At a State Council policy briefing held on Nov 19, senior officials elaborated on a guideline on promoting the notification-commitment system to save individuals or businesses from providing certificates when handling government-related affairs and items related to business operation permits.

Adoption of the notification-commitment system will help streamline administration, improve government services, stimulate the vitality of market entities, bring more convenience to enterprises and people, and create a better business environment, said Vice-Minister of Justice Liu Zhao.

The guideline specified requirements for defining what certificates involved in processing administrative affairs and items related to business operation permits will be covered in the notification-commitment system, eligibility criteria for market entities, standardizing system procedures, and guarding against risks, among others, Liu said.

Zhao Zhenhua, director of the administrative law enforcement, coordination and supervision department of the Ministry of Justice, said the guideline stressed the importance of supervision for the system to work, through classified verification, information sharing among government departments, and strengthened credit management.

The guideline also required accountability for false promises spotted in verification or routine supervision, Zhao said.

In that case, the administrative organs should suspend services to the violators, order them to correct their behaviors within a set time limit, and withdraw the issued administrative decision or impose administrative punishment on them based on law, and document the violations as part of their credit records.

The notification-commitment system is meant to facilitate problem-solving through clear notification by administrative organs and true commitments by businesses and individuals, said Chen Ye, an official with the State Administration for Market Regulation.