Vietnam sets up new regulatory management tool

Earlier this month, a new program was launched in an effort to promote a modern regulatory management systemin Vietnam by providing the National Assembly and government agencies with the resources they need to improve the quality of policies and legal documents. According to an article in Vietnews, the Program for Enhancing Regulatory Quality (PERQ) features a combined outreach strategy of facilitation, training events, workshops, and a people-to-people ambassador scheme. PERQ is jointly developed by the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the U.S. Agency for International Development's Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative (USAID/VNCI). It will help decision makers eliminate regulations that impose unnecessary costs on the community, impede innovation, and stifle competitiveness. "PERQ will make significant contribution to ensuring a transparent and accountable regulatory environment, which is a critical factor in fostering a competitive economy and attracting future investment to Vietnam," said Nguyen Dinh Cung, deputy director of CIEM. According to CIEM, the number of legal documents issued by central government agencies in Vietnam soared sevenfold to 8,520 in 2009 from 1,245 in 2004. This new development is welcome in a context where there had recently been some criticism of the slow pace of reform (see Voice of Vietnam article in July, reported on this blog); For more on PERQ, see Vietnews article (tip from Daniel T.)

Philippines local government addresses red tape

According to a press agency despatch, Philippines local government of Bulacan is setting out to attract trade ventures in the agro-industrial province by closely enacting provisions of a national Anti-Red Tape Act in all provincial government offices. Governor Alvarado said he was seeking more efficiency in the issuance of permits from the local government units and national agencies. A one stop shop is already processing permits, but national agencies are not always sufficiently represented at the local level for efficient management of permit schemes.  In parallel, an effort is pursued to extend opening hours and offer faster response to businesses.

Smart Regulation & Multilevel Governance Conference

How do Flanders and the other European regions cope with the competency for smart regulation in a multilevel environment?
That is the central question during the Smart Regulation & Multilevel Governance Conference on the 7th of November 2011. The conference aims to explore regional approaches for smart regulation in a multilevel setting. This conference addresses civil servants and administrators responsible for (implementing) smart regulation policy.

When
Monday, the 7th of November 2011

Venue
Atrium at the Belvue museum, Brussels

For now, save the date and keep a close eye as more information about the conference, the program and the themes will be communicated within a few weeks time.

(Announcement from Marijn Straetemans on our Smart Regulation LinkedIn group)