Looking back on the effort of reforming administrative procedures of Finance sector in 2018

Finance sector strengthen to apply IT in processing administrative procedure in order to facilitate enterprises and people. In the picture: Customs official of Noi Bai International Airport uses online customs supervision. Photo: Q.Hùng

Saving hundreds of billion VND

Follow closely the objectives and requirements of the administrative procedure reforms in the Resolutions of the Government and the Prime Minister's Directive, the Ministry of Finance promptly instructed the units to strictly implement the requirements of administrative procedures reform. Accordingly, in the past time, the reductions and simplifications of administrative procedures by the Ministry of Finance have made positive changes, creating more and more favorable conditions for individuals and organizations, removing difficulties for enterprises, improving efficiency and effectiveness of state management, contributing to promoting development of socio-economic prosperity. Although there was precious little time from the last days of 2017, the Ministry of Finance issued a plan to implement the task of controlling administrative procedures in 2018 with very specific tasks.

As a result, from 1/1/2018 to 31/10/2018, the Ministry of Finance abolished 18 administrative procedures and simplified 111 administrative procedures in the field of state management of the Ministry of Finance. In November 2018, the Ministry of Finance continued to review and evaluate all 987 administrative procedures towards the unity, synchronization, simplification, publicity and transparency of administrative procedures, and researched innovative solutions for solving administrative procedures by enhancing an information technology application in settling administrative procedures. On the basis of review, on 14/11/2018, the Ministry of Finance issued Decision No. 2141/QD-BTC on approving the plan to reduce and simplify 176 administrative procedures in the field of management of the Ministry of Finance. In that, it was expected to continue to reduce, abolish 148 administrative procedures and simplify 28 administrative procedures. Therefore, it can be calculated that after implementing all the above options, the total number of administrative procedures under the management of the Ministry of Finance would reduce to 839 procedures. According to the above calculations, this plan would save more than 182 billion VND/year regarding costs, while it would ensure the objectives of state management.

Also related to administrative procedures, implementing the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister on the Single Window mechanism and the inter-agency Single Window in settling administrative procedures. For this provision, the Ministry of Finance is currently completing the Scheme on establishing a Single Window Department for receiving and returning results of settling administrative procedures at the Ministry of Finance; scheme and plans for personnel working at the Single Window department of the Ministry of Finance; regulations on implementation, and implementation of the Single Window mechanism at the Ministry of Finance; the list of administrative procedures was well received at the Single Window department of the Ministry of Finance. In addition, the Ministry of Finance is collecting opinions from ministries, sectors and localities to finalize and promulgate a Circular in order to replace Circular No. 172/2012/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance regulating the estimation, management, use and settlement of the budget for state administrative reform; in that providing amendments and supplements to regulations related to spending tasks on the implementation of Single Window and inter-agency Single Window mechanisms in resolving administrative procedures.

Business conditions have been cutting down

One of the remarkable results of the Finance sector in administrative procedure reform was on reviewing, reducing and simplifying business conditions. On the basis of implementing the Action Plan to implement the Resolution No. 10/NQ-CP of the Central Government and Resolution No. 98/NQ-CP of the Government, after inheriting the results of administrative reforms and cutting off business conditions in the past until now, in order to facilitate businesses and still meet the requirements of state management, the Ministry of Finance has continually reviewed the legal document system related to investment and business conditions in the field of management. On 31/5/2018, the Ministry of Finance issued Decision No. 832/QD-BTC approving the plan for cutting off and simplifying 190/370 business conditions under the management of the Ministry of Finance, to reach 51.4% as required by the Government. On that basis, the Ministry proposed to amend 6 Laws and 16 Government Decrees relating to business conditions to solve difficulties for enterprises.

In order to immediately implement the plans, the Ministry of Finance has submitted to the Government for promulgation Decree No. 151/2018/ND-CP, amending and supplementing a number of Decrees stipulating conditions for business investment under the scope of State management of the Ministry of Finance. Accordingly, it reduced and simplified 117/190 business conditions of 13 industries. In addition, the Ministry of Finance is currently completing to submit to the Government for promulgating a Decree to amend Decree No. 68/2016/ND-CP dated 1/7/2016 on regulations on duty free business conditions, warehouses, locations for customs procedures, gathering, inspection, supervision and customs to reduce and simplify 29 business conditions, which are expected to be submitted to the Government in the coming time. At the same time, it is studying to submit to the Government to amend Decree No. 104/2007/ND-CP on debt collection service business to amend 5 business conditions (expected to be submitted to the Government in early 2019).

For the remaining 39 business conditions stipulated in 6 Laws of the National Assembly (Tax Administration Law; Securities Law; Price Law, Accounting Law; Independent Auditing Law; Customs Law), the Ministry of Finance will continue studying the process of reviewing and evaluating the implementation of the Law, to include in the revised contents according to the schedule of the Law and Ordinance of the National Assembly.

The reduction and simplification of specialized inspection procedures are also being actively implemented. The Ministry of Finance has closely coordinated with ministries and branches to implement tasks and solutions on reforming specialized inspection in Government Resolution 19 / NQ-CP; Decision No. 2026 / QD-TTg dated 17/11/2015 of the Prime Minister, and Decision No. 1254/QD-TTg dated 26/9/2018 of the Prime Minister approving the Action Plan to promote the National Single Window mechanism and ASEAN Single Window, for reforming specialized export inspections, import and trade facilitation of goods for the period 2018-2020.

In 2019, the Ministry of Finance will continue to implement the resolutions and decisions of the Government and the Prime Minister on administrative reforms; At the same time, study and propose options to simplify administrative procedures under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance by contributing to the improvement of the business environment and improving capacity in order to continue creating favorable conditions for people and businesses. In addition, effectively organize the implementation of Decree No. 61/2018/ND-CP of the Government regulating the implementation of Single Window mechanism and inter-agency Single Window in settling administrative procedures; continue to study and complete legal documents for achieving the goal of public financial reform.