The State Council recently released provisional regulations on procedures for significant administrative decisions, in a bid to improve the scientific, democratic, and law-based decision-making mechanism, standardize procedures for significant administrative decisions and enhance decisions in terms of quality and efficiency.

As stipulated, the interim regulations apply to decision-making and revision procedures of governments above township level.

“Significant administrative decisions” refers to important public policies and measures regarding public services, market supervision and more, significant plans regarding the development of economy and society and major public policies and measures regarding development and protection of essential natural and cultural resources.

Decision-making departments, when setting out to initiate decision-making processes, should pin down undertakers of the decision items, which should draft significant administrative decisions.

As for public opinion, decision-making processes, except those for legally confidential items, should be open to public opinion with easy access, through things like symposia, hearings and interviews, to name a few.

Decision drafters should invite experts and professional institutions to verify whether it is necessary, feasible and scientific to engage certain professional or technical decision items, with necessary security measures offered.

When it comes to the implementation of certain significant administrative decisions that may impact social stability or public security, decision drafters or other bodies concerned should assess the controllability of decision drafts.

Prior to the submission of decision drafts to decision-making offices, departments responsible for validity checks should carry out related investigations.