Govt stresses tasks to reduce enterprise burdens

2017-04-13
english.gov.cn

A recent State Council inter-ministerial meeting released a notification underlining major tasks for easing enterprises’ burdens this year.

According to the paper, the government will continue to cancel unapproved enterprise-related guarantee deposits, and make public the lists of guarantee deposits set up by State Council departments as well as local authorities.

The document urged building a comprehensive online platform for enterprises to integrate surveys on enterprise burdens, fees lists query and other enterprise-related functions and services.

A complete fee items category priced by the government will be established and opened to enterprises, the document said. It also stressed continued efforts to reduce fees in an all-around way, especially in finance, import and export, and other key areas.

According to the document, the government will improve a reporting system to ban irregular practices such as arbitrary and unauthorized charges, and charges in the name of public activities and donations.

Also, trade associations will be held accountable if they impose forced memberships on enterprises for contributions, or charge them in the name of awards and certifications.

Reports through the online platform are encouraged. And severe punishment will be given to the irregular practices as well as to people who are accountable, the document said.

The document urged efforts to put in place preferential policies through an improved tracking and supervision system, national inspections, and transparent auditing, and to set up a long-term support mechanism for the real economy and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Also, the government will enhance training and consultation services to SMEs so that they will get a better understanding of such policies and lists.

In addition, the government will strengthen research on issues relating to enterprises’ burdens. It will carry out online surveys nationwide, study and help solve typical enterprise problems in cost reduction.

Meanwhile, third-party evaluations and international comparisons of enterprises’ burdens will be introduced to formulate better targeted policies.

The document allocated tasks among government departments, and called for local authorities to make detailed work plans.