Business permit reform to further boost market entities

A full-coverage listing management system will be adopted on enterprise-related business licensing items nationwide starting from July 1, according to a State Council circular released on June 3. The examination and approval system will be further reformed with increasing intensity of pilot reforms in free trade zones.

By the end of 2022, a simplified, highly efficient, fair, and transparent industry access rule with low threshold and strict management will be established in an effort to make administrative operation more convenient and expectable for market entities.

Sixty-eight enterprise-related business licensing items are annulled nationwide with another 14 in FTZs, to eliminate operating obstacles in fields including foreign investment and trade, engineering construction, traffic and logistics, and agency services.

Fifteen enterprise-related business licensing items are transformed into record-filing items with another 15 in FTZs, to grant market access in fields including trade and circulation, education and training, medical services, food, and finance.

Thirty-seven enterprise-related business licensing items are transformed into notification and commitment items with another 40 in FTZs, to substantially simplify administrative admittance in fields including agriculture, manufacturing, production services, living consumption, telecommunication, and energy.

Fifteen enterprise-related business licensing items will see delegated examination and approval permission, including production license issuance to key industrial products excluding food-related products and chemical fertilizers.

All enterprise-related business licensing items will be included in the listing for further management. The means of reform and concrete methods will be pinned down term by term, and the regulation in the process and afterward will be strengthened. The listing will feature dynamic adjustment, and will be updated to the public for social supervision.

Concerned State Council-affiliated departments should formulate standards, norms and patterns for the enterprise-related digital license system, and the system should be available nationwide by the end of 2022. Paper materials should no longer be needed if target information can be obtained via the digital license system.