiving and implementing training programs funded by domestic and international organizations;
• Signing contracts relating to training, study tours, scientific research with the Members and other demanding counterparts within the assigned framework; signing contracts with domestic and international lecturers and researchers for teaching and research organized by the Training Center in accordance with law;
• Organizing scientific and banking technology research at the request of the members and demanding counterparts, and acting as a standing member of the scientific council of the Association;
• Developing a team of lecturers, facilities and equipment; conducting teaching activities to meet the demand of the Training Center;
• Issuing training certificates to trainees; issuing professional certificates for various modalities of training according to permission of the relevant authorities in line with law;
• Executing other tasks relating to training assigned by the Secretary General of the Association.
Tel: 04. 38217849 - 04. 38218682 Fax: 04. 39740427

FINACIAL AND ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT
Functions and tasks:
• Executing the provisions of the Accounting Law and the National Accounting Regulation;
• Formulating the annual budget for the Permanent Office of the Association and implementing it on approval;
• Collecting membership fees in accordance with the decision of the General Meeting of the Association;
• Accounting of revenues and expenditures and meeting spending demands for the operations of the Permanent Office and the Association in accordance with the regulation;
• Auditing the account, the cash flow; involving in the management of assets of the Permanent Office and the Representative Office in accordance with the regulation;
• Consolidating financial reports, balance sheet, and the final financial reports in accordance with the regulation;
• Reporting financial statements to the Annual General Meeting of the Association;
• Making payment for social and health insurance for the staff of the Permanent Office in accordance with the regulation;
• Coordinating with the Office of the Permanent Office in conducting the annual inventory and liquidation of assets in line with the regulation; checking the accounting and the management of the assets of the Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City;
• Reserving the accounting files and records; keeping confidential accounting data and documents in line with the Accounting Law and the Ordinance on State Confidentiality.
• Executing other tasks assigned by the Secretary General of the Association.

THE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN HO CHI MINH CITY
Functions and tasks:
• Preparing monthly, semi-annual, and annual working schedules for the Representative Office in accordance with the agenda of the Permanent Office and properly implementing this agenda;
• Maintaining constant contacts with the members of the Association, SBV branches and credit institutions located in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces;
• Collecting and updating information about the activities of the members of the Association and other credit institutions located in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces for reporting to the Permanent Office;
• Coordinating with specialized departments of the Permanent Office to implement the working schedules of the Association, focusing on organization of conferences, seminars or workshops, training or refresher courses in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces;
• Preparing the budget (after approval) and making final accounting of the expenses of the Representative Office in accordance with the Financial Regulation of the Permanent Office of the Association;
• Executing administrative work and managing the assets of the Representative Office;
• Executing other tasks assigned by the Secretary General of the Association.Address: 17 Ben Chuong Duong, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: 08. 38216608 - 08. 38213957. Fax: 08. 38296076

AFFILIATED ENTITIES

THE BANK CARD ASSOCIATION OF VIETNAM
The Bank Card Association of Vietnam, a professional association affiliated with VNBA, was established on August 16, 1996 by the following founding members: Vietcombank, the Asian Commercial Bank, Eximbank, and Chohung Vina Bank (currently Shihan Vina Bank). The Bank Card Association of Vietnam has so far had 36 members, including Banknetvn and Smartlink, the two biggest card alliances in Vietnam.
Over the last 15 years since its establishment, the Bank Card Association of Vietnam has been working in coordination and supporting one another in development of card issuance and card-based payment services in Vietnam. The association has been working in partnership with and receiving support from the Master Card and VISA Card issuers in the Southeast Asia.
The association has been maintaining close relationship with international credit card issuers and facilitating card services in Vietnam, contributing inputs to the draft Regulation on card issuance, usage, card-based payment, and card-supporting services; the Regulation on balance limit for bearers' debit cards; Unifying the minimum fee applied to all POS in Vietnam. The association also coordinates with international card issuers and service providers to organize training courses and study tours in such countries as China, Malaysia, Singapore etc. to enable the bank staff of the member banks to learn experience in development of new card products and services. The association also requests international card issuers to provide technical supports to the member banks and coordinate with them to improve the quality of the technical systems and set up strategy for market exploitation. The association also acts as a bridge between the member banks, especially, with the State Bank of Vietnam to provide instruction for connecting the card alliance of Smartlink and Banknetvn, and enhancing information and experience sharing among member banks to manage risks in card-related activities.

THE MEMBERS OF THE VIETNAM BANKS ASSOCIATION
The members of the Vietnam Banks Association as of Jan 01st 2012 (sorted in alphabetical order in 4 categories: commercial banks, joint venture banks, finance companies, and other financial institutions.

I. COMMERCIAL BANKS
State-owned commercial banks (including 3 privitized banks*):
1. Vietnam Joint Stock Comercial Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank)*
2. Joint Stock Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank)*
3. Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV)*
4. Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank)
5. Mekong Housing Bank (MHB)
Joint-Stock Banks:
1. Asia Commercial Bank (ACB)
2. An Binh Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (ABBank)
3. Bao Viet Joint Stock Commercial Bank (BAOVIET Bank)
4. North Asia Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (BacA Bank)
5.Vietnam Prosperity Bank (VPBank)
6. Global Petro Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (GP Bank)
7. Great Asia Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Dai A Bank)
8. Great Trust Bank (TrustBank)
9. Ocean Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Ocean Bank)
10. DongA Commecrical Joint-Stock Bank (DongA Bank)
11. South East Asia Bank (SeABank)
12. Viet Capital Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Viet Capital Bank)
13. Maritime Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Maritime Bank)
14. Technical and Commercial Joint-Stock Bank of Vietnam (Techcombank)
15. Kien Long Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Kienlongbank)
16. Nam A Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (NamA Bank)
18. Nam Viet Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Navibank)
19. Western Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Western Bank)
20. Mekong Development Join-Stock Commercial Bank (MDBank)
21. Orient Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (OCB)
22. Southern Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Southern Bank)
23. Hanoi Building Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Habubank)
24. Ho Chi Minh City House Development Commerical Joint Stock Bank (HDBank)
25. Military Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (MB)
26. Vietnam International Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (VIB)
27. Sai Gon Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (SCB)
28. Saigon Bank for Industry and Trade (Saigonbank)
29. Sai Gon-Hanoi Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (SHB)
30. Sai Gon Thuong Tin Bank (Sacombank)
31.Vietnam-Asia Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (VietABank)
32. Petrolimex Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (PG Bank)
33. Vietnam Export-Import Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Eximbank)
34. Tienphong Joint – Stock Commercial Bank (TienphongBank)

II. JOINT VENTURE BANKS
1. Vietnam-Russia Joint Venture Bank (VRB)
2. Viet-Thai Joint Venture Bank (Vinasiam Bank)

III. FINANCE COMPANY
1. Post and Telecommunication Finance Company (PTF)
2. Rubber Finance Company (RFC)
3. Vietnam Shipbuiding Finance Company (Vinashin Finance)
4. Textile Finance Company (TFC)
5. Handico Finance Joint-Stock Company (HAFIC)
6. Vietnam National Coal, Mineral Finance Company Limited (CMF)
7. Song Da Finance Joint-Stock Company ( SDFC)
8. PetroVietnam Finance Joint-Stock Corporation (PVFC)
9. Cement Finance Company (CFC)
10. Vinaconex – Viettel Finance Company (VVF)
11.Vietnam Chemical Finance Joint Stock Company (VCFC)

IV. OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
1. Deposit Insurance of Vietnam (DIV)
2. Vietnam Development Bank (VDB)