Richard Sulík (source: SITA)
Entrepreneurs in Slovakia can look forward to less red tape and more changes. On Thursday, October 28, the Economy Ministry submitted for interdepartmental review the second package of measures to improve the business environment. The cabinet is scheduled to discuss it in late November. It contains 207 measures, some of which were proposed by entrepreneurs. They sent almost 2,500 suggestions in total. The measures include those that concern all entrepreneurs, but also those that will help only certain sectors, such as gastronomic establishments.
“The [second] package does not contain anything huge; we do not have a magic wand to make one big change resulting in a great business environment, but together such little things multiplied 207 times, it will do a lot,” said Economy Minister Richard Sulík. “Entrepreneurs will really feel that.”
There were 114 proposals in the first package of measures and thus their number increased twofold in the second package, Sulík explained, adding that the measures should save the business sector some €200 million, in the case of the first package it was some €176 million.
The highest number of changes (35) from the second package will be implemented by the Economy Ministry, while 31 concern the Finance Ministry. The Labour and Agriculture Ministries will implement 20 measures each, while the implementation of the remaining changes has been divided among 13 other institutions.
The Economy Ministry, for example, proposes that documents from an electronic mailbox should be used for legal activities without guaranteed conversion. It wants to enable the sale of non-food goods after their expiration dates and simplify the obligation to report stays by foreign visitors.
Further changes will introduce an option for driving schools to provide instruction via e-learning, while hygiene requirements in catering facilities will be eased.
Parliament passed the first package last July.
The Economy Ministry has already announced the preparation of the third package, which they want to focus on next year.
