Residents processing administrative procedures at a public administration centre. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Prime Minister has called for an urgent review of administrative procedures in four priority areas: fire prevention and firefighting, the establishment and operation of industrial zones and industrial clusters, environmental impact assessment, and construction licensing.

The directive follows the Government's issuance of eight resolutions on April 29 to reduce, decentralise and simplify administrative procedures and business conditions across 14 ministries and ministerial-level agencies. The Prime Minister commended the ministries for their timely review work and also recognised the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) for its contributions during the drafting process.

The further reforms are intended to create greater convenience for people and businesses, and to support the achievement of the double-digit growth target required under Party Central Committe's Conclusion No 18-KL/TW.

The ministers of Public Security, Industry and Trade, Agriculture and Environment, and Construction have been directed to instruct relevant units to review existing regulations and administrative procedures in those four areas – covering authority, sequence, methods of implementation, required documents and processing times – and report to the Prime Minister before May 10. Their reports must simultaneously be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for consolidation and independent assessment.

The Minister of Justice is to use those reports as the basis for proposing plans to cut and simplify procedures further, and report to the Prime Minister before May 12.

The directive was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà on behalf of the Prime Minister in Document No 464/TTg-CĐS, dated April 30. — VNS