Jiangsu to further improve business environment

The General Office of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government recently issued the Notice on Several Measures to Further Improve Business Environment and Better Serve Market Entities, rolling out 20 measures to further improve business environment and benefit the enterprises.

According to officials of the Provincial Administration Office for Government Affairs Service, the Implementation Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Further Improving Business Environment and Better Serving Market Entities issued in July of this year requires all localities and departments to launch concrete and effective reform measures to address the problems and challenges facing enterprises in production and operation. Therefore, based on the actual needs of market entities, Jiangsu has adopted a systemic approach to improve market efficiency and streamline administration with the aim to optimize the preliminary evaluation and approval of investment projects, further simplify approval for construction projects, advance the reform of replacing multiple plans for local development with one master plan and adopting a comprehensive surveying and mapping system, lower the threshold for market access, reduce barriers to employment, and encourage foreign investment, etc. Elaborations on these 20 measures are also well-presented in the notice. For example, optimizing the preliminary evaluation and approval of investment projects involves advancing the pilot reform of integrating eco-environmental policies for industrial parks. Specified construction projects can enjoy partial exemptions of environmental impact assessment (EIA) at pilot industrial parks. Positive list of EIA approvals will be implemented and the listed construction projects will be subject to the pilot reform of EIA exemption and commitment system. In the development zones, new areas, pilot free trade zones and other areas where conditions permit, regional assessment will be conducted and the number of items subject to such assessments will be increased. These measures will ensure the implementation, commencement and construction of investment projects at an early date and lower the investment costs of market entities.

There are also measures to establish a long-term mechanism for improving business environment. For example, the Provincial Administration Office for Government Affairs Service will take the lead to push public data sharing, mutual recognition, sharing and application of electronic certificates and licenses, and ensure that relief policies will benefit market entities directly. A provincial open data network will be established to push for open and safe access to public data in transportation, road administration, medical and health, pension, and other public services and government departments in accordance with laws and regulations. Electronic seals and signatures will be applied so that the application form and letter of commitment with electronic signature can be recognized and shared during the review and approval process. A specialized platform will be set up to publicize favorable policies for businesses and deliver tangible benefits to every enterprise.