Chapter VII
THE UNION OF COOPERATIVES AND FEDERATION OF COOPERATIVES
Article 45.- The Union of cooperatives
1. The cooperatives which have the need can jointly establish a union of cooperatives if they so wish.
The Union of cooperatives is an economic organization operating in accordance with the cooperative principle, aimed at increasing efficiency of production, business and services of the member cooperatives, assisting one another each other in their operations and meeting other requirements of the participating members.
The Union of cooperatives shall register business at the provincial People's Committee.
2. The Union of cooperatives shall be entitled to choose its own name and logo in accordance with law. The seal, signboard, transaction documents of the Union of cooperatives must bear the sign "LHHTX" (Union of cooperatives).
3. The objectives, functions, tasks and organizational structure of the Union of cooperatives shall be stipulated in the Statute of the Union of cooperatives to be adopted by the Congress of its members.
4. The establishment, registration of business, organization of operation of Unions of cooperatives shall be stipulated by the Government.
Article 49.- The Federation of cooperatives
1. The cooperatives and Unions of cooperatives shall be entitled to voluntarily establish a Federation of cooperatives of one branch and a Federation of all cooperatives of all economic branches. Federations of cooperatives shall be set up at central and provincial levels.
2. A Federation of cooperatives is a non-governmental organization functioning as a representative and protector of the legitimate interests of the cooperatives and Unions of cooperatives; a promoter for the development of cooperatives providing consultancy, service and assistance to cooperatives and Union of cooperatives; a participant in the building of policies and legislation on cooperatives; the representative of cooperatives and unions of cooperatives in the coordination between domestic and foreign cooperative members in accordance with provisions of law.
The functions, tasks, powers, organizational structure, names and finance of the Federation of cooperatives shall be stipulated by the Statute of the Federation of cooperatives.
3. The Prime Minister shall issue the decision to recognize the Federation of cooperatives at the central level; and the Presidents of the provincial People's Committees shall issue the decisions to recognize the Federations of cooperatives at the provincial level.