groups of administrative procedures to be streamlined in H2. Photo: CP

3. Construction Permits and Zoning Approvals

Objective: Speed up urban development processes while maintaining compliance.

Construction projects often face delays due to slow approval of permits and zoning adjustments. By centralizing applications, digitizing approval workflows, and improving inter-agency communication, several municipalities aim to expedite the approval process for building permits, environmental reviews, and zoning adjustments in the latter half of 2023.

4. Public Procurement and Tendering

Objective: Make public procurement more transparent, efficient, and accessible.

Governments are investing in digital platforms that allow businesses to more easily track, submit, and monitor public procurement tenders. These systems not only enhance transparency but also reduce administrative complexity for both suppliers and government agencies, making it easier to access bidding opportunities and comply with procurement regulations.

5. Social Security and Welfare Applications

Objective: Simplify eligibility checks and application processes for benefits.

Access to social security and welfare benefits often requires applicants to navigate complex eligibility criteria and paperwork. In 2023, efforts are being made to streamline the application processes through integrated online portals that reduce paperwork, speed up decision-making, and allow for easier tracking of benefits.

6. Healthcare Licensing and Certification

Objective: Reduce the administrative burden on healthcare professionals.

Healthcare professionals, especially in sectors such as medicine, nursing, and dentistry, often face lengthy processes to obtain or renew their licenses. H2 2023 will see the introduction of faster, digital certification processes that can handle the verification of qualifications, continuing education, and background checks in a streamlined, efficient manner.

7. Environmental Compliance and Reporting

Objective: Simplify environmental reporting requirements for businesses and industries.

Many businesses are required to submit regular environmental compliance reports, but the process is often cumbersome and time-consuming. New digital tools and online portals are set to reduce the paperwork involved, automate data collection, and provide businesses with clearer guidelines on meeting regulatory requirements.

8. Immigration and Visa Applications

Objective: Improve the efficiency and accessibility of immigration processes.

Visa applications, work permits, and residency status updates are often delayed due to complex and repetitive procedures. In 2023, many countries are focusing on digitizing visa applications and using AI to assess eligibility more quickly. These systems will reduce waiting times and allow applicants to track the status of their requests in real-time.

9. Education and Qualification Verification

Objective: Streamline the process of verifying educational qualifications and professional credentials.

Employers, immigration authorities, and educational institutions often require time-consuming verification processes for academic degrees and professional qualifications. New centralized online systems are being introduced to provide faster, more secure, and transparent verification processes, reducing delays and fraud risk.

10. Public Housing Applications

Objective: Enhance accessibility to affordable housing through simplified processes.

Applying for public housing or subsidized housing is a critical but often bureaucratic procedure for many individuals. By digitizing applications, providing clearer guidelines, and automating eligibility checks, governments aim to streamline the process, reducing wait times and increasing accessibility for those in need.

11. Civil Registration (Births, Marriages, Deaths)

Objective: Simplify the process for registering key life events.

The process of registering births, marriages, and deaths can often involve long wait times and cumbersome documentation requirements. Many countries are moving to digital platforms where citizens can submit these registrations online, improving efficiency, reducing administrative bottlenecks, and ensuring quicker processing of certificates

12. Intellectual Property (IP) Filings

Objective: Modernize the process of patent and trademark filings.

Intellectual property rights such as patents and trademarks are essential for innovation and business protection, but the application processes are often slow and complex. Efforts in 2023 include the introduction of more user-friendly online submission systems, automated search functionalities, and faster application review processes.

Illustrative image (internet)

13. Public Service Requests (Complaints, Inquiries, and Feedback)

Objective: Improve the responsiveness and accessibility of government services.

Handling public service requests—whether complaints, inquiries, or feedback—can be a bureaucratic hurdle for citizens. Many municipalities and agencies are implementing streamlined systems for submitting requests, tracking their progress, and providing faster responses. By incorporating automation and AI-powered chatbots, governments aim to improve citizen satisfaction and reduce response times.

As governments and organizations continue to modernize and improve the efficiency of public services, administrative procedures are often at the forefront of reform efforts. In 2023, significant steps are being taken to streamline various groups of administrative procedures to ensure that they are more accessible, cost-effective, and less time-consuming for both citizens and businesses. Here’s a look at 13 key groups of administrative procedures that are being targeted for streamlining in the second half of 2023.

Objectives of the Reform Plan

The reform plan is designed with several key objectives:

• Legal Framework Enhancement: Accelerate the revision and supplementation of legal documents to implement strategies aimed at overhauling, reducing, and simplifying regulations pertinent to business activities and citizen-related administrative procedures.
• Public Service Improvement: Elevate the sense of responsibility among public servants in serving the populace and enterprises, thereby improving the quality of public services.
• Policy Responsiveness: Enhance the efficiency of policy responses to better meet the needs of citizens and businesses.
• Administrative Discipline: Strengthen administrative discipline to ensure consistent and effective governance.

Key Directives

The Prime Minister has issued specific directives to ministries and ministerial-level agencies:

• Streamlining Procedures: Focus on simplifying 126 administrative procedures and groups related to population management.
• Regulatory Reduction: Work towards reducing 402 regulations associated with business activities.
• Delegation of Authority: Simplify 111 procedures that require delegation of power for processing.

Additionally, ministries are tasked with reviewing and submitting plans to cut down and streamline 59 groups of prioritized internal administrative procedures across 12 areas under the jurisdiction of six ministries.

Establishment of the Working Group on Administrative Reform

To ensure effective implementation, Prime Minister Chính has established a dedicated working group on administrative reform, led by Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang. This group is responsible for overseeing the execution of the reform plan and ensuring that the objectives are met within the stipulated timeframe.

Implications for Citizens and Businesses

These reforms are anticipated to significantly reduce the administrative burden on citizens and businesses, facilitating smoother interactions with government agencies. By streamlining procedures and cutting down on bureaucratic red tape, the government aims to create a more conducive environment for economic activities and public services.

This initiative reflects Vietnam's ongoing efforts to modernize its administrative framework, promote transparency, and enhance the overall efficiency of its public sector.

PM Pham Minh Chinh has signed a decision to issue an administrative reform plan for the second half of 2023, aiming to seek measures to simplify 13 major groups of administrative procedures.

The objectives of the plan include speeding up the progress of adjusting and supplementing legal documents to put forth the plan to renovate, cut down and simplify regulations related to business activities as well as citizenship-related papers and administrative procedures that has been approved by the Government and the PM, improving public servants’ sense of responsibility in serving the people and businesses, increasing policy response efficiency, strengthening administrative discipline, and enhancing the quality of public service.