Bill aims to speed up licensing process for new businesses

New restaurants are seen being able to get licenses in one day, while some food factories and hotels or other accommodation facilities in the tourism sector would gain permits in up to 28 days.

These are some of the changes included in a bill drawn up by the government that aims to simplify the process for businesses to be given the right to start operating.

The draft law was put to public consultation yesterday. Its key element is to reduce the amount of paperwork that entrepreneurs need to do to set up their new businesses. It also allows checks by state agencies to be carried out after the business is up and running, rather than for owners to wait for the inspections to take place before they can begin operating.

In some cases, entrepreneurs will be allowed to declare to their local authority or Citizen Service Center (KEP) that they are setting up a business and be given the all clear to do so the same day, with any other paperwork being left for afterward.

It should be noted, though, that a similar law was passed in 2014 but it required a total of 20 ministerial decisions and presidential decrees to be enacted. Only two of the 20 were actually issued.