| THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION -------- | SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM Independence - Freedom - Happiness ---------- |
| No. 09/2008/TT-BTTTT | Hanoi, December 24, 2008 |
CIRCULAR
GUIDING THE MANAGEMENT AND USE OF INTERNET RESOURCES
Pursuant to the June 29, 2006 Law on Information Technology;
Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 187/2007/ND-CP of December 25, 2007, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communication;
Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 97/ 2008/ND-CP of August 28, 2008, on the management, provision and use of Internet services and electronic information on the Internet;
The Ministry of Information and Communication guides the implementation of regulations on the management and use of Internet resources as follows:
I. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1. Scope of regulation and subject of application
This Circular guides regulations on the management and use of Internet resources with respect to all organizations and individuals involved in Internet-related activities in Vietnam.
2. In this Circular, the terms below are construed as follows:
2.1. Internet resources mean the system of names and numbers globally fixed and used for the Internet. Internet resources include:
a/ Domain names (DN); b/ Internet addresses or Internet protocol (IP) addresses;
c/ Autonomous system numbers (ASN);
d/ Other numbers and names prescribed by the Ministry of Information and Communication.
2.2. Domain name means a name used to identify an Internet address of the server, composed of several sequences of characters separated from one another by a dot "." The structure of a domain name consists of:
a/ Top-level domain name (the last sequence of characters):
A top-level domain (TLD) name includes generic top-level domain (gTLD) name and country code top-level domain (ccTLD) name.
gTLD names include: .COM; .NET; .EDU; .ORG; .INT; .BIZ; .INFO; .NAME; .PRO; .AERO; MUSEUM; .COOP and other gTLD names provided for by competent international organizations in charge of Internet resources.
ccTLD names include domain names defined according to the international standard for country codes [IS03166]. ccTLD names will change upon the emergence of new countries or territories or merger of countries.
b/ Second-level, third-level, fourth-level and fifth-level domain names (sequences of characters) are domain names below top-level domain names in order. A domain name must be composed of at least domain names of two levels: second-level and top level.
c/ International domain name means a domain name below a generic top-level domain name or a country code top-level domain name other than Vietnam's country code domain name ".vn".
2.3. Internet addresses means network addresses of terminals and servers, including IP address versions IPv4 and IPv6 and new address versions to be used in the future.
2.4. Autonomous system number (ASN) means a number used to identify a computer network participating in Internet routing.
2.5. System of domain name servers (DNS) means a combination of groups of interconnected servers to respond an IP address corresponding to a domain name when required.
2.6. Registration of a domain name means the performance of procedures for this domain name to be recognized, activated and exist on the Internet. Prior registration of the Vietnam's country code domain name ".vn" means the performance of procedures for this domain name to be available in the domain name management database of the system of country code domain name ".vn" servers.
2.7. Use of a domain name means the association of this domain name with an Internet address (IP address) of an operating server for online applications or for the protection of a trade name, trademark, service mark or organization name against appropriation.
2.8. Domain name registries means organizations which provide the services of domain name registration and maintenance, including domain name ".vn" registries and international domain name registries in Vietnam.
3. Principles for the management and use of Internet resources
3.1. Vietnam's Internet resources constitute part of national information resources, which must be managed, exploited and used properly and effectively.
3.2. It is strictly prohibited to use Internet resources for opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, causing insecurity or economic or social disorder, undermining the nation's fine traditions and customs, infringing upon lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals; or illegally obstructing the operation of the system of country code domain name servers (DNS).
3.3. Internet resources related to operations of Party and state organizations and agencies shall be given priority for protection against infringement.
4. Internet resource-managing agency
Vietnam National Internet Center (VNNIC), a unit under the Ministry of Information and Communication, performs the function of managing, supervising, promoting and supporting the use of Internet resources in Vietnam.
5. Charges and fees
Agencies, organizations and individuals using Internet resources shall pay charges and fees before such resources are put into operation or continue operating. VNNIC shall collect charges and fees in strict accordance with the Finance Ministry's regulations and other current regulations.
II. VIETNAM'S COUNTRY CODE DOMAIN NAMES ".VN"
1. Structure of domain names
1.1. Domain name ".vn" is the highest level domain name for Vietnam. All domain names below the domain name ".vn" are equally usable to identify Internet addresses of servers registered in Vietnam.
1.2. Second-level domain names are domain names below the country code domain name ".vn", including second-level domain names not classified by sector and generic second-level domain (gSLD) names classified by sector:
a/ COM.VN: For organizations and individuals involved in commercial activities.
b/ BIZ.VN: For organizations and individuals involved in business activities, equivalent to the domain name COM.VN.
c/ EDU.VN: For organizations and individuals involved in education and training activities.
d/ GOVVN: For central- and local-level state agencies and organizations.
e/ NETVN: For organizations and individuals involved in the establishment and provision of online services.
f/ ORG.VN: For organizations involved in political, cultural and social activities.
g/ INT.VN: For international organizations in Vietnam.
h/ AC.VN: For organizations and individuals involved in research activities.
i/ PRO. VN: For organizations and individuals involved in highly specialized domains.
j/ INFO.VN: For organizations and individuals involved in the creation, distribution and supply of information.
k/ HEALTH.VN: For organizations and individuals involved in pharmaceutical and medical activities.
l/ NAME.VN: For proper names of individuals involved in Internet-related activities.
m/ Other domain names provided for by the Ministry of Information and Communication.
