According to Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's request, instead of "waiting" until the end of the second quarter, by tomorrow, April 20th, ministries and agencies must propose to the Standing Committee of the Government and the Government plans for reducing and reforming administrative procedures, business conditions, and conditional business sectors; the Government Office and the Ministry of Justice will compile and review the plans and submit them to the Government for approval in April.
Recent government meetings have shown positive signs, with most ministries and sectors, especially those directly and regularly impacting citizens and businesses, setting targets to reduce processing times and compliance costs by over 50% – exceeding the requirements of Conclusion No. 18.
More importantly, the mindset behind implementing the streamlining policy has fundamentally shifted, from reducing the number of paperwork procedures to reducing the actual burden borne by citizens and businesses. With the requirement for transparency in progress, quantification of results, accountability of heads of departments, and the establishment of the Ministry of Justice and the Government Office as "institutional gatekeepers" in controlling administrative procedures and business conditions—ministers being held accountable if procedures or business conditions that do not meet requirements slip through—the Prime Minister has established a strict control mechanism for the implementation process. This is crucial because administrative procedure reform, ultimately, is a process of redistributing administrative power; without a sufficiently strong control mechanism, the risk of "embedding" vested interests in more subtle forms could easily recur.
Years of experience have shown that administrative procedures and business conditions are not only a matter of technical management, but are also closely linked to the scope of intervention and benefit allocation by regulatory agencies. Reducing administrative procedures and business conditions means narrowing the authority to grant licenses and pre-approval – areas prone to corruption, malpractice, and unofficial costs. In this context, the demand for a strong shift from pre-approval to post-approval carries profound reform implications: the state moving from "pre-control" to "post-monitoring," from direct intervention to management through standards, regulations, and data, is not a direction consistent with modern governance practices, but one that will undoubtedly expand the space for innovation and business freedom.
In the context of Vietnam setting high growth targets for the coming years, institutional reform, with a focus on administrative procedure reform and business conditions, is a crucial "endogenous lever." When compliance costs decrease and transparency is enhanced, social resources will be freed up, shifting from the "cost" sector to the "value creation" sector. The business community, the direct driver of growth, will benefit most significantly from a transparent, stable, and predictable business environment. This is also a prerequisite for strengthening market confidence, attracting investment, and maintaining sustainable growth momentum.
However, for the current drastic measures to create a real turning point, it requires not only maintaining political resolve but also ensuring disciplined implementation, avoiding the pursuit of superficial achievements; while simultaneously enhancing transparency, expanding social oversight, and listening to feedback from businesses and citizens. Along with that, adequate investment in data infrastructure is necessary, ensuring system interoperability and improving the quality of officials and civil servants – especially at the level directly involved in implementation.
Administrative procedure and business condition reforms are entering a new phase, and there can be no hesitation or delay. The decisive actions of the new government demonstrate a direct approach, with clear objectives and accompanied by stricter control mechanisms. If implemented synchronously, substantively, and consistently, this will not only be a solution to "break the ice" of institutional bottlenecks, but also a crucial step in building a service-oriented, honest, and efficient administration, thereby creating a solid foundation for realizing the country's rapid and sustainable development goals in the coming period.
Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/pha-bang-diem-nghen-the-che-10414131.html
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