In a directive issued to member units recently, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh called for urgent reforms aimed at simplifying the permit process, especially for investment projects that already meet detailed planning or urban design criteria.
Agencies under the ministry have been instructed to take a hands-on approach to reviewing and cutting administrative procedures within their respective areas. The goal is to reduce processing times, compliance costs, and business conditions by at least 30 percent by 2025.
Among the proposed reforms is a shift from a licensing model to a self-declaration mechanism for construction firms. Under this approach, businesses would confirm their compliance with regulatory conditions, with authorities carrying out post-inspections instead of pre-approvals. This move is expected to reduce costs and paperwork for enterprises while maintaining oversight.
The Ministry of Construction is also working to narrow the scope of projects that require appraisals by specialized construction agencies and to amend regulations governing unit prices and cost norms, especially in transport infrastructure projects, aiming to ease bottlenecks in project execution.
In parallel, a review of construction-related technical standards and regulations is underway. The ministry is seeking to identify additional standards needed to support planning and investment, as well as to scrap outdated rules that may cause inefficiencies or unnecessary expenses.
Digital transformation is also high on the agenda. The ministry’s Information Technology Centre is developing a plan to promote digitalization and automation in administrative processes, including the creation of a centralized database to speed up application processing and reduce paperwork. This plan is expected to be finalized by the end of July.
In addition, the ministry is preparing a proposal to further simplify procedures related to business and investment activities in the construction sector. Once finalized, the proposal will be submitted to the Prime Minister after consultation with other ministries and localities.
Progress on the reforms will be tracked and reported monthly to the Government and the Prime Minister.