1.3. Second-level domain names by administrative boundary means Internet domain names given after the names of provinces or centrally run cities. Second-level domain names by administrative boundary shall be written in Vietnamese, with or without tone marks.
1.4. Vietnamese-language domain names
a/ Vietnamese-language domain names are included in the system of Vietnamese country code domain names ".vn", with their characters defined in the code sheet of Vietnamese language according to Vietnam standard TCVN 6909:2001 and in such expanded code sheet in line with the above-said standard.
b/ A Vietnamese-language domain name comprises a second-level domain name and a third-level domain name below the second-level domain name by administrative boundary written in Vietnamese language. Domain names must be meaningful and not be entirely abbreviated.
2. Principles for registration and use of Vietnam's country code domain names ".vn"
2.1. General principles:
a/ A Vietnam's country code domain name ".vn" has at least one character or a sequence of characters below the top-level domain name ".vn"
b/ Registration shall be made at domain name ".vn" registries on the principle of equality and non-discrimination. Organizations and individuals registering first will be entitled to use the domain name first.
c/ Vietnam's country code domain names ".vn" are not governed by the Law on Intellectual Property. Sequences of characters or characters presenting trademarks, brand names, product marks and service marks, copyright and work titles which are included in the structure of a domain name shall not be protected in reality if they are only registered for online protection and vice versa, trademarks, brand names, product marks and service marks, copyright and work titles are not eligible for online protection if they have not yet been registered in domain names, even if registration has been made for protection in reality.
d/ A registered domain name may contain characters from A to Z; 0 to 9 and Vietnamese language characters in the Vietnamese alphabet which are accepted by the domain name servers. These characters may be either upper-case or lower-case.
e/ A registered domain name may contain character "-" but must neither start nor end with this character.
f/ A registered domain name must not start with a sequence of characters "xn-".
h/ A registered domain name at each level must contain not more than 63 characters.
2.2. Specific principles:
a/ Domain names selected and registered by organizations and individuals must not include words infringing upon national interests or unsuitable to social ethics or national fine traditions and customs and be serious to avoid confusion or distortion due to its polyphony and polysemy or when tone marks are left out.
b/ Domestic and foreign organizations and individuals involved in Internet-related activities may register and use second-level domain names below Vietnam's country code domain name ".vn" (except for generic second-level domain (gSLD) names defined at Points 1.2 and 1.3, Clause 1, Section II above) and third-level domain names below second-level domain names.
c/ Party and state agencies shall use Vietnam's country code domain name ".vn" and store information on servers having IP addresses in Vietnam for their official websites.
d/ Domain names presenting the names of Party organizations and state agencies shall be reserved only for these Party organizations and state agencies. Party organizations and state agencies shall make registration with VNNIC for reservation and protection. Other organizations and individuals may not register and use these domain names.
e/ When allocated a second-level domain name below the country code domain name ".vn", agencies, organizations and enterprises may only allocate third-level domain names below their second-level domain names to their member units and employees for internal use and, at the same time shall manage domain names below their domain names. Individuals may not allocate third-level domain names below their second-level domain names to other organizations or individuals.
f/ Only domain name ".vn" registries are allowed to allocate third-level domain names below second-level domain names ".vn" to other organizations and individuals.
3. Responsibilities of organizations and individuals registering the use of domain names
3.1. Organizations and individuals registering the use of domain names shall take full responsibility before law for use purposes and the accuracy of supplied information and ensure that the registration and use of domain names comply with regulations and do not infringe upon lawful rights and interests of other organizations and individuals.
3.2. Organizations and individuals registering the use of domain names shall take responsibility for the management and maintenance of the right to use domain names and for any violations in the use of their domain names caused due to lax management.
3.3. When registering a domain name, organizations and individuals shall supply full information on the domain name server which it points to.
3.4. Organizations and individuals lawfully operating in Vietnam that use international domain names for their websites shall notify the Ministry of Information and Communication thereof at the website www.thongbaotenmien.vn .
4. Domain name ".vn" registries
4.1. Domain name ".vn" registries are organizations providing the services of registering and maintaining domain names ".vn" of different levels, which are designated by VNNIC on a contractual basis on the following principles:
a/ Being domestic or overseas organizations with full and obvious legal person status under law.
b/ Having financial, technical and personnel capacities as well as Internet networks and administration systems for providing the services of registering and maintaining Vietnam's country code domain name ".vn" in line with their operation scope at the request of VNNIC.
c/ Having made commitments to observing regulations on the management and use of Internet resources and management of electronic information on the Internet.
