Promote administrative procedure reforms and improve the business environment

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Comprehensive business environment reforms are being undertaken to support the recovery of enterprises. Photo: H.Diu.

The text states that in compliance with the directions of the Government and the Prime Minister, ministries, sectors, and localities have made strong efforts to reform administrative procedures, linking it with the national digital transformation to reduce administrative regulations, and compliance costs, and improve the quality of public services for the people and businesses. These efforts have gradually resolved difficulties and obstacles in investment, production, business activities, and people's lives.

Since the beginning of 2021, ministries have reduced and simplified more than 2,200 business regulations in 177 legal documents. The Prime Minister has approved a plan to cut and simplify more than 1,100 regulations related to business operations.

Additionally, more than 4,400 online public services have been provided on the National Public Service Portal. As of May 2023, the total number of administrative procedures in the country was 6,422, a decrease of 376 administrative procedures compared to the same period in 2020.

However, according to the assessments of the National Assembly delegates during discussions in the plenary session on the socio-economic situation and by listening to the opinions of the people and the business community, administrative procedures in some areas still pose barriers to production activities, business operations, and the daily lives of the people. Internal administrative procedures need to be thoroughly reviewed and reduced.

The process of administrative procedure handling still involves multiple intermediate steps, causing delays and obstacles in implementation. The transparency of public disclosure of administrative procedures and the provision of online public services are still limited. In some places, the organization of administrative procedure implementation is not strict, and there are instances of confusion and negative practices, leading to additional procedures beyond the regulations, thereby increasing social costs and reducing management efficiency.

To further promote and implement administrative reform and improve the business environment substantially and effectively, the Prime Minister has instructed Ministers, Heads of central agencies, and Chairpersons of People's Committees of centrally governed provinces and cities to urgently and seriously undertake several tasks.

Specifically, the focus will be on reviewing, reducing, and simplifying regulations and administrative procedures related to investment, production, business activities, and people's lives, ensuring a minimum reduction of 20% in the number of regulations and a minimum reduction of 20% in compliance costs, following the directions of the Government in Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP dated May 12, 2020, Resolution No. 76/NQ-CP dated July 15, 2021, and Resolution No. 131/NQ-CP dated October 6, 2022.

In which, propose to immediately cut unnecessary procedures and intermediate steps; overlapping, non-quantifiable business conditions for transparency in inspection, appraisal, evaluation and approval; specialized inspection activities still overlap, with the participation of many agencies and units; simultaneously, research and propose solutions to socialize eligible public administrative services.

The plan for reduction and simplification should be completed and submitted to the Prime Minister for approval by September 30, 2023.

Strictly implementing impact assessment, giving opinions, appraising and verifying administrative procedures in proposals, projects, draft legal documents, in which resolutely promulgate new administrative procedures only in cases where it is absolutely necessary for managing and regulating emerging social relationships.

Strengthen decentralization, authorization, and resource allocation in the implementation of administrative procedures, process restructuring, providing online public services in a user-centred direction, and avoiding superficial and ineffective approaches.

Expeditiously make statistics, review, reduce and simplify at least 20% of internal administrative procedures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the state administrative apparatus, following the plan accompanying the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1085/QD-TTg dated September 15, 2022.

To publicize, transparently, fully, accurately, and promptly information on administrative procedures and the process of receiving and resolving them, so that people and businesses can access, monitor, supervise, and evaluate during the implementation of administrative procedures.

Ministries, branches, and localities should review, publish, update and publicly disclose all constituent parts of administrative procedures in the National Database on Administrative Procedures in accordance with the provisions of Article 8 of the Government's Decree No. 63/2010/ND-CP dated June 8, 2010 (as amended and supplemented), to be completed by September 2023.

Evaluation of the quality of services provided to citizens and businesses in the handling of administrative procedures should be conducted based on real-time data, as stipulated in the Prime Minister's Decision No. 766/QD-TTg dated June 23, 2022. It is important to improve the quality of service and satisfaction levels, particularly by strengthening administrative discipline and regular inspections. Strict measures should be taken, and officials, public servants, agencies, and units involved should be publicly identified and held accountable for any delays or inconveniences caused, especially when additional procedures, documents, or requirements not in accordance with regulations are introduced during the process of receiving and handling administrative procedures.

Enhance accountability and effectively carry out the task of receiving and handling feedback and suggestions on administrative regulations to timely address difficulties, obstacles, and shortcomings for the people and businesses. Put an end to evading responsibility, non-action, or prolonged processing time.

The Prime Minister required the Ministry of Planning and Investment to take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, localities, and agencies to implement measures to improve the business environment and enhance national competitiveness, as directed by the Government in Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP dated January 6, 2023. Review and submit to the Prime Minister a plan to streamline and simplify regulations and administrative procedures related to implementing investment projects and public investment, to be completed by September 2023.